The DataCup Has Also Made a Strong Start to the New Year !
On August 30th, Florent Thomas, CEO of Mind&Go, the incubator behind the DataCup, traveled to Toulouse to meet with 12 French Ambassadors who visited the city as part of the Annual Ambassador Conference following the G7 summit .
This annual gathering, which brings together over 140 ambassadors with the Head of State, is followed by visits to the 11 regions of France. The aim of these visits is to facilitate meetings with key actors in the civil society sectors, including both private and public economic stakeholders in the regions. In Toulouse, the meeting was held under the auspices of the Regional Prefect.
The day was divided into two parts. First, we had the privilege of participating in the French Diplomacy Roundtables organized by Rencontres d’Occitanie.These roundtables focused on scientific and academic cooperation (with a particular emphasis on academic equivalency, accredited programs, etc.) and international cooperation, exploring how regions are involved in global cooperation. A summary of these Roundtables can be found on the Dépêche newspaper website.
We then had the opportunity to meet with the Ambassadors during a lunch cocktail organized by the Occitanie Pyrénées Méditerranée Regional Prefecture. The event brought together approximately 150 guests from various sectors.
For the DataCup, the connection with Embassies is crucial. Beyond gaining access to new markets for the DataCup, we share a real common interest in the library management of the French Institutes, for which the ambassadors are also responsible. Furthermore, Florent Thomas notes :
“The key point for us is to raise awareness and ensure that the Ambassadors understand the interest and utility the DataCup can have in various territories. The DataCup is not an end in itself; what matters is how it can serve the people on the ground.”
We had the chance to discuss this with the French Ambassadors in Ethiopia, Paraguay, Burkina Faso, and Zambia—countries where we already have prospects, such as Burkina Faso, or where the DataCup solution makes sense.
Beyond meetings with the Ambassadors, these events also provided opportunities to reconnect with key players in French international cooperation, such as the SIAD or Occitanie Coopération, who facilitate knowledge sharing among international cooperation actors. They also help align the diverse and numerous actions of NGOs (Non-Governmental Organizations) and funders, as well as regional authorities and the private sector.
Far from the offices of our small start-up, where we produce, dream, and imagine the DataCup, we saw during these encounters that the DataCup can genuinely be an asset. The potential is vast, whether it’s facilitating access to education and culture for people far removed from technology and content, or forming partnerships to access content that is free of rights, such as documentaries.
We are therefore excited to continue pursuing all these exciting opportunities in the coming weeks !
The DataCup and the ambassadors