This June, DIGITAL joined the global tech community in Paris for Viva Technology 2025, Europe’s largest event for startups and innovation. The event marked a milestone moment for Canada: as Country of the Year and this year’s conference partner, our nation brought its largest-ever delegation, with over 600 leaders representing more than 230 organizations from seven provinces.
DIGITAL was proud to be part of this historic showing. Serena Nguyen, Chief Development Officer, and Jen Mielguj, Director of IP & Partnerships, attended on behalf of DIGITAL to connect with international partners and spotlight how Canada—and DIGITAL—are advancing the responsible adoption of AI and digital technologies that power real-world solutions.
With more than 180,000 attendees from 171 countries, VivaTech 2025 showcased a sweeping vision for the future of technology. Yet what stood out most was how focused that vision has become: AI must be more than just powerful; it must be trustworthy, sustainable, and inclusive. For DIGITAL, that’s long been our approach.
Building Global Bridges Through Trusted Innovation
This year’s conference carried significant geopolitical and economic weight. Amid rising uncertainty and global trade tensions, innovation partnerships have become a strategic imperative.
As Minister Evan Solomon shared during the event, “Our government’s strategic framework is to scale our AI industry by championing our innovation leaders, to drive AI adoption rates to spur economic growth, to ensure that Canadians have trust in the responsible use of AI, and to build a more secure digital Canada with sovereign data centres and secure cloud.”
For DIGITAL, this directly aligns with our mission. From the energy transition and natural resources to healthcare and workforce development, our initiatives do more than create digital technologies—they deliver measurable impact and unlock global collaboration.
Big Ideas, Bold Impact
Throughout the four-day event, DIGITAL’s team engaged in some of the most pressing and forward-looking conversations in the tech world.
Quantum Crossroads explored how quantum computing is reshaping cybersecurity. As Nobel Laureate Alain Aspect and IBM’s Jay Gambetta discussed, quantum represents both a threat to current encryption methods and a breakthrough opportunity to build future-proof systems. It’s a topic DIGITAL is deeply engaged in as we support innovation in secure digital infrastructure that strengthens industries and builds trust.
On the AI and energy front, leaders from Schneider Electric, Arm, and Core42 addressed the challenge of scaling AI without scaling emissions. Smarter models, energy-efficient systems, and regulatory leadership were spotlighted as critical to ensuring digital progress supports climate goals.
The panel on clean AI by design resonated strongly with DIGITAL’s own approach to sustainability. With insights from the IEA, Hugging Face, and emerging climate tech leaders, it was clear that innovation must be built with environmental limits in mind—from infrastructure to regulation.
In healthcare, where DIGITAL continues to lead transformative projects, we saw the future of AI in drug discovery brought to life. Google DeepMind’s Colin Murdoch and NVIDIA’s Kimberly Powell offered a glimpse of AI as a true collaborator—one that can accelerate the design of new treatments and drive health innovation at scale.
Canada’s Moment to Lead
VivaTech 2025 made one thing clear: it is Canada’s moment to lead the world in global innovation.
DIGITAL’s work reflects this ambition. Whether advancing next-generation AI, developing the future digital workforce, or scaling mining and energy solutions that support sustainable growth, our projects bring innovation into the real world—where it matters most.
As we return from Paris, we’re more energized than ever to build what’s next, in partnership with innovators across Canada and around the world.
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