
Invest in France representative for the Texas region Kaela Chelmowski and Omar Layachi, the Chargé d’Affairs for Nord France Invest in Lille met with various members of the Austin technology and entrepreneurship sectors. This picture features Kyle Cox (on the left) speaking with Omar Layachi, and Kevin Koym, Co-Founder of Tech Ranch on the far right, with Omar getting the overview of Austin’s innovation history and uniquely Austin spin on entrepreneurship and funding that distinguished it from Silicon Valley. Absent from this gathering was Raouti Chehih, the CEO of EuraTechnologies in Lille, France’s largest IT incubator. http://www.euratechnologies.com/ , who is also visiting Austin for meetings.
Attending the gathering in addition to those named above: Jim Butler, Director of Creative Industries, City of Austin; Bijoy Goswami, founder of Bootstrap Network, advocating entrepreneurship before it became part of Austin’s social fabric; Dr. Bob Peterson, Director, IC2 Institute; Marco Bravo, Project Director at the IC2 Institute; Brigitte Benquet, On Demand CFO with United Finance Organization; and Liz Wiley, of the Wiley Firm PC and Chair of the Board of Directors of the French American Business Council of Austin.