On 8 and 9 July 2026, the RAISE Summit will gather AI leaders, developers, and startups at Le Carrousel du Louvre, Paris. With over 9,000 attendees and 2,000+ companies, it’s a must-attend event for anyone in AI. Here’s why:
- Global AI Hackathon: A 24-hour coding challenge with €200,000 in prizes, bringing together 8,000 participants to solve AI challenges across four tracks: infrastructure, advanced applications, adoption barriers, and future AI possibilities.
- Startup Competition: The RAISE the STAKES contest will showcase 10 finalists (out of 1,500+ applicants), with €10 million+ in funding opportunities for winners.
- Networking Opportunities: Meet C-level executives, investors, and policymakers. Use the dedicated app to schedule meetings or attend exclusive events like the VIP Versailles Dinner.
- Paris as AI Hub: Known as Europe’s AI capital, Paris provides the perfect backdrop for this global gathering.
Whether you're a developer, entrepreneur, or investor, this event offers unparalleled access to the AI ecosystem. Tickets start at 999 € HT, with VIP options available. Don’t miss the chance to connect, innovate, and lead the AI future.
RAISE Summit 2026 Key Facts and Opportunities
Hackathon Structure and Features
The hackathon is designed to reflect the ambitious vision of the RAISE Summit, offering a well-organized and impactful challenge that aligns with its broader goals.
Registration and Team Formation
Getting started is simple and streamlined to encourage participation. You can register through the RAISE your Hack portal. The event’s hybrid format welcomes both in-person and remote participants, making it accessible to a diverse group.
Teams are formed using the RAISE networking app, which connects participants from a pool of over 8,000 attendees. This setup ensures that everyone has the opportunity to find collaborators, whether they’re attending on-site or online.
Challenge Categories and Industry Tracks
The hackathon is divided into four main tracks, known as the 4Fs, each focusing on a critical area of AI:
- Foundation Track: Addresses infrastructure challenges like sovereign cloud computing and the interplay between energy and computational power.
- Frontier Track: Explores advanced applications, such as agentic systems and autonomous intelligence capable of independently handling complex tasks.
- Friction Track: Tackles real-world adoption barriers, including return-on-investment concerns, regulatory compliance, and workforce adaptation.
- Future Track: Looks ahead to long-term possibilities, including pathways to Artificial General Intelligence (AGI), sustainable AI, and multimodal interfaces that integrate text, images, and audio simultaneously.
This structure allows participants to work on a wide range of projects, from early-stage concepts to sophisticated research initiatives.
Timeline and Presentation Guidelines
Once teams are set, the competition kicks off with a clear and fast-paced schedule. The hackathon runs as a 24-hour sprint from 8–9 July 2026. As the RAISE Summit describes it:
"A high-energy, 24-hour challenge where teams prototype bold solutions powered by AI. From product ideas to frontier research - the future starts here."
Participants are encouraged to dive into the 4Fs and focus on creating solutions that don’t simply build on existing ideas but instead aim for something entirely new. The emphasis is on innovation and bold thinking, with a prize pool of €200,000 rewarding teams that combine technical brilliance with practical impact within the tight 24-hour window.
Startup Competition: Growth Opportunities for Early-Stage Companies
The "RAISE the STAKES 2026" startup competition, part of the RAISE Summit 2026, is a platform designed to push early-stage AI ventures into the spotlight. This initiative complements the summit's hackathon by focusing on entrepreneurial innovation alongside technical advancements.
Application Process and Evaluation Criteria
Applications opened on 8 January 2026 and will close on 1 June 2026. Startups are reviewed on a rolling basis, so early submissions are encouraged. To be eligible, ventures must meet the following criteria:
- AI must be central to the business.
- The company must have a legal entity and at least two full-time team members.
- It must be at the Pre-seed, Seed, or Series A stage.
- Total funding raised to date must not exceed €10 million.
The selection process is rigorous. From over 1,500 applicants, the Top 100 startups will be announced on 10 June 2026. By 24 June, this group will be narrowed to 10 finalists, who will pitch live on 8 July at Le Carrousel du Louvre. The final three will present on the main stage on 9 July.
The jury includes prominent figures such as Julien Bek (Sequoia Capital), Serge Lemonde (Nvidia), and Julien Codorniou (20VC). With an acceptance rate below 0.2% in 2025, the competition offers not just exposure but also financial and strategic backing for the most promising startups.
Prizes and Benefits for Winners
The competition boasts a prize pool exceeding €10 million. Beyond the monetary rewards, finalists gain access to a highly influential audience - 80% of the 9,000+ attendees are C-level executives and founders. This exposure within the RAISE Summit ecosystem can lead to funding opportunities, strategic alliances, and enterprise-level client connections. Winners also secure a strong foothold in the European AI landscape, significantly boosting their visibility and growth potential.
Previous Winners and Their Achievements
The competition builds on a legacy of success. In 2025, three standout startups - Neuralk AI (led by CEO Alexandre Pasquiou), Hirundo (CEO Ben Luria), and pyannoteAI (CEO Vincent Molina) - rose to the top from over 1,500 applicants. Their achievements attracted global investor interest, showcasing the competition's ability to launch ventures onto the world stage.
Networking and Professional Connections
Networking at RAISE Summit 2026 goes beyond casual introductions - it's a cornerstone of the event's mission to drive AI progress through collaboration. With over 9,000 attendees, including 80% C-level executives, the summit is a hub for forming influential partnerships and securing key investments. This unique gathering of decision-makers creates fertile ground for strategic collaboration.
Meeting Industry Leaders and Investors
Imagine connecting with top executives, policymakers, and venture capitalists even before setting foot at the summit. With a PRO ticket (€999 + VAT) or higher, you get access to a dedicated networking app to schedule meetings in advance. This tool is indispensable for navigating through the thousands of participating companies and setting up meaningful interactions.
The event also offers rare opportunities to engage with industry heavyweights. The startup competition jury includes prominent figures who are typically hard to access outside such exclusive gatherings. Meanwhile, the CxO Summit - a private forum running alongside the main event - gives senior executives a platform for strategic discussions about organizational intelligence. And for those seeking more intimate conversations, the VIP Versailles Dinner brings together speakers, partners, and global innovators in a setting designed for impactful exchanges.
"As things become more virtual, I think it's increasingly important for people to come together. The serendipity that can happen when you're together in a physical space is life-changing." - Chamath Palihapitiya, Co-founder, Social Capital
Networking extends beyond the main venue with the Side Events Week, transforming Paris into a city-wide AI hotspot. From exclusive dinners to workshops and meetups, attendees can deepen connections in a variety of settings. For those with VIP MAX tickets (€3,499 + VAT), the "A Royal Dinner" offers an elite gathering tailored for high-level discussions.
These carefully curated networking opportunities ensure you're well-prepared to engage directly with cutting-edge startups and industry leaders.
Exhibition Area and Startup Displays
Le Carrousel du Louvre becomes the epicenter of AI innovation, where over 2,000 companies showcase their technologies through live demonstrations and product displays. This dynamic exhibition floor provides a real-time platform for evaluating solutions and initiating immediate discussions. Adding to the excitement, the top 10 finalists of the "RAISE the STAKES" competition pitch their groundbreaking ideas live, offering attendees a concentrated glimpse into emerging technologies.
For VIP ticket holders (€1,899 + VAT), the benefits extend even further. They gain exclusive access to startup pitch decks and developer profiles, enabling a deeper understanding of potential partnerships before diving into discussions. Sponsors, on the other hand, enjoy additional deal-flow opportunities with detailed insights into startups, paving the way for strategic collaborations.
The summit also caters to niche interests. On 7 July 2026, the Machina Summit (€699 + VAT) focuses on physical AI and robotics, creating a specialized environment for leaders in hardware and autonomous systems.
"RAISE is where everyone in AI is going" - Jonathan Ross, CEO & Founder, Groq
From high-level networking to hands-on exhibitions, RAISE Summit 2026 offers unparalleled opportunities to connect, learn, and collaborate in the world of AI.
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Information for French Attendees
Dates, Times, and Pricing in French Format
The RAISE Summit 2026 will take place on 8 and 9 July 2026 at Le Carrousel du Louvre, located at 99 Rue de Rivoli, 75001 Paris. The event runs daily from 09:00 to 19:00, offering two full days dedicated to advancements in AI.
Ticket prices are listed in euros (HT). The PRO ticket is available for 999 € HT (full price: 1 799 €) and includes access to the exhibition floor, all stages, live startup competition pitches, a networking app, and full catering, including a champagne cocktail. For a more elevated experience, the VIP ticket costs 1 899 € HT (full price: 2 999 €), providing VIP lounge access, entry to the Machina Summit, and detailed startup pitch decks. The top-tier VIP MAX ticket, priced at 3 499 € HT (full price: 4 599 €), includes all VIP perks plus an exclusive invitation to the "Royal Dinner". For those focused on physical AI and robotics, the standalone Machina Summit ticket is available for 699 € HT and covers the event on 7 July 2026.
Paris as an AI Innovation Center
Paris is far more than just the backdrop for the event - it’s a key player in the AI revolution.
Known as the "European Capital of AI", Paris solidifies this reputation by hosting RAISE Summit 2026, which gathers Europe’s leading AI experts at the Carrousel du Louvre. The summit highlights France’s robust AI ecosystem, featuring prominent figures like Arthur Mensch (Co-Founder & CEO of Mistral AI) and Clément Delangue (Co-Founder & CEO of Hugging Face). In previous years, the event has also welcomed high-profile speakers such as Clara Chappaz, France’s Minister Delegate for AI & Digital Affairs, reflecting the alignment between the summit and France’s national digital ambitions. This synergy underscores how Paris serves as both an innovation hub and a beacon for AI transformation.
"The fastest-growing AI tech conference in Europe, and perhaps in history" - Eric Schmidt, Former CEO & Chairman, Google
The excitement extends beyond the main venue with Side Events Week, turning Paris into a city-wide AI hotspot. From exclusive dinners to workshops and meetups, these events create opportunities for French entrepreneurs to engage with global investors and Fortune 1000 executives. This dynamic environment cements Paris’ role not just as a host city but as a launchpad for groundbreaking AI collaborations.
Conclusion: AI Development at RAISE Summit 2026
RAISE Summit 2026 stands out as a landmark event in the world of AI, bringing together global leaders to transform ambitious ideas into actionable solutions. Featuring a 24-hour AI Hackathon with a whopping €200,000 prize pool and the "RAISE the STAKES" Startup Competition offering awards exceeding €10 million, the summit creates exceptional opportunities for developers and startups to make their mark in the AI landscape.
The summit's well-thought-out structure - organized into four tracks: Foundation, Frontier, Friction, and Future - ensures a focused approach to tackling challenges like infrastructure scaling, ethical dilemmas, and advancements in AGI. This format encourages participants to address critical issues while fostering meaningful collaborations that extend far beyond the event itself.
By bringing together a diverse and talented group of participants, the summit serves as a hub for forming impactful partnerships and driving forward tangible results.
Whether you're a developer aiming for recognition, a startup looking for funding, or an executive searching for strategic alliances, RAISE Summit 2026 - scheduled for 8 and 9 July 2026 at Le Carrousel du Louvre in Paris - offers the connections, resources, and platform you need to propel AI innovation on a global scale. This event is more than just a gathering; it’s a launchpad for shaping the future of AI.
FAQs
What are the key advantages for startups attending the RAISE Summit 2026?
The RAISE Summit 2026 is a golden opportunity for startups to step into the spotlight. With over 5,000 attendees, including global investors, industry heavyweights, and top executives, the event offers unmatched visibility. This kind of exposure can unlock connections that lead to partnerships, mentorship, and even funding - turning bold ideas into thriving businesses.
Startups also have the chance to compete in a high-profile contest, showcasing their groundbreaking solutions. With prizes exceeding 5 million €, participants not only gain resources but also bolster their credibility. Beyond the competition, the summit features workshops, keynote talks, and networking sessions with AI trailblazers. These activities provide a clear view of market trends and encourage collaboration.
For any AI startup looking to grow, the RAISE Summit 2026 is more than just an event - it's a springboard to success.
What are the best ways to prepare for the 24-hour AI Hackathon at RAISE Summit 2026?
Getting ready for the 24-hour AI Hackathon at RAISE Summit 2026 starts with understanding the event's focus. Dive into the official guidelines and themes to grasp the expectations and align your efforts accordingly.
Next, assemble a team that brings together diverse skills. A mix of AI expertise, coding prowess, and project management know-how is essential for tackling challenges effectively. Collaboration will be your biggest asset during this fast-paced event.
Start brainstorming project ideas early. Focus on concepts that not only match the hackathon's objectives but are also achievable within the 24-hour timeframe. Familiarity with the latest AI tools, platforms, and datasets can give you a significant edge. If the event offers preparatory workshops or online sessions, make time for them - they can help sharpen your team’s strategies and skills.
Finally, map out a clear game plan. Assign roles, set a timeline, and establish milestones to keep your team organised and focused. With the right preparation, you’ll be ready to tackle the challenge and create something impressive during this intense yet rewarding experience.
Why is Paris the perfect host city for the RAISE Summit 2026?
Paris stands out as the ideal destination for the RAISE Summit 2026, thanks to its reputation as a major hub for innovation and technology in Europe. The event will unfold at the Carrousel du Louvre, a venue that perfectly embodies Paris's global standing as a city rich in culture, history, and international collaboration. This prestigious location aligns seamlessly with the summit's mission to bring together the brightest minds in AI and technology.
What makes Paris even more appealing is its thriving ecosystem. The city is home to a dynamic mix of tech startups, influential industry leaders, and forward-thinking policymakers. Hosting the summit here creates an environment ripe for building meaningful partnerships and sparking transformative conversations.
Paris’s central location in Europe further enhances its appeal. With excellent transport links, the city is easily accessible to participants from across the globe, ensuring a diverse and international audience. As a recognised leader in AI and technological advancements, Paris offers the perfect stage to push the boundaries of research, present groundbreaking solutions, and shape the future of AI on a global level.
