French Entrepreneurs Drive Digital Sovereignty to Challenge GAFAM Dominance
At the 'Made in France' fair, French entrepreneurs emphasize digital sovereignty to reduce dependency on American and Chinese tech giants, calling for political support and showcasing increasing local demand.
Key details
- The 14th 'Made in France' fair highlights efforts to create alternative digital solutions against GAFAM dominance.
- 85% of cloud services used in Europe are American, emphasizing European dependence.
- Political support is needed to redirect public procurement towards French digital services to boost growth and job creation.
- Entrepreneurs report growing demand and recent contract successes, indicating progress toward digital sovereignty.
The 14th edition of the 'Made in France' fair opened in Paris on November 12, attracting over 100,000 visitors, including key political figures ahead of the French presidential election. Central to this year's event is the emphasis on digital sovereignty, as French digital entrepreneurs push to establish viable alternatives to dominant American and Chinese tech giants, collectively known as GAFAM. A dedicated digital village highlights this push for local innovation.
Alexandre Zapolsky, founder of the open-source collaboration tool Twake, underscored Europe's heavy reliance on American software – revealing that 85% of cloud services used in Europe are American. He described Europe as a "true 'digital colony' of the Americans today," highlighting the difficulties in breaking this dependency. Timothée Demoures of Wimi highlighted the political challenges, calling for more government support. He pointed out that shifting just 5% of the €50 billion public procurement currently spent on U.S. products toward French digital solutions could spur 10% growth in the sector and create 10,000 jobs.
Despite these obstacles, entrepreneurs at the fair report growing awareness and demand for local digital services. Zapolsky cited recent successes, including securing contracts with the Swedish government, suggesting tangible progress. The collective message from the event is clear: building a credible, sustainable European digital ecosystem is crucial to reclaim technological independence and secure economic growth.
