Every year, La French Tech Brussels brings together startups, corporates, investors, policymakers and researchers in the heart of the European Union to turn digital sovereignty from a slogan into concrete choices, with a special focus on the Franco-Belgian axis.
3rd edition
French Tech Sovereignty Summit Brussels 2026
Monday 23 November 2026 · Conference day followed by a networking cocktail · BNP Paribas Fortis, Brussels
After an edition devoted to understanding the stakes (2024) and one devoted to action (2025), the third Summit brings together the decision-makers who build and buy European technology. Programme, speakers and registration will be announced soon.
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2025 · Time for Action
Monday 23 June 2025 · Square Brussels Convention Centre · 350+ participants
More than 80% of Europe’s digital technologies and infrastructures are imported (Eurostack). After a first edition focused on understanding, the second Summit focused on action: strengthening the ecosystem, mobilising large companies and showcasing the European startups that already offer sovereign alternatives.
Opening discussion: how can the European Union accelerate digital sovereignty?
Xavier Coget, Member of the Cabinet of Henna Virkkunen, Executive Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy, European Commission
Time for Action: what concrete steps and cooperation in Europe for the next 18 months?
Suzanne Alardin (AWEX) · Bart Becks (European Innovation Council) · Sébastien Bruyr (Odoo) · Innovation Makers Alliance · moderated by Zineb Bensaïd (Women in Tech)
Sovereignty Recovery Plan: a step-by-step guide to building your organisation’s sovereignty
Alain Strowel (Pierstone, UCLouvain) · Alexis D’Elia (Expleo) · Loïc De Visscher (RTBF) · Aikido Security
Cloud, cybersecurity, software: European alternatives exist, how to make them work for you
Clémence Philippe (Examin) · Johann Ruiz (Gcore) · Valérie Zapico (Valkuren) · Quentin Adam (Clever Cloud) · moderated by Élodie Trojanowski (Satisco)
Emerging technologies: how innovators are shaping the next phase of sovereignty
Alexandre Zapolsky (Linagora) · Claire Munck (BeAngels) · Sébastien Couet (Vertical Compute) · moderated by Emmanuelle Ghislain (Pulse Foundation)
Sponsors: Expleo · Gcore · Pierstone · Beyond Law Firm
With the support of: Mission French Tech · Embassy of France in Belgium · Business France · CCI France Belgique
2024 · Towards European Digital Sovereignty? Challenges and Opportunities
Tuesday 28 May 2024 · Flagey, Brussels · 400+ participants (820 registered)
The first edition set out to build a shared understanding between French and Belgian players: sovereignty is not isolationism. It requires a precise definition and mastery of the digital infrastructures that carry our values. A full day of talks, deep dives, a startup village and 20 startup pitches.
Opening: the pillars of European digital sovereignty
Caroline Vinot (Embassy of France in Belgium) · Thibaut Kleiner (DG CONNECT, European Commission) · Bruno Colmant (Royal Academy of Belgium)
Ecosystems at the heart of European digital sovereignty
Bart Becks (EISMEA) · Clara Chappaz (La French Tech) · Emmanuelle Ghislain (Pulse Foundation) · Héloïse Rozès (Corma) · moderated by Nathanaël Ackerman (BOSA)
Europe + Belgium + France: opportunities and funding for your digital projects
Jeanne Andrade (Bpifrance) · Thibaud Elzière (Hexa) · Claire Munck (BeAngels) · Stéphane Ouaki (EISMEA) · moderated by Thibault Griez (Expleo)
Deep dives
Security and compliance · Sovereign data and AI, with Gaël Duval (Murena), Stéphanie Hospital (OneRagtime) and Alexandre Zapolsky (Linagora) · Infrastructure and applications, with Quentin Adam (Clever Cloud) and Scaleway · Digital identities, with France Identité and itsme
Closing panel: technological sovereignty and democratic challenges
Béatrice de Mahieu (BeCode) · Mark Hunyadi (UCLouvain) · Philippe Latombe (French National Assembly, CNIL) · Jean-Paul Philippot (RTBF) · moderated by Marion Moreau
Sponsors: Expleo · Adequacy · Institut Mines-Télécom · Linagora · Clever Cloud · Agence du Numérique · Framatome Cybersecurity · FI Group
With the support of: Mission French Tech · Embassy of France in Belgium · Business France · CCI France Belgique · Conseillers du Commerce extérieur de la France