What is the Concours Lépine?
Our French office has long partnered with the Concours Lépine, and our French inventors are lucky to participate in such an event. Lépine is a French invention competition within the Foire de Paris that attracts around 500,000 visitors during the 10-day event. Inventors can showcase or sell their prototypes to Parisians if they have started manufacturing.
In addition, the Concours enjoys great notoriety in France, attracts various media, and allows inventors to benefit from great PR.
Inventor and former SEB senior Product Designer Stéphane Thirouin describes it as “the most effective way to test your innovation with the general public and meet the press to talk about it.”
In addition to being partners, three of our clients have had amazing results and won prestigious medals this year.
Thierry Malespine, a urologist with Homsur, a health device that enables men suffering from urinary problems, has won a gold medal.
Michel Vaillancourt, a Canadian author with Adaptapot, a revolutionary flower pot that grows with your plant, has also won a silver medal.
Nolwenn Roux, an entrepreneur with Appareil à Fondu, a wireless fondue device, has won a silver medal.
Innovate also awards a prize for ingenuity and innovation. This year, we chose Ebenbee, a clever system for beekeepers that improves productivity without using energy and ensures the welfare of the bees.