Launched in 2014 by Huawei France in partnership with Maddyness, the competition has grown to attract around thirty applications this year, all focused on urban mobility that is sustainable and inclusive. Julien Barbier, who served as jury president in 2024 alongside winner NADKA, noted significant progress since his own involvement, when the sector was "really in its infancy, with very very little revenue." This year's participants showed more maturity, with some companies demonstrating real commercial traction. For example, StreetNav, an app designed to help people with reduced mobility navigate urban areas, claims to have over 50,000 monthly users. Virgomove, another winner, has sold more than 8,000 full helmets for bicycles and electric scooters across 100 countries. Its founder believes that helmet use could become mandatory in France, a move that could enhance safety in urban mobility. Another notable entrant, Foxtrot Aviation, uses artificial intelligence for predictive maintenance of light aircraft. The company has secured seven orders and is already manufacturing its electronic boards in Shenzhen, China. Julien Barbier emphasized the importance of prototypes and early customers, stating that their existence is reassuring for both investment funds and juries. In a sector where competition with major players is intense, raising funds is crucial for startups to establish themselves. For StreetNav founder Arthur Alba, the journey is far from easy. His app, which functions similarly to Waze but is tailored for people with reduced mobility, is funded by local authorities. However, with local budgets under pressure, Alba is already looking beyond France. His target markets include Hong Kong, known for its towering skyscrapers and complex urban navigation, and China, where geolocation technology is more advanced. "In France today, we have the American GPS system, and it is not precise enough," he notes. His goals include expanding to new use cases, such as addressing heatwaves or enhancing women's safety in public spaces. Other startups are focusing on building sustainable business models. Marie-Charlotte Prudent, co-founder of Safekeeper, a Lyon-based company that connects cyclists and individuals to watch and recharge their bikes, is already looking ahead. With 350 million electric bikes in circulation in France, she sees opportunities in battery exchange, a service not yet available in the country. She aims to develop a "super app" for soft mobility that offers all services in one platform. She also plans to translate her app into Mandarin, following advice from alumni like Zahime Rai of H24care. Similarly, Noula, a carpooling service in La Réunion and the Antilles that uses WhatsApp, plans to study WeChat and its integrated payment systems for inspiration. The winners of the competition will spend a week in Hong Kong, Shenzhen, and Guangzhou, with visits and meetings organized by the French Chamber of Commerce in China (CCI). Julien Barbier recalls being surprised by the level of innovation and the appetite for new ideas he encountered in China. However, he also acknowledges the challenges of adapting to different markets: "An offer valid here, is it necessarily valid there?" He emphasizes that the trip serves both as an acceleration and a questioning factor for the startups. Upon returning, the hardest part is maintaining contact with the connections made. His advice is clear: "You have to keep in touch. From experience, we never do it enough, but it is essential to do it."