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
Interview with Margherita Castellano, a doctoral student at the Center for Applied Mathematics (CMAP), who has qualified for the national finals of the science communication competition “My Thesis in 180 Seconds" (MT180*). She is seeking to better understand the role played by small molecules called surfactants when two immiscible fluids interact, as in the case of air and water in soap bubbles.
Lauren Ramanantsoa, a Master of Science & Technology student at École Polytechnique specialising in artificial intelligence and computer vision, developed a passion for science – and mathematics in particular – at a very early age. This interest has fuelled her creativity and her desire to build connections between students from different programmes at École Polytechnique (engineering, bachelor’s and master’s). This led to the creation of ‘X’s Got Talent’, an inclusive event that allows them to come together and showcase the full range of their artistic talents.
X2019, Amaury Lancelin is conducting his doctoral research at the Dynamic Meteorology Laboratory (LMD*), in partnership with RTE (Réseau de transport d’électricité). The goal is to improve the study of heat waves, cold waves, intense precipitation, and other extreme weather events.
With more than 230 start-ups supported over the past ten years, École Polytechnique and its incubator, X-UP, are contributing to the growth of European entrepreneurship. Interdisciplinary research centres, support services, the X-FAB prototyping facility and the presence of entrepreneurs in the business incubator make the École Polytechnique’s Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation a unique environment that fosters creativity. Project leaders – whether they are students or researchers from École Polytechnique, other institutions within the Institut polytechnique de Paris, or from further afield – will find this the ideal place to bring their ideas to life.
Edwin De Leon, a second-year Energy Environment - Science, Technology and Management (STEEM) MSc&T student, currently doing his internship at Osborne Systems, explains why MSc&T students at École Polytechnique are particularly well-prepared to make their internships a success for both the companies hosting them and their future careers.
The École Polytechnique Space Center has inaugurated a new S-band antenna installed near the campus, which will allow students to work on space projects under real-world conditions and enhance practical training in telecommunications. This equipment, the result of a collaboration between the Île-de-France Space Academy, Adrelys, and SIRTA, was showcased during a live demonstration, highlighting its key role in innovation, education, and the preparation of future space industry talent.
Hong Wang (X2010), a Chinese mathematician and academic specializing in harmonic analysis, has just received two prestigious new international mathematics awards: the Clay Research Award and the New Horizons in Mathematics Prize. Hong Wang has distinguished herself in particular by announcing a proof of Kakeya’s conjecture in three dimensions, a problem that has remained open for over a century, at the intersection of analysis and geometry.
Organized in France in alignment with the G7 summit 2026, the presidential summit U7+ 2026 was co-hosted by École Polytechnique, Sciences Po, and University Paris-Cité on April 14-15, 2026, and brought together 37 university presidents from around the world. A delegation led by Laura Chaubard, President of École Polytechnique, was invited to meet President Macron at the Élysée, where they presented their recommendations for the G7 leaders.
Catherine Vautrin, French Minister for the Armed Forces and Veterans, visited École Polytechnique on April 17 for the Defense Quantum Forum, organized at École Polytechnique by the Defense Innovation Agency. She reviewed the X24 and X25 classes and reminded them of the historic significance of the ties between their School, the Nation, and the Armed forces.
Inass El Hajj is a postdoctoral researcher in materials chemistry at the Laboratory of Interface and Thin Film Physics (LPICM*), as part of the Sustainable Energy Chair, supported by EDF. Her research focuses on the synthesis of graphene obtained through liquid-phase exfoliation and its use as a protective coating for metals in marine environments. At the interface between fundamental research and industrial applications, she is developing innovative solutions to combat material corrosion, particularly in the context of sustainable energy.
Ekaterina Kukhtenko's start-up, VAir, aims to make respiratory infection diagnosis easier using a portable, ultra-fast device that analyses patients' exhaled air directly. Born out of the Covid-19 pandemic, this idea has the potential to help millions of people around the world, particularly in developing countries. It has been brought to fruition with the support of the École Polytechnique incubator.
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