A talk featuring Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao (CZ) and Ethereum founder Vitalik Buterin is among the highlights of the four-day tech and startup event VivaTech 2022, which starts tomorrow at the Paris Expo Porte de Versailles.
A rare occasion to see two of the most recognizable crypto developers turned executives, the talk is expected to touch on broad subjects, including blockchain tech, NFTs, and Web3. CZ will speak directly from the stage with French businessman Maurice Lévy, and Buterin is to join them for the second half of the talk by video.
The session will be streamed live on the VivaTech digital platform.
Crypto gets in
In the upcoming edition of VivaTech, Web3, the metaverse, and NFTs will feature more prominently than ever before, even as crypto reels from a bear market that sends BTC and ETH to prices unseen since 2020. Other high-profile pro-crypto speakers slated to speak at VivaTech include Garry Kasparov, The Sandbox co-founder Sébastien Borget, and Ledger’s Sebastien Badault.
Binance, which looks to establish a global headquarters in Paris, will be among VivaTech’s partners. The exchange is setting up a large stand in the exhibitor area (booth F18, if you’re around), where CZ will make an appearance on Thursday and aspiring candidates can learn more about current job openings in the company.
Binance will also sponsor a bunch of other crypto-related VivaTech events, including on the BNB Chain, fan tokens, and blockchain in sports. On Saturday, the day VivaTech opens its doors to the public, CEO of Binance France David Princay will join a French-language talk on gaming, arts and culture in the context of Web3 and NFTs.
Presidents and robots
The conference, whose goal is to “act as a powerful global catalyst for digital transformation and startup growth,” brings together entrepreneurs, tech enthusiasts, investors, and officials. This year, up to 26,000 visitors are expected on site and an additional 114,000 online, according to forecasts.
Apart from crypto and Web3, VivaTech has content on artificial intelligence, tech in Africa, cybersecurity, energy tech, FinTech, and robotics, among others. According to a VivaTech 2021 visitors and exhibitors survey, 70% of the audience is made up of C-level managers.
Previous editions of VivaTech, which turns six this year, featured some of the most influential names in big tech, including Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and Apple CEO Tim Cook. World leaders like Emmanuel Macron and Justin Trudeau have also made it to the stage.
The heightened interest in blockchain-based business and technology at this year's VivaTech signals that despite the current bear market, the tech community is optimistic about the future of crypto, even as some experts have suggested that venture capital investment in the space could halve by the end of the year.
VivaTech will be held from June 15 to 18 at the Paris Expo Porte de Versailles and on a dedicated digital platform. On Saturday, admission to the in-person event will be free for all visitors.
