Nine Startups Will Compete in Startup Tour 2018 in New York

Which French-speaking startup will be deemed the one with the most potential on American soil this year? The final of Startup Tour 2018 will settle this question on Wednesday, September 26 at the Pierre Hotel starting at 11:30am. Six startups that won local competitions in New York, Miami, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Montreal and Paris will compete for the title.

For this second edition of the startup competition organized by the FrenchFounders network and BNP Paribas, three young American companies hoping to establish themselves in France will also receive a prize to aid them in this endeavor.

The nine startups will have a few minutes to present their product or service to an audience of nearly 380 entrepreneurs, investors and other “business angels.”

A 13-member jury, chaired by former minister Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet, will award the most convincing startup with a prize worth $100,000, including a check for $20,000 and access to BNP Paribas’ acceleration program. This award will be presented by the Consul General of France in New York, Anne-Claire Legendre, and Bruno d’Illiers, Head of BNP Paribas’ North American Operations.

The Association des Anciens des Grandes Ecoles de France in the United States will also award a $5,000 prize and offer mentoring to the company of its choice. The public is also invited to vote online for which of the nine finalists they believe is best. The startup with the most votes will receive a check for $2,500 and a one-year membership in the FrenchFounders network.

During the ceremony, the public will hear two brief panels: one on cyber security and the other on climate.