A pillar with Cannes, Nice and Sophia Antipolis of the French Tech Côte d’Azur, the Club des Entrepreneurs du Pays de Grasse launched with GALT (Grasse à la Tech), an entity dedicated to technologies and startups. In the wake of Robertet and his Villa Blu, a bridge between major Grasse perfume manufacturers and innovative young companies.
Grasse is structured a little more around tech. The capital of perfumes was already present in the French Tech Côte d’Azur through the Club des Entrepreneurs du Pays de Grasse which is managed Charlotte Daefflerone of the four “pillars” of the Riviera with Cannes, Nice and Sophia Antipolis. But the agglomeration (ACPG) strengthens its identity through a dedicated club entity: Fat at Tech (GALT). It is this new positioning that was presented last week during an “afterwork” which brought together around sixty people at the InnovaGrasse premises. (Photo DR: the GALT team gathered at InnovaGrasse during the afterwork).
It must be said that the appeal of innovative startups is starting to reach the perfume industry of which Grasse is the stronghold. Until now, the big players in the sector, strong in their R&D, had remained relatively isolated from the buzz of innovative young shoots. But by opening the Villa Blu, Robertetone of the emblematic Grasse companies, has joined in. During a successful launch in March 2023, it announced that it wanted to welcome 20 startups in two years. It has practically already arrived there with the reception of 19 startups in four promotions and the stated desire to double the speed. On the other hand, among others, Mane is interested in movement.
During the meeting, Vincent Manget Director of laboratories of the Perfumery Division, Innovation at Robertet, carried the message. Innovating naturally is one of the strategic pillars of its company which always seeks to stay one step ahead of the competition. The launch of a startup accelerator with Villa Blu is an example of this as well as the work in collaboration with a startup focused on bio farming. Or, another example, the acquisition of a BioPod Interstellar for the cultivation of aromatic plants in a controlled environment assisted by AI to support R&D in agronomy…A first in the perfume industry.
Also in support of GALT, the interventions of local nuggets wever, iPepper, et Mycophyto who came to bear witness to the energy and dynamics of the ecosystem in this essential area of innovation. Responsible for communications Kyf Production and spokesperson for GALT, Nathalie Daoud presented the lines of this new positioning: unite, bring together, animate this ecosystem and create bridges between the major players always on the technological watch and innovative young shoots. This is part of the DNA of the Grasse region where agronomy, digital, biotechnology, naturalness, AI, life sciences and eco-responsibility combine.
Regarding entertainment, it is also planned to organize two “academies” as well as thematic afterworks as opportunities arise. GALT will also mobilize for the event AgriTech/GreenTechwhich takes place on March 4, 2025 at the Palais des Congrès in Grasse. Just to show that in the uniqueness of the Pays de Grasse, tech is beautiful and very present.
Photo DR: Nathalie Daoud presented the new positioning in broad terms.
