Chula Opens New Pathways for Thai Startups
Chulalongkorn University, through the CU Innovation Hub, participated in Viva Technology 2026 in Paris, France, from June 15–19, 2026, to expand its international partnerships in innovation, technology, and knowledge transfer with leading organizations, world-class universities, government agencies, investors, and key players in Europe’s startup and deep tech ecosystem. The event marked another important step in advancing the potential of Chulalongkorn University’s startups, researchers, and innovations to the global market.
Participation in Viva Technology 2026 reflects Chulalongkorn University’s vision of becoming an entrepreneurial university that transforms knowledge, research, and intellectual property into innovation, business ventures, and tangible economic and social impact, while connecting Thai researchers, entrepreneurs, and industry with the global innovation ecosystem.
One of the key engagements at this event was a meeting with Mr. Eric Vaysset, Chief Executive Officer of WILCO, one of France’s leading startup accelerators. WILCO has supported more than 1,500 startups, particularly in the industry, healthcare, and digital sectors. During the meeting, the two parties discussed the development of the Chula–French Acceleration Track, a collaborative initiative designed to help Chulalongkorn University startups expand into the European market. The program would provide soft-landing support, market testing opportunities, connections with industry partners and investors, and the development of a Thailand Fast Track pathway for high-potential startups.
The delegation also met with Mr. Vishnu Nagaraj of Carve Startup Labs, an organization specializing in helping startups expand across Asia and Europe. The discussions focused on developing a Cross-border Soft Landing initiative and a Co-incubation Program to create international growth pathways for Thai entrepreneurs, as well as promote the exchange of knowledge, experts, and entrepreneurial networks between the two regions.
As part of Thailand-France cooperation, the CU Innovation Hub met with representatives from Business France Thailand to discuss startup exchange programs, support Thai startups entering the European market, and connect them with France’s leading innovation networks, including French Tech, Station F, and Paris&Co. The two sides also explored expanding cooperation in deep tech, particularly in HealthTech, GreenTech, and FoodTech—three sectors regarded as strategic industries of the future.
During the visit, the delegation also held a discussion with Pasqal, one of Europe’s leading quantum computing companies, which expressed strong interest in Thailand’s innovation ecosystem and explored opportunities to develop pilot projects in quantum technology. In addition, they also met with SimpleIP, a company that develops an integrated platform for intellectual property (IP) management.
In the areas of academic collaboration and Deep Tech, the CU Innovation Hub met with Pôle PSL Innovation from Université PSL, one of the world’s leading universities, as well as the Rice University Global Paris Center, to discuss opportunities for joint startup incubation programs, researcher exchanges, advanced research collaboration, and connecting Thai startups with global innovation networks.
Chulalongkorn University’s attendance at Viva Technology 2026 reflects its vision of becoming a world-leading innovation university by connecting Thai knowledge, research, and entrepreneurs with international networks. The university aims to create new opportunities for technology development, knowledge transfer, and the growth of innovation-driven businesses with international competitiveness.
The partnerships established during this mission not only opened the door for Thai startups and researchers to access the European market, but also laid an important foundation for advancing Thailand’s innovation-driven economy, strengthening the country’s long-term competitiveness, and reinforcing Chulalongkorn University’s role as Thailand’s leader in innovation and technology transfer on the global stage.
Read more at: https://www.chula.ac.th/en/news/419570/
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