Philippe Hazet, head of the École Polytechnique X-UP incubator, outlines the key considerations behind our participation in the 2026 edition of the Viva Technology trade fair. This major global event for innovation and new technologies will take place from 17 to 20 June at the Porte de Versailles in Paris.
Nadir Soucha, a third-year doctoral student in management sciences at L' X Interdisciplinary Laboratory (LINX*) and the automotive supplier Valeo, is conducting a comparative study of emissions from industrial production in France and India.
Emmanuel Candès (X90) is a co-winner of the prestigious 2026 Shaw Prize in Mathematical Sciences. The Shaw Prizes, sometimes referred to as the “Asian Nobel Prizes,” honor scientists in three fields: astronomy, biological and medical sciences, and mathematics.
Arnaud Prost (X2012) is set to embark on his first space mission aboard Haven-1, the first commercial space station developed by the American startup Vast, for a test flight. Arnaud Prost will thus become the eleventh French citizen and the third École Polytechnique graduate to have flown in space.
École Polytechnique’s team won the 18th International Physics Tournament (IPT), for which it had qualified by winning the 13th French Physics Tournament. The IPT was held in the United States for the first time in 2026, hosted by Oklahoma State University from May 26 to 30.
Entrepreneurship, Innovation, Sustainable Development
When they founded the start-up Jane in 2023, Simon Heurtebise and Nathan Bouldoires wanted to be part of an increasingly significant initiative: collective self-consumption. With their software, they simplify the administrative management of these complex projects and thus contribute to the green transition by promoting the sharing of renewable energy, particularly solar power. In 2024–2025, they received support from École polytechnique’s incubator, X-UP, which enabled them to bring their idea to fruition. This support demonstrates the importance École polytechnique places on supporting projects that are meaningful and beneficial to society.
In May, Micah Goldblum, an assistant professor of electrical engineering at Columbia University, spent four weeks at l’X as an Alliance Visiting Professor. His stay at the Center for Applied Mathematics (CMAP) enabled him and El Mahdi El Mhamdi, a professor at École Polytechnique, to advance their international scientific collaboration, which also involves PhD students from both institutions.
X2009 and Professor Monge at the Laurent Schwartz Mathematics Center (CMLS*), Martin Leguil and his colleague Davi Obata received the Lounsbery 250 Years Award. This award was established to celebrate Franco-American ties in science.
École Polytechnique is expanding its artificial intelligence curriculum with a new mandatory AI course for all second-year students in the Cycle Ingénieur Polytechnicien program. Set to launch in September 2026, this new course aims to ensure that every future graduate of the Cycle Ingénieur Polytechnicien program possesses the essential skills to understand, apply, and critically evaluate a technology that is already redefining the boundaries of knowledge.
École Polytechnique gathered representatives from over 40 international and French universities, as well as several government bodies, at the University Fair on May 13, 2026. The event invited students to explore a wide range of professional and academic paths, identify those that suit them best, and refine their choices.
Philippe Tibi (X77), a professor of economics at École Polytechnique, has been leading an initiative since 2019, at the request of the French authorities, to mobilize private capital for the financing of disruptive technological innovation. He has just been tasked with overseeing the next phase of this initiative—which has raised more than 15 billion euros since its launch—and with expanding it to the European level.
Entrepreneurship, Corporate relations, Innovation, Sustainable Development
There is something paradoxical about the current state of green technologies. Investment figures are down. The number of new GreenTech startups, after flirting with record highs, has leveled off. And yet, in laboratories, prototyping workshops, and DeepTech incubators, the buzz is palpable. Perhaps even more intense than ever. GreenTech isn't running out of steam; it's mutating
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