HIVE, the new hive of innovation in eastern Var

On one side, Nice. On the other, Toulon. Between the two, "a blind spot, that of the eastern Var," noted Toulon entrepreneur Thomas Côte, who created two startups, Wever and Pics & Care(1), in Nice. And to wonder why, like him, many successful entrepreneurs live in the eastern Var but set up their businesses in the Alpes-Maritimes. From this question was born the Var Est Innovation Hub, HIVE(2) to give it its nickname.

Inaugurated this Wednesday, July 2nd at the Maison de l'Economie in Fréjus, it will fill this gap in the network. At its helm, Thomas Côte is tasked with transforming it into a buzzing hive where startups and established businesses alike can find personalized support, resources (financial aid, coaching, visibility, financing), and a supportive environment. Supported by Esterel Côte d'Azur Agglomeration, "HIVE will integrate French Tech Toulon and has two missions," emphasizes its manager. "To promote the culture of innovation in the eastern Var and to support the region's talent." The president has also set a goal of sending startups from the eastern Var to CES in Las Vegas within two years. Between four and ten projects will be monitored by the hub for one to three years. The jury is expected to meet at the start of the school year to select the first cohort, and support will begin in mid-October.

A little cock-a-doodle-doo from the Alps, it was the branding and brand creation agency Brandsilver, based in Saint-Vallier-de-Thiey and led by Sophie Roux and Claude Gottlieb, that created the brand universe and identity of HIVE.

(1) Wever, a participatory mobility platform, and Pics & Care, a digital solution for improving the skills of caregivers in nursing homes.

(2) hive-var-innovation.fr - [email protected]