15 French firms seek cooperation in city

The French Tech Tour China came to Shenzhen on Thursday, bringing 15 French companies specializing in digital and energy saving technologies to a roadshow to meet with local enterprises for potential cooperation. Nearly 100 people attended the event.

Initiated by Business France and Bpifrance, the French Tech Tour China has been held in China for seven consecutive years. One-third of the more than 50 companies that have attended the tech tours have set up offices in China, and over half of them have maintained stable business relationships with their Chinese partners.

“French Tech Tour is a two-week immersive program that provides opportunities for French startups. Every year we bring 10 to 15 French companies to China. We bring these companies to different Chinese cities including Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Hong Kong and Chengdu,” said Jerome Coustans, director of Business France of the Consulate General of France in Guangzhou.

According to Coustans, they provided some coaching for companies, which helped them interact with the local companies. “At the end of this program, companies will better understand the Chinese market.”

The French City Brain smart city platform has developed an IoT/AI/cloud infrastructure and a platform integrating and optimizing a mix of French and Chinese technological bricks and innovations, including new-energy production (PV, biogas), energy storage (batteries, flywheels, hydrogen), shared eco-mobility and air quality management.

The French City Brain was officially announced June 14 at the opening ceremony of the French Dream Town in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province.

“We bring technologies, architects, designers, brands and new concepts here. For example, a hotel is a hotel, but we can help improve hospitality with innovation. We can apply our AI concept to check-in and check-out,” said Fadwa Sube, head of the French City Brain and honorary mayor of the French Dream Town.

CMR Group designs, manufactures and delivers innovative products and tailored solutions, from smart sensors to advanced monitoring and automation systems dedicated to the energy and marine sectors.

“CMR started coming to China in the 1980s. First, it was a joint venture for nuclear power. In 2007, we built our own factory in Suzhou and expanded the factory to increase our business in other parts of China,” said Davy Theophile, control solutions BU director and vice president of marketing at CMR Group.

“We work with engine manufacturers like Weichai in China. We also work on sensors for nuclear, sometimes directly with the Chinese companies, sometimes through companies who are selling our products to Chinese companies,” said Theophile, adding that their objective with the French Tech Tour is to meet hydro plant operators to gain a better understanding of the needs of the hydro market and to see if it makes sense to propose their advanced management solution in the short-term.

They are looking for Chinese partners for hydro equipment supply. CMR Group may set up a branch office in Shenzhen in the future.

Quanteo Group is a global company dedicated to the research, development and manufacturing of a large range of outdoor and indoor people counters for a diverse array of markets, including nature parks and commercial real estate.

“China aims to reduce pollution by 10 to 15 percent, according to its 13th Five-year Plan. There are different ways to achieve this regarding traffic, including adopting electric cars, carpooling and bikes. In a city, when you have to travel less than 6 or 7 kilometers, a bike is by far the best way. In order to make this possible, you have to provide safe infrastructure so you can cycle without risk. You need to know the dynamic data of how many people are using it, and that’s what we do,” said Christophe Milon, president of Quanteo.

Milon said they met with Shenzhen’s transport authority Thursday regarding the issue.