Here

Here

When you open the application, it is in the form of Google Docs. You can click file -> download to download as a Word document.

If you prefer a PDF version, please find the link here.

The France China Committee Innovation Awards: a long story

Origin of the Innovation Awards

The France China Committee organized the Innovation Awards for the first time in 2014 as part of its « France Technology – so French, so Innovative» campaign. It was initially launched under the name « Innovation Awards for Franco-Chinese Teams ».

To mark the 10th anniversary of the Innovation Awards, the COMITE FRANCE CHINE has renewed the competition’s visual identity with a new logo and a new name. As of March 2024, the competition will be known as the « France China Committee Innovation Awards.” The Awards logo now visually represents the DNA of French and Chinese companies. The new design heralds the next 10 years of the Awards.

Type of Awards

The Innovation Awards aim to reward outstanding innovative projects that are developed by bicultural Franco-Chinese teams OR in a global Franco-Chinese context. These teams may have diverse backgrounds: from universities, French “Grandes Ecoles”, laboratories, R&D centers and/or French and/or Chinese companies, etc.

The candidates are expected to conduct innovative technologies, products, or services, with a significant impact in social, environmental, industrial and/or cultural terms : 

There are three categories of Awards: R&D, Innovative Product, and Innovative Initiative, although not all categories are awarded yearly.

1. R&D (Research & Development) Award recognizes and honors innovations that have not yet been introduced to the market, developed by one and/or a combination of public or private research units such as research and development centers, and/or institutes, and/or company laboratories.
2. Innovative Product Award recognizes and honors innovations that are already on sale on the market and for which a patent has been filed before the candidates submit their applications.
3. Innovative Initiative Award recognizes and honors any other innovation, including ideas, software, business models, organizational methods or similar procedures already implemented within an organization.

Institutionnal support

Under the patronage of

• French Ministry of Economy, Finances and Industry (name in 2024)
• French Ministry of Higher Education and Research (name in 2024)

With special support from

• AIR FRANCE
• The Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry in France (CCICF)
• La French Tech
• The French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in China (CCI France Chine)
• The Councilors of Exterieur Commerce (CCE)

Chair of the Jury

The French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS)

Ambassador of the Awards

The Awards are supported by Mr. Jean-Pierre RAFFARIN, a personality at the heart of the France-China diplomatic relationship, former Prime minister, Honorary Member of the French Parliament, and Chairman of the Fondation Prospective et Innovation.

Jury

The Awards have a prestigious Franco-Chinese jury, chaired by the French National Center for Scientific Research. The jury is formed by Franco-Chinese experts from institutions, companies, and the scientific world, specializing in various fields.

The winning Teams of the Awards will be chosen by the Jury from around 10 pre-selected finalist projects between September and October 2023 for the three categories of the Awards.

The finalists will pitch in front of the Jury members in France and China.

Assessment criteria

Projects for the first three categories will be assessed based on the following criteria:

• The involvement of a Franco-Chinese team in an innovation process or a project developed in a global Franco-Chinese context
• The novelty of the innovation to what already exists
• The economic viability of the innovation, and
• The project’s industrial, environmental, social and cultural benefits.

The Awards ceremony

The Awards ceremony is usually held in November or December. In 2024, the awards ceremony was held on November 6th, 2024, in Shanghai.

The France China Committee, the Awards’ organizer

The France-China Committee gathers French companies active in France and China in the long term and working together for their development with China.

Dean of the Franco-Chinese economic relationship, China’s expert since 1979, the France-China Committee has become a key player in high-level Franco-Chinese economic diplomacy. Its mission is to promote the French offer in China and Franco-Chinese cooperation, which brings common values and mutual interests to France and China.

With the support of Air France, our partner of the Innovation Awards