OVHcloud is celebrating the 10th anniversary of its Startup Programme. Valued for its effective technology and mentoring support, the programme has helped around 5,000 startups globally since its launch in 2015. The anniversary was combined with the launch of the Impact 2035 Challenge, organised in partnership with VivaTech, Europe’s largest innovation event.
14,000 candidates, 5,000 supported startups and an ecosystem based on solid partnerships
Bearing in mind that assistance to start-ups is often limited to investment from business angels and Venture Capital funds, OVHcloud has developed its own model, better suited to the needs of start-ups or scale-ups. Participants in the OVHcloud Startup Programme can count on much more than funding – receiving access to dedicated cloud infrastructure, expert guidance and mentors, as well as individual technology and business advice. Thanks to the involvement of OVHcloud engineers, the programme also offers cloud loans worth up to €100,000.
In addition, OVHcloud has launched the Fast Forward accelerator in 2024, aimed at startups from a variety of sectors, including those working with technologies such as artificial intelligence. The ten-week programme accelerates market entry, allowing startups to refine their growth strategy during intensive thematic workshops.
– The OVHcloud Startup Program was born out of the idea that great founders deserve the tools and support they need to grow. Over the past ten years, we have had the privilege of supporting countless entrepreneurs to realise their vision. Thank you to all the talented individuals, teams and partners who have been part of this journey. This is just the beginning – together we can do anything! – said Octave Klaba, founder and board member of OVHcloud.
Since its inception in 2015, the programme has welcomed 5,000 startups selected from 14,000 applications, as documented in the published ’10 Years Startup Program Global Report 2025′.
Impact 2035 Challenge: 8 startups working for society and the environment
As part of the Impact 2035 Challenge, organised in conjunction with VivaTech, OVHcloud once again underlined its commitment to data sovereignty and protection. Since its inception, the company has based its operations on sustainable technologies, aiming to significantly reduce its environmental impact. The aim of the Impact 2035 Challenge was to recognise startups that are actively tackling key social and environmental challenges.
Eight innovative companies from Europe, Africa and North America competed in the final – from AI-based solutions to support mental health, to forest fire prevention technologies, to tools for inclusivity and the circular economy.
The winner was Zeeh Africa, which has created an AI-based credit data infrastructure to support financial inclusion in Africa.
The finalists of the Impact 2035 Challenge also included:
- FireTracking (France) – AI models to detect and locate forest fires more effectively,
- Spendbase (USA) – SaaS application management and spend optimisation tools,
- Virtuosis AI (Switzerland) – voice analysis using AI to improve mental health,
- Saturnalia (Italy) – using satellite data to improve crop quality,
- Lizee (France) – supply chain optimisation and emissions reduction in the fashion industry,
- Signvrse (Kenya) – AI and 3D avatars for real-time sign language translation,
- NEOBRAIN – AI-based solutions for talent and competence management.
