OUR STORY
This is the story of a startup that in 3 years
set up the world's largest gathering
of solutions for the planet.
It all began in 2015, when France hosted COP21 and the Paris agreements were being drawn up. At the same time, all over the world, solutions were emerging and new entrepreneurs were putting their creativity and ambition at the service of the world’s major global issues. And yet, these initiatives remained isolated, unknown, and struggled to scale up. The impact ecosystem was still in its beginning.
Unlike mature sectors, which all have their own strategic meetings, the impact sector did not yet have its global gathering. The idea of the ChangeNOW summit was here: the impact ecosystem needed its major global gathering to bring together investors, entrepreneurs, corporates, communities and talent, and accelerate synergies and visibility at scale.
Carried by a visionary, humanistic and action-oriented spirit, the ChangeNOW adventure was born, federating around it thousands of entrepreneurs and key actors of change: international networks, investors, corporations, communities, ministries, universities, media.
Our key steps
2016
2017
September
1st edition of the ChangeNOW summit, in Paris, Station F – first major event in Station F, the largest startup campus in the world. 2000 participants, 250 solutions, 47 countries.
Objective: to take the impact topics to one of the world’s leading innovation centers and bring together the first global community of changemakers.
2018
September
2nd edition of the ChangeNOW summit, in Paris, Station F.
6000 participants, 500 solutions, 87 countries.
Objective: to amplify the movement and create the largest positive impact conference in the world
2019
March
1st edition of ChangeNOW myjob, the first job fair dedicated to impact companies, in Paris.
2500 participants, 300 job offers in impact companies.
2020
January
3rd edition of the ChangeNOW summit, in Paris, at the Grand Palais, to create the first universal exhibition of innovations for the planet.
28,000 participants, 1,000 solutions, 100+ countries.
Objective: to show the world the strength of the impact movement and to inscribe this movement in the footsteps of History.
150 years ago, the world was experiencing the Industrial Revolution. In order to accompany this revolution, world exhibitions were invented. Showcases of progress at the time, they highlighted the state of the art of world industry, to inspire the greatest number and bring together players in sectors undergoing transformation.
Today, we are living a new revolution, which is both ecological and social. To accelerate this transition, ChangeNOW has chosen one of the emblematic places of the industrial revolution of 1900, the Grand Palais, to organize the first Universal Exhibition of Innovations for the Planet.
February
April-May
Serie of digital live talks and live pitches to bring financial support and visibility to the impact players during the covid crisis. Learn more
September
2021
May
4th edition of the ChangeNOW summit, in a new online format, to host the largest gathering of solutions for the planet!
Objectives: unleashing the power of digital connection for 3 days of global collaboration for the planet.
An innovative platform to discover the most promising solutions and leaders of change, and interact with key players of impact.
An Film festival and art exhibitions to promote a culture of change
Launch of the 1st Women for Change edition during ChangeNOW Summit.
It is an international platform to give more visibility and amplify the actions of women who rethink standards and act for a positive change in the world. Learn more
October
The first-ever ranking of French schools & universities that aim to change the world
ChangeNOW & Les Echos Media Group teamed up to create the first-ever ranking of schools & universities that aim to change the world. We evaluated their ability to bridge the gap between generation Z’s growing need for purpose and the solutions these universities propose to address climate issues in their educational programs. Learn more.
