June in Paris was beautiful, sunny… and surprisingly air-conditioner-free. But that didn’t stop us—we flew in to represent our startup at VivaTech 2025, one of the world’s biggest tech shows.Here’s the story of our chaotic, exciting, and delightfully sweaty journey from pitch decks to pain au chocolat.

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🎬 Before Takeoff: Interviews, Hustling, and Desperate Wi-Fi

We didn’t just show up—we prepared. A 10-minute product and company interview with Korean and French media outlet? Check.Blasting polite (but persistent) “Let’s meet!” messages to investors and startups through the VivaTech app? Double check.It would've been nicer if the app had a more intuitive way to search people and companies. (We couldn’t help thinking… if only we had built it ourselves.)We also had a lot going on with other projects, which meant less time to reach out than we wanted.Still, massive thanks to Youngsun, who coordinated everything from flights to a hotel. 🙏

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🛬 Arrival in Paris: Coffee Available, Wi-Fi Not So Much?

We landed two days before the event—me from Atlanta (9-hour flight), and Ted from Seoul (14-hour flight).I arrived first, grabbed the only decent iced coffee I could find (yes, Starbucks… in Paris…), and hopped on a video call with our Korean team.By the way, iced americanos taste exactly the same in every country. Globalization wins?

Once Ted landed, we checked all the booth materials—Wi-Fi dongle, pamphlets, freebie pens, a mini banner, and our beloved plushies for demo visuals.Props to Ted for lugging it all over continents. We ended the day with Italian food at an Italian restaurant… featuring a Union Jack on the menu in Paris, France. Don’t ask.

☀️ Day Before the Event: Warm Lunch, Hotter Streets

We had a lovely lunch with fellow K-Startup companies like Pineco, 9watt, MyCell, and SW Chemicals—great people all around.We wished we’d arrived a little earlier to connect with even more startups.After lunch, we headed to the venue… only to spend a good chunk of time wandering around trying to find the entrance in the blazing sun.But once we saw our booth half-built and full of possibility, excitement kicked in. Game on.

🎤 Day One: Sorry, Cha Eun-woo… But Thanks!

Entry lines? Long. Very long. But the crowd? Electric.As people streamed past, we realized just how important visual, grab-your-attention demos are at a fast-paced event like this.Lesson learned: lead with the eye-candy, explain after.

That evening, we joined the K-Startup Night, where I gave a 3-minute pitch.To make it memorable, I—uh—borrowed Cha Eun-woo’s name and likeness without permission. (Sorry, Cha Eun-woo. I owe you a beer.)For a brief moment, I considered changing my name to "Eunwoo Park."Networking after the pitch was full of great chats with folks from KOSME, KISED, and Day1Lab.

💥 Day Two: No Investors, But All the Action

Our big goal for the day was the Investor Office Hour… but due to technical issues, we didn’t get to meet anyone.Later we learned most applicants had the same experience, so at least we weren’t alone.

Instead, we went full demo mode with Pixy, our AI visual search featuring our LaBubu plushies.It actually pulled people in! Some stopped for photos, others asked to try it out.Next time, we’ll go even further with interactive scenarios and bold screens.

That evening, we had dinner with alumni startups and Hana Bank’s branch manager in Paris—a great contact for anyone eyeing France as a target market.The pasta and champagne were excellent… but the lack of air conditioning gave strong “Korean jjimjilbang” (sauna) vibes.France in June? Way hotter than expected. Time to hit the gym before our next global outing.

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🥐 Day Three: Pain au Chocolat and Bittersweet Feels

Finally—a real French breakfast! Pain au chocolat and croissants. Cold, but delicious.We had a few investor meetings, each just 10 minutes long.We prepped a lot but still felt the squeeze. Some wanted deep tech, some wanted revenue talk, others cared about use cases.Next time, we’ll prepare multiple versions of our pitch for different angles.

While waiting for meetings, we got to talk to more fellow startups and made some great last-minute connections.We probably could’ve made more of the opportunity—but hey, next time, we’ll crush it.

🍽️ Last Night: Black Sesame Ice Cream & Soju Bombs

Final night = all of us K-Startup teams taking over an entire Korean restaurant.The highlight? A live demonstration of soju bomb mixology by the CEO of TooniMotion.We finally got to relax and properly chat with folks from WeDrive, Foretell My Health, and Morphing I.Dinner was great, the black sesame ice cream hit just right, and the vibe was 🔥.If only we didn’t have a flight the next day—we would’ve gone all in.

👋 Goodbye Paris, Goodbye VivaTech

We checked out, handed back gear to Ted, bought chocolates at the airport for family, and flew home to Atlanta.We left feeling grateful—for the people we met, the friends we made, and all the chaotic beauty of startup life on the road.

Special thanks to Gyeonggi Center for Creative Economy and Innovation (yes, the name’s a mouthful but their support was huge!),to the journalists from VentureSquare and AVING for their interviews,and to everyone who stopped by our booth and said hello. Merci beaucoup! 💙

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🤝 Special Thanks to the Dream Team

This VivaTech journey would’ve been impossible without some amazing teammates.

To Youngsun, who took care of everything from logistics to last-minute chaos like a pro.To Ted, who dragged heavy gear across continents and survived the Paris heat with pure grit.To our AI engineer Wooram, who respected my stubborn "It has to be LaBubu!" pitch and built an awesome demo.To our CEO May, who really should’ve been in Paris but generously let me go instead 🙏And to every one of our team members still grinding hard back home—you were with us every step.

Thanks to all of you, our time in Paris was tough, but truly unforgettable.

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💡 Next Time?

Better people/company search in the app
Demos that pop
Multiple pitch styles ready
Better fitness before flying
And maybe… bring Cha Eun-woo for real?

Invite us again—we'll bring the fun. Viva la Startup! 🇫🇷

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✍️ This post was written by Aaron Park based on real field experience and polished with the help of ChatGPT. Stories and jokes reflect actual events—some slightly exaggerated for entertainment purposes.

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✈️ VivaTech Paris Recap: Like Cha Eun-woo, but Without Cha Eun-woo