Call – Saint Étienne International Design Bienniale 2017

Posted on: 27. February 2017

Call for applications to take part in the Saint Étienne International Design Biennial 2017 within the framework of Saint Étienne #FrenchTech

Created in 1998, the Saint Etienne International Design Biennial 2017 is both a showcase for design creation and a place of experimentation. Through exhibitions, symposia and talks, it affords a period of reflection, work and rare meetings between all kinds of people. The tenth Saint Etienne International Design Biennial 2017 will confirm the Cité du design’s and the town’s commitment to businesses and the economic sector as a whole.

The FrenchTech call for applications launched by the government in 2013 aims to make France a startup accelerator. Saint Etienne Métropole secured the French Tech label with the Design Tech special feature thus proving our expertise in innovation, digitization and design. Since obtaining the label in June 2015, Saint Etienne Métropole has set up a strategy to promote this label by mobilizing our ecosystem towards the creation of startups in the emblematic Manufacture district. Our #DesignTech offer, which is partly based on Cité du design expertise, is aimed mainly at French and international startups, the future creators of jobs and value.

1- General information and selection process
A- Scale of the first event
The purpose of this call for applications is to select a maximum of 20 startups – 5 local startups – 5 national startups from the FrenchTech network – 10 international startups from the Unesco Cities network as a priority but also from the French Tech Hubs
B- Choice of 20 winners
Each of our partners can only put forward one applicant. Consequently, a selection procedure (competition, application file, etc.) will be left to the discretion of our partners (French Tech or Unesco networks among others) whether in France or abroad. A full application file shall be submitted to the FrenchTech #DesignTech mission.
C- Final validation of applications
The deadline for submitting a project to the international startup competition shall be by November 15, 2016 (midday) at the following address: designtech@saint-etienne-metropole.fr in electronic format only. At the end of the application deadline, a selection committee drawn from FrenchTech #Designtech partners will meet in Saint Etienne between 16 November and 1st December 2016 to choose the 20 participants in the Saint Etienne International Design Biennial 2017.

2. Theme and general information
A- Theme
The 2017 event will propose a broad reflection on shifting work paradigms:
– Work is one of the major concerns of our society, up to now it has been gainful and statutory. – Traditional forms of wage earning appear to be changing to the point of disappearing partially or of transforming radically with the appearance of an all-digital environment. – The work culture is instilled in every level of our society, organising living areas and social relationships.
As the theme is very wide-ranging, it enables a whole range of startups to apply and to focus more especially on new concepts, new digital uses, etc.
B- Dates to save
Dates for the Saint Etienne International Design Biennial 2017: 9 March – 9 April 2017 Inauguration: 8 March 2017
Date of the DesignTech event: 9-12 March 2017

To see the whole Call click: call-for-startup-during-biennial-2017

CONTACTS
If you have any questions about this call for applications, please contact FrenchTech #DesignTech:

* Geneviève SORLIN- DesignTech Manager: g.sorlin@saint-etienne-metropole.fr | 00 33 6 18 19 46 35
* Anne Charlène AGUIDE – Mission #Designtech: ac.aguide@saint-etienne-metropole.fr | 00 33 6 37 62 91 58