Altrove and Bloomineral Named Winners of the 2026 Grand Prix ACF AutoTech
22.4.2026 16:21:00 EEST | Business Wire | Press release
Altrove and Bloomineral have been crowned winners of the 2026 Grand Prix ACF AutoTech, the international startup competition recognizing the best of automotive innovation. The ninth edition was held on Wednesday, April 15 at the Automobile Club de France in Paris, where IoT.Bzh also received the first-ever Industrialization Prize.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260422236542/en/
Picture of the end of the event with the winners : Bloomineral, Altrove and Iot.Bzh + all the Jury Members from French Automotive OEM and Tier1
Hosted by competition founder Richard de Cabrol and Simon Degiovanni, the evening gathered more than 250 leaders from the automotive, technology, digital, business and media sectors, with attendees joining both on-site and online. Six finalist startups, selected from more than 100 applications representing 28 countries, pitched their innovations before a jury of senior automotive and finance executives, alongside founders of previously awarded startups. An online public vote counted as an additional jury member.
Four awards of international scope
Grand Prix ACF — Altrove (Paris, France). Received by CEO and co-founder Thibaud Martin, Altrove develops algorithm-driven alternatives to critical inorganic materials in a matter of months, powered by a proprietary AI. The technology strengthens industrial resilience and technological sovereignty while reducing automotive costs and dependence on rare earths. altrove.ai
Prix Pionnier ACF — Bloomineral (Saclay, France). Received by CEO and founder Caroline Thaler, Bloomineral develops a carbon-negative mineral material to replace polluting minerals used across automotive components, from plastics to batteries. bloomineral.com
Greentech Mention — Bloomineral, awarded for the most environmentally committed solution.
1st Industrialization Prize — IoT.Bzh (Lorient, France). Received by Director General Yann Bodere, winner of the 2020 Grand Prix ACF, this new award recognizes the exemplary industrialization of IoT.Bzh’s cybersecurity innovation over the past six years, a period during which the company has continuously expanded its client base. The prize was presented by Luc Châtel, President of the PFA, and François-Xavier de Thieulloy, Director of the Expertise Division at Bpifrance. iot.bzh
“Last night’s ninth edition was a real success. Two startups addressing the strategic issue of rare materials, Altrove and Bloomineral — which leaves with two awards — sends a strong signal on this pressing constraint in Europe. We may not have rare mineral resources, but we have ideas. This inaugural Industrialization Prize, awarded to our Breton champion IoT.Bzh, also demonstrates the strength of our selection over time. Winners in 2020, confirmed six years later — we are eager to see how all our former laureates progress at the 2027 edition. It is also very positive to see our partners’ commitment and their willingness to work with these startups. See you in 2027 for our 10-year anniversary,” commented Richard de Cabrol, Director General of the competition.
“Through the Grand Prix ACF AutoTech, we celebrate innovation in all its forms. These companies are driven by talent and vision — an expression of technological audacity and industrial excellence,” added Yann de Pontbriand, President of the Automobile Club de France.
A replay of the final ceremony and more information are available at grandprixacfautotech.com
About Grand Prix ACF AutoTech
The Grand Prix ACF AutoTech is the international startup competition recognizing innovation in automotive design, manufacturing, commercialization and use. Created in 2017 by Richard de Cabrol, the competition is held under the high patronage of Yann de Pontbriand, President of the Automobile Club de France, and Thierry Peugeot, President of the ESSEC Auto & Mobility Club. The jury brings together leading figures from the automotive and finance sectors, alongside founders of startups recognized in previous editions. Free to enter and impartial, the competition offers its laureates an unrivaled platform for development in France and internationally.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260422236542/en/
Contacts
Press — Agence VLC
Valérie Leseigneur — +33 6 68 80 37 35 — valerie@agencevlc.com
Joy Lion — +33 7 62 59 65 86 — joy@agencevlc.com
Grand Prix ACF AutoTech
Richard de Cabrol — +33 6 51 38 16 38 — richard.decabroldemoute@essec.edu
About Business Wire
For more than 50 years, Business Wire has been the global leader in press release distribution and regulatory disclosure.
www.businesswire.com
Subscribe to releases from Business Wire
Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from Business Wire
Verdantis Launches MRO360 “The World's First AI-Native Spare Parts Intelligence Platform”8.5.2026 16:40:00 EEST | Press release
Verdantis today announced the global launch of MRO360, a purpose-built AI platform that transforms how asset-intensive organizations manage their MRO spare parts inventory. Designed for manufacturers, oil and gas operators, mining companies, utilities, and other industrial enterprises, MRO360 deploys nine interconnected AI agents that continuously forecast demand, score parts criticality, manage obsolescence risk, calculate dynamic reorder points, helps intercompany plant transfer thereby realizing the exact dollar value of every optimization opportunity across a spare parts catalog in real time. Unlike traditional EAM and CMMS platforms built on static rules, MRO360's agents adapt continuously as demand patterns, supplier performance, and equipment health evolve. For the first time, a maintenance planner can see which work orders are at supply risk today and what to do about it. A CFO can see a live dollar figure of releasable excess inventory. “We have spent over twenty years working
Andersen Global Expands African Platform with Addition of Member Firm in Namibia8.5.2026 16:30:00 EEST | Press release
Andersen Global advances its growth across Africa with the addition of Andersen in Namibia, as Windhoek Advisory & Taxation adopts the Andersen brand, strengthening its ability to serve businesses operating in one of southern Africa’s dynamic emerging markets. A collaborating firm since 2021, Andersen in Namibia is a locally owned professional services firm delivering accounting, tax, and business advisory services tailored to the unique needs of Namibia’s business environment. With expertise spanning mining, agriculture, logistics, tourism, and financial services, sectors critical to Namibia’s economy, the firm supports both domestic enterprises and international businesses establishing operations in the region. Through cloud-based technology and data-driven insights, Andersen in Namibia delivers efficient, scalable solutions that enable businesses to optimize operations, manage tax obligations across jurisdictions, and make informed strategic decisions. “Our transition to the Anderse
Cyble Positioned as a Challenger in the 2026 Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Cyberthreat Intelligence Technologies8.5.2026 16:22:00 EEST | Press release
Cyble today announced it has been recognized as a Challenger in the 2026 Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Cyberthreat Intelligence Technologies. The company believes this recognition underscores Cyble’s mission to make threat intelligence truly operational—delivering AI-native capabilities that enable enterprises, government agencies, and MSSPs to shift from reactive security to proactive, intelligence-driven defense. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260508164528/en/ Cyble Named a Challenger in the 2026 Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Cyberthreat Intelligence Technologies "Security teams are under constant pressure to respond faster with greater accuracy," said Beenu Arora, Co-Founder and CEO, Cyble. "We believe this recognition highlights our focus on delivering intelligence that drives real outcomes—cutting through noise, accelerating response, and enabling confident decision-making at scale." Intelligence That Acts
WHOOP Expands Health Platform with On-Demand Clinician Access and New AI Features8.5.2026 16:00:00 EEST | Press release
WHOOP, the human performance company, today announced a new suite of health and AI-driven enhancements and feature updates across the WHOOP memberships, marking a major step forward in its evolution into an intelligent health platform. These updates deepen the company’s commitment to delivering highly personalized, accurate, and actionable insights. They signal the company’s expansion beyond performance optimization into clinical-grade health support. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260508464188/en/ WHOOP Expands Health Platform with On-Demand Clinician Access and New AI Features “WHOOP is a membership, and we take that seriously,” said Ed Baker, Chief Product Officer of WHOOP. “We’re always asking how we can deliver more value to our members, and these upcoming features are some of the most meaningful we’ve ever built, from bringing clinician support directly into the app to advancing our AI coaching to be mo
Reply Presents the Jury of the Second Edition of the AI Music Contest: This Year Again, Finalists Will Perform on the NOVA Stage of Kappa FuturFestival in Turin8.5.2026 14:24:00 EEST | Press release
Reply, [EXM, STAR: REY], an international group specialised in the development of new AI-enabled business models and always distinguished by a strong drive for innovation, renews its commitment to creative experimentation with the second edition of the ReplyAI Music Contest. The initiative, organised in collaboration with Kappa FuturFestival—one of Europe’s leading festivals dedicated to electronic music—takes the form of an international competition aimed at creatives and innovators who use AI technologies to explore new ways of integrating sound and image, enhancing the role of artificial intelligence in live performances. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260508361016/en/ This initiative is part of the Reply Challenges, a programme of technological and creative competitions that reflects Reply’s commitment to developing innovative training models capable of engaging younger generations. Today, the Reply Chall
In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.
Visit our pressroom