France highlights its creative and R&D capabilities

ABU DHABI, 27th July, 2016 (WAM) -- Focusing on France's creativity in today's major areas of economic, technology and social excellence, France's Ambassador to the UAE, Michel Miraillet, has announced the winner of the #CreativeNext competition for the UAE: AKKA Middle East DMCC, subsidiary of AKKA Technologies.

This competition, held throughout five pillar countries which are part of the Creative France outreach initiative, focuses on the disruptive creativity of French startups and SMEs within each of those territories.

Each UAE based participant was requested to post, with the #CreativeNextUAE, elements that clearly projected their ability to address their area of activity, and highlight in which way their thinking and achievements enabled them to effect a leap forward, through creatively disruptive innovations.

AKKA Middle East, a subsidiary of AKKA Technologies, was selected for the local developments brought to their Link and Go futuristic concept car, a 100 per cent autonomous electric vehicle which addresses the challenges of social, environmental and urban dimensions of the upcoming "Smart Cities", leveraging innovative solutions to their security, autonomy and connectivity parameters.

Akka's "Link & Go" was featured prominently at the recent World Government Summit in Dubai, and is a leading contender within the multiple autonomous transportation strategies envisaged by local as well as international bodies and governments.

Highlighting France's strong emphasis on creative solutions and technologies that will drive and enhance bilateral economic relations with the UAE, Ambassador Miraillet said: "France has decided to leverage its key strengths to promote its creative potential and enhance the attractiveness of its economy. We have chosen the United Arab Emirates as a priority country for "Creative France" campaign as it not only reflects the longstanding ties between our two nations, but it also brings exciting new opportunities for the UAE-France economic partnership".

Ferreol Marande Managing Director of AKKA Middle East, said, "We are deeply grateful and honoured to have been selected as one of Creative France's global ambassadors. 'Link & Go' is a revolutionary concept, which we conceived and developed when talk of such a prototype was still mere speculation, and we believe it will be a key building block in the elaboration of tomorrow's 'Smart Cities'. Our presence in the UAE and the Middle East reflects our belief that this area will be a key driver for the changes that will address successfully the urban and social challenges of the very near future, and we see ourselves as partners to their vision."

Creative France's latest global ambassadors will join a host of French figureheads which are already the face of France's leap forward, such as Philippe Starck, Helene Darroze, Safran's Leap technology, Airbus' e-Fan, Medtech's medical robot Rosa, Qarnot Computing's 'intelligent radiator', among other leading-edge celebrities.

Commenting on the competition's results, Muriel Penicaud, CEO of Business France, emphasised that "France's major stake is to address and dispel biases, by promoting its image and economy through hard facts and figures. We want to establish that our country is indeed an active, creative, and leading actor on the global stage, resolutely open to the world. Through this competition, French startups and SMEs who have opted to establish roots outside of France, and demonstrated the soundness of their initiatives through success overseas."