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 2027
Thursday 28 January 2027 · 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. It takes place at the heart of a week of events on European digital sovereignty in Brussels, up to FOSDEM on 30 and 31 January. Registration opens in early November. Programme and speakers will be announced in early December.
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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 remarks and video message
Samuel Profumo (La French Tech Brussels) · Vanessa Matz (Belgian minister in charge of digital affairs, video message)
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) · Christophe Grosbost (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) · Madeline Lawrence (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)
Fire chat: training talent for Europe
Vincent Charvillat (Institut Mines-Télécom) · Jeroen Franssen (Agoria) · moderated by Alessandra Guion (Fintech 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)
Master class: understand the European regulatory roadmap
Jérôme Deroulez (lawyer, Paris and Brussels bars) · Alessandro Fiorentino (Adequacy)
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
Read the summaries: Security and compliance · Sovereign data and AI · Infrastructure and applications · Digital identities
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