"Numeum is pleased with the launched of the Digital Committee by the CCFN."

The CCFN opens its doors to Christophe Depeux, Managing Director of ip-label and Chairman of Numeum's International Committee.

1. Could you present the organization and ambitions of NUMEUM?

NUMEUM is the professional organization for the digital ecosystem in France. It represents digital services companies (ESN), software publishers, platforms, and Engineering and Technology Consulting companies (ICT). NUMEUM brings together over 2,500 member companies that generate 85% of the sector's total revenue. Led by Véronique Torner, NUMEUM aims to leverage digital technology for the benefit of humanity, with two fundamental ambitions: to support the country in the widespread and democratization of digital training and to act in the service of responsible digital practices for businesses, society, individuals, and the planet. The digital sector represents over €60.8 billion in revenue and 572,126 employees in France. It has become a heavyweight in the French industry, now weighing as much as a traditional sector such as the automobile industry.

2. France has an ambitious goal to accelerate its digital transition by 2030. In your opinion, what are the main challenges and issues?

With the "France 2030" investment plan, France aims to provide the means to achieve its ambitions. Additionally, France has launched the French Tech 2030 program. Recently, 125 French companies with strong innovative potential and aligned with the objectives of the France 2030 plan have been selected. They receive specific support from all state and territorial services (Mission French Tech, Bpifrance, etc.) to ensure their development. Decarbonizing our society, achieving strategic independence, and supporting disruptive innovations are strategic challenges where France and Europe must play a leading role. We applaud the continued commitment of France to support our innovative companies and empower them to become the next global leaders.

However, there are still numerous challenges to overcome in order to achieve this ambition. Our industry suffers from a significant shortage of human resources. According to Pôle Emploi, there were over 122,000 job vacancies in the sector in 2021. Similarly, our sector still has a very low rate of gender diversity. According to a study by OPIEC in May 2023, only 27% of women work in the digital field. NUMEUM is fully committed to addressing these challenges. This ambition is part of the three main priority areas (skills, responsible digital practices, and territories) led by the new president of our union, Véronique Torner.

3. The French-Norwegian Chamber of Commerce (CCFN) has recently launched a Digital Committee with the ambition to strengthen French-Norwegian collaboration. At this stage, cybersecurity, digital solutions for climate challenges, AI, and Industry 4.0 have been identified as key themes. You were involved in the launch of this committee. What are NUMEUM's international ambitions, and what would be your advice to enhance collaboration between public and private digital actors from both countries?

As part of its member services, Numeum places special emphasis on business development. Assisting companies in expanding into foreign markets is one of the three pillars of our Startup program (alongside indirect sales and relations with key accounts). At a time when French Tech funding is slowing down, and profitability has become a key focus, this support has never been more crucial and relevant.

As part of its member services, Numeum places special emphasis on business development. Assisting in their expansion into foreign markets is one of the three pillars of our Startup program (alongside indirect sales and relations with key accounts). At a time when French Tech funding is slowing down, and profitability has become the main focus, this support has never been more important and relevant.

For 89% of digital companies, internationalization is a crucial growth lever. In 2021, international markets accounted for 58% of revenue (compared to 54% in 2018) for software publishers (Top 250 Numeum and EY study, November 2022). However, international expansion remains a challenging endeavor for many smaller digital players. The strong international presence in the sector is primarily driven by national champions. This lack of internationalization is also visible among French Tech startups, which generate approximately 30% of their revenue internationally. There is still significant room for improvement. The challenge is not just about exporting but truly structuring and supporting small and medium-sized enterprises in their international outreach. To achieve this, we believe there are two particularly useful means to assist them:

• Facilitating the identification of crucial international information and public and private resources.
• Creating opportunities for peer-to-peer and expert networking and sharing of best practices.

This is also why Numeum is pleased with the launch of the Digital Committee by the French-Norwegian Chamber of Commerce. For Numeum, it is essential to leverage the entire international network and act as an ecosystem to assist our promising European companies in expanding internationally. It is through initiatives like this that business connections can be accelerated, and best practices can be disseminated to amplify and consolidate our European tech ecosystem.