Paris Digital Lab
Paris Digital Lab is a CentraleSupélec digital innovation program that runs the Digital Tech Year gap year and 7-week corporate MVP sprints, connecting top engineering students with French enterprises and global startups for rapid prototyping.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersChâtenay-Malabry, France
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
Paris Digital Lab firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Paris Digital Lab
- Legal name
- Ecole CentraleSupelec
- Website
- https://paris-digital-lab.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Paris Digital Lab is a CentraleSupélec digital innovation program that runs the Digital Tech Year gap year and 7-week corporate MVP sprints, connecting top engineering students with French enterprises and global startups for rapid prototyping.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Paris Digital Lab industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Digital Innovation Services
- NAICS
- Computer Training (611420), Scientific Research and Development Services (5417), Computer Systems Design and Related Services (54151)
- SIC
- Services-Computer Programming Services (7371)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Makerspace, Innovation Lab & Fab Lab Operations (Tools, Safety, Programming) (EDAEAGAI)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Technical & Digital Skills Training (BPACANAB), Emerging Tech & Specialized Computing (IoT, Edge, AR/VR, Blockchain, HPC) (EDABAFAO)
Keywords
Where Paris Digital Lab is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Châtenay-Malabry
- HQ country
- France
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Paris Digital Lab business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Corporate Innovation Partnerships: Companies engage Paris Digital Lab to develop MVPs and test digital concepts through student project teams. This is a key differentiator for companies seeking startup spirit and external innovation perspectives.
- Internship Placement Services: Companies host Digital Tech Year students for 6-month paid internships in their international tech hubs, gaining access to pre-trained software engineering talent.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Paris Digital Lab product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Paris Digital Lab operates a 7-week MVP development sprint where teams of 3-4 full-time tech students build Minimum Viable Products to test corporate business cases using Design Thinking and Agile methodologies. The Digital Tech Year is the flagship offering: a two-semester gap year program for engineering students featuring intensive full-stack prototyping followed by 6-month paid internships at international tech hubs. Open Innovation partnerships connect large corporations and startups with elite engineering talent from CentraleSupélec and partner universities.
Product overview
Paris Digital Lab is a digital innovation program operated by CentraleSupélec that offers the Digital Tech Year - a structured gap year program for engineering students. The program comprises two semesters: an intensive 6-month prototyping phase where students develop 3 MVPs in 7-week sprints using Design Thinking and Agile methodologies, followed by a 6-month paid internship at tech companies worldwide. The program also offers ad-hoc 7-week MVP sprints for companies seeking rapid prototyping. Students work across technologies including Full Stack Development (Angular, React, Node JS), IoT/Connected Devices, AI/ML, AR/VR, and Mobile development. The program serves both Grande Ecole students (as the Digital Tech Year) and international students (2-6 month project participation), as well as companies seeking innovation through Open Innovation collaboration.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Digital Tech Year: A software engineering specialization program for high-potential talents recruited from leading universities in France and internationally. The yearlong program is composed of two semesters: an intensive full-stack engineer training in Paris followed by a 6-month internship in international digital innovation hubs.
Products and services
- Digital Tech Year A gap year program for engineering students from France's Grandes Écoles and top-tier international universities, consisting of two 6-month semesters: intensive full-stack prototyping at Paris Digital Lab (developing 3 MVPs with real corporate clients in 7-week sprints) followed by a 6-month paid internship at high-tech companies and startups in international tech hubs (San Francisco, NYC, Boston, London, Hong Kong, Singapore, Sydney, Tokyo, Montréal).
- 7-Week MVP Sprint A rapid Minimum Viable Product development service where teams of 3-4 full-time tech students work on corporate business problems for 7 weeks, combining Design Thinking and Agile methodologies to prototype solutions that allow companies to test product ideas and evaluate concept validity with end-users. Targets senior executives in charge of innovation at large corporations and startup CTOs/CEOs.
- Internship Semester Program Second semester of the Digital Tech Year program, placing students in 6-month paid internships at high-tech companies and startups in international tech hubs worldwide. 35+ international partners participate, including Feedly (Palo Alto), Datadog (NYC), Yoobic (London), HelloFresh (Sydney), Circles.life (Singapore), and Thales IA Lab (Montréal). 85%+ of students find internships via the Digital Tech Year network.
Quantifiable outcome
- 243 tech Minimum Viable Product prototypes developed since February 2015
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Paris Digital Lab
Customer profileNamed customers16 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Paris Digital Lab technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability11 records
Feature3 records
Paris Digital Lab partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
20 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.
- La PosteflagshipInnovation Director Minh-Viêt Pham leads La Poste's partnership with Paris Digital Lab. Students developed connected IoT devices presented at CES 2016 and 2017. The partnership has produced multiple successful projects bringing startup spirit to the postal giant.
- CentraleSupéleccoreParis Digital Lab is a digital innovation program operated by CentraleSupélec, one of France's top-tier engineering schools. The program leverages the institution's 186-year legacy, alumni network, and research capabilities to deliver innovative solutions through student projects.
- SacemflagshipSacem collaborated 3 times with Paris Digital Lab on projects focused on disruptive innovation for strategic decision-making. CIO Véronique Sinclair and Project Director Xavier Costaz oversaw multiple project engagements.
- FeedlycoreFeedly hosted Digital Tech Year students for 6-month internships at their Palo Alto office as part of the international internship program in Silicon Valley tech hubs.
- DatadogcoreDatadog hosted Digital Tech Year students for 6-month internships at their New York office. Founded by Olivier Pomel (CentraleSupélec alumnus 1999, CEO and co-founder).
- WithingscoreWithings, co-founded by Cédric Hutchings (Supélec alumnus 1999), has partnered with Paris Digital Lab for student projects and internship placements.
- Air LiquideflagshipStudents developed augmented reality app with Fujitsu glasses for Air Liquide maintenance workers. Project was presented at Fujitsu World Tour 2016, showcasing innovation capabilities.
- PSA Peugeot CitroënflagshipNew partner of Paris Digital Lab. Three students developed a drone project with successful UX and tech outcomes, defending in front of PSA's board committee.
- PMUcorePMU partnered with Paris Digital Lab for 2 years consecutively. Projects focused on reinventing end-user experience with digital interfaces to modernize image for younger audience. PMU is official partner of Innovation Factory.
- ChronopostcoreCIO & Innovation Director Hugues de Maussion led a project improving productivity in delivery activities. Success led Chronopost to renew partnership for additional projects.
- OrangeflagshipOrange was the first partner to complete three consecutive projects with Paris Digital Lab, demonstrating sustained collaboration and trust in the program's capabilities.
- AlstomflagshipStudents developed interactive campus journey app featuring 360° videos, selfie in train cockpit, and train model control, enhancing visitor experience at Alstom facilities.
- Accor HotelsflagshipWith 180,000 coworkers worldwide, Accor Hotels worked with Paris Digital Lab on Le Nid project to create a community platform for sharing best practices across hotels.
- YoobiccoreLondon-based Yoobic hosted Digital Tech Year students for 6-month internships as part of international tech hub placements.
- Circles.lifecoreSingapore-based Circles.life hosted Digital Tech Year students for 6-month internships in Asia-Pacific tech hub.
- HelloFreshcoreHelloFresh hosted Digital Tech Year students for 6-month internships at their Sydney office as part of international placement network.
- Thales IA LabcoreThales AI Lab in Montreal hosted Digital Tech Year students for internships, providing exposure to cutting-edge AI research in North America.
- Innovation FactorycoreInnovation Factory is the 1st Campus Cluster for Digital Innovations in Paris. PMU and Paris Digital Lab participate in joint hackathons organized with this ecosystem.
- XBraincoreMenlo Park-based AI company XBrain hosted Digital Tech Year students for 6-month internships in Silicon Valley.
- FreshplanetcoreNew York-based Freshplanet hosted Digital Tech Year students for internships, part of French tech startup ecosystem in NYC.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Paris Digital Lab competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- HEC Paris: Elite French business school with innovation & entrepreneurship center and incubator. Comparable as a top-tier French academic institution running structured programs that connect students with corporate innovation initiatives.
- Mines ParisTech (Mines Paris – PSL): Top French engineering Grande École with industry-applied research and innovation programs. Comparable as a peer elite French institution combining academic rigor with industry collaboration.
- Polytechnique (École Polytechnique): Top-tier French engineering Grande École with innovation and entrepreneurship programs. Comparable as a peer elite French institution producing top engineering talent that feeds into French tech leadership.
Direct peers
- Ironhack: Global coding bootcamp with operations in Paris and other major cities. Comparable as an intensive digital skills training provider that combines curriculum with industry project experience.
- EPITECH: French Grande École specialized in computer science and digital innovation with strong industry project integration. Closely comparable as a French IT school combining academic training with corporate partnerships and tech projects.
- École 42: French tuition-free peer-to-peer software engineering school founded by Xavier Niel. Highly comparable as a French tech-education model producing industry-ready developers, though it focuses on individual learning rather than corporate MVP projects.
- Wild Code School: French coding bootcamp operating across multiple French and European cities with industry project components. Directly comparable as a French digital skills training provider with corporate engagement models.
- Le Wagon: French-origin global coding bootcamp focused on full-stack web development and data science. Comparable as a French-founded intensive tech training program that places graduates into industry roles.
- Holberton School: French-founded project-based software engineering school with peer-learning methodology. Comparable as an alternative-path software engineering program with similar educational philosophy to Paris Digital Lab's hands-on approach.
Others
- Illuin Technology: Paris-based AI and data consultancy co-founded by Paris Digital Lab co-founder Robert Vesoul. Comparable as a sister entity applying similar AI/data capabilities commercially, providing a model for how the lab's expertise could be commercialized at scale.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Paris Digital Lab social profiles
Digital presenceParis Digital Lab financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Paris Digital Lab leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Paris Digital Lab funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Paris Digital Lab M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Paris Digital Lab
What does Paris Digital Lab do?
Paris Digital Lab operates a 7-week MVP development sprint where teams of 3-4 full-time tech students build Minimum Viable Products to test corporate business cases using Design Thinking and Agile methodologies. The Digital Tech Year is the flagship offering: a two-semester gap year program for engineering students featuring intensive full-stack prototyping followed by 6-month paid internships at international tech hubs. Open Innovation partnerships connect large corporations and startups with elite engineering talent from CentraleSupélec and partner universities.
Is Paris Digital Lab a public or private company?
Paris Digital Lab is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was Paris Digital Lab founded?
Paris Digital Lab was founded in 2014. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Paris Digital Lab based?
Paris Digital Lab is headquartered in Châtenay-Malabry, France, in the Europe region.
How does Paris Digital Lab make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Corporate Innovation Partnerships are the primary driver. The others are internship Placement Services.
Who are Paris Digital Lab's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are HEC Paris, Mines ParisTech (Mines Paris – PSL) and Polytechnique (École Polytechnique). Direct peers are Ironhack, EPITECH, École 42, Wild Code School, Le Wagon and Holberton School. Illuin Technology is listed as an others.
Does Paris Digital Lab have an API?
No public API is recorded for Paris Digital Lab.
What industry is Paris Digital Lab in?
Paris Digital Lab's product category is Digital Innovation Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAEAGAI, Makerspace, Innovation Lab & Fab Lab Operations (Tools, Safety, Programming), with a secondary code of BPACANAB, Technical & Digital Skills Training. Its NAICS code is 611420 and its SIC code is 7371.