EnterNext, the Euronext subsidiary dedicated to promoting and growing the market for small and medium-sized companies (SMEs), today announced that it would hold its next Tech Conference in Montpellier on 29 September. This will be the sixth regional Tech Conference, coming after similar events in Bordeaux, Nantes, Lille, Lyon and Toulouse. Dedicated to examining financing options for innovative businesses, the conference will give participants an opportunity to learn more about the tools and initiatives available to the region’s tech[1] companies, from start-ups to mid-size businesses.
The event will bring together over one hundred representatives of the national and regional tech eco-system, including CEOs, business angels, private equity investors, fund managers, bankers, analysts and consultants. It will be Montpellier’s first conference dedicated to the technology sector and financial markets, with a full day of input and networking centred on the financing options available to innovative companies. The aim is to inject energy and momentum into the tech eco-system, and a large number of local tech sector players will take part.
France’s Mediteranean area (including Languedoc-Roussillon) is the third-ranked home region for companies listed on the exchange, after Greater Paris and Rhône-Alpes-Auvergne. Businesses here are increasingly interested in seeking the financing they need on capital markets. Since Euronext was created in May 2013, four tech companies from Languedoc have already listed, raising a total of €61.5 million to finance their development. The first half of 2015 was particularly fruitful, as both Océasoft and Sensorion made their market debuts.
Eric Forest, Chairman and CEO of EnterNext, said: “EnterNext aims to be the European hub for innovative companies and Languedoc-Roussillon is home to many very promising high tech companies. We are dedicated to giving local entrepreneurs all the assistance they need to better understand financial markets. We firmly believe that our grassroots outreach will help tomorrow’s industry leaders emerge—and we are delighted to welcome representatives of the regional eco-system to this first Tech Conference in Montpellier.”
Guillaume Mordelet, EnterNext’s regional manager for the Mediterranean region, added,“I’m proud to work with company leaders in the fast-growing Languedoc area, which accounts for 25% of listed SMEs in the region but also the majority of new listings, thanks to the momentum driving its tech eco-system. We hope that this first Tech Conference in Montpellier will answer questions on stockmarket financing that many business leaders still have. Our aim is to put listing on the radar screen of selected profiles, and present financial markets as the financing option of choice for high-growth companies. ”
With thanks to our sponsors:
- Actus Finance Communication
- BNP Paribas
- Cefim Pôle Bourse
- Ernst Young
- Portzamparc
- PricewaterhouseCoopers
And our partners:
- Bpifrance
- Business Innovation Center Montpellier
- FrenchSouth.digital cluster
- French Tech Montpellier
- Leader LR association for high-growth companies
- Montpellier Méditerranée Métropole
- PME Finance
- La Région Languedoc-Roussillon
- Sofilaro
- Soridec
- L’Agence régionale de l’innovation Transferts LR
Montpellier Tech Conference programme:
15.30 Introduction —Chantal MARION – Deputy Chairman, Commission for Business Development, Higher Education and Research, Innovation, International Affairs and Crafts, Montpellier Méditerranée Métropole
15.35 Keynote —Bertin NAHUM – Chairman and Co-founder – Medtech
15.45 1st Round Table– Growth potential—and reasons to invest in regional tech companies
Moderated by Vincent Touraine, journalist, BFM
Jalil BENABDILLAH –Chairman, Leader and Chairman CEO,SDTech
Laurent BRIEU– Chairman – Sofilaro
Pierre DENISET– Chairman – FrenchSouth.digital and Chairman CEO –Kaliop
Marie-Thérèse MERCIER– Partner – EY Montpellier
Nicolas MERLE– Innovation – Bpifrance Languedoc-Roussillon
Catherine POMMIER– Director – Business Innovation Center Montpellier
Dominique DUHIL – Director, Languedoc Roussilon Entreprises business centre – BNP Paribas
16.45 Welcome to our region. Michèle MARCHETTI – Head of Business Development – Région Languedoc-Roussillon
16.50 Techtalk — Christophe CARNIEL – Chairman, Transferts Languedoc-Roussillon and Chairman CEO, Vogo
17.30 Dialogue
Alain MOLINIE – Chairman CEO and Co-founder –Awox
Jérôme FABREGUETTES-LEIB– Deputy CEO – Actus
17.45 Keynote — Loïc SOUBEYRAND – Co-founder and Head of Business Strategy – TEADS
17.55 2nd Round Table —Stockmarket listing—a growth driver for tech companies?
Moderated by Vincent Touraine – journalist, BFM
Geneviève BLANC– Investment Portfolio – Soridec
Philippe KUBISA– Partner, Financial Communication Capital Market Services – PwC
Vincent LE SANN– Institutional business clients – Portzamparc
Guillaume MORDELET– Mediteranean regional manager – EnterNext
Emmanuel PETIOT– CEO – Deinove
Laurent ROUSSEAU– Chairman founder – Oceasoft
Laurent NGUYEN – CEO – Sensorion
18.50 Keynote — Richard VACHER DETOURNIERE – Chairman – Bourse Place Financière unit, CEFIM and CEO CFO – Inside Secure
19.00 Closing comments Éric FOREST – Chairman CEO –EnterNext
Social media:
Follow this Tech Conference on Twitter #EnterNext
[1] Including digital, life sciences and eco-industry businesses.