Clara Chappaz

Areas of Expertise and Key Achievements

Clara Chappaz has distinguished herself through her commitment as the director of the Mission French Tech, where she played a crucial role in developing the French start-up ecosystem. Under her leadership, initiatives such as the Parity Pact were launched, promoting diversity and inclusion in the tech sector. She also led the French Tech 2030 acceleration program, which supported numerous innovative start-ups across France.

As Secretary of State for Artificial Intelligence and Digital Affairs, Clara Chappaz succeeded Marina Ferrari and was placed under the supervision of the Ministry of Higher Education and Research. This positioning underscores the importance of research in the development of AI in France.

Recent Contributions and Notable Projects

Clara Chappaz is behind several strategic initiatives aimed at strengthening the use of AI in the French economy. Among these, the "Dare AI" plan aims to democratize the adoption of AI in as many companies as possible by 2030. This plan is based on three main pillars: raising awareness, training, and supporting companies, notably through a network of 300 AI ambassadors and the creation of the AI Academy.

In the field of health, she emphasized the importance of migrating the Health Data Hub to sovereign hosting, considering this a decisive step for the protection of sensitive data and the development of innovative health solutions.

Position in the Technological Ecosystem

Clara Chappaz is seen as a key figure in the French technological landscape, notably for her role in supporting start-ups and innovation. Her appointment to the Secretariat of State for AI and Digital Affairs was welcomed by the start-up ecosystem, which sees her as an ally to make France a major AI power.

She has also been involved in the creation of the National Council for AI and Digital Affairs (CIAN), an independent advisory body aimed at informing public decisions in a context of rapid digital transformation.

Recent Developments and News

More recently, Clara Chappaz announced the launch of the National Institute for AI Evaluation and Safety (INESIA), an initiative aimed at strengthening public trust in AI technologies in France. She also played a central role in organizing the AI Action Summit, a major platform to boost innovation and foster international cooperation in the field of AI.

In conclusion, Clara Chappaz continues to assert herself as an influential leader in the field of artificial intelligence and digital affairs, working towards an innovative and sovereign France in these strategic sectors.

Clara Chappaz est diplômée de l’ESSEC Business School et titulaire d’un MBA de la Harvard Business School. Elle débute sa carrière en Asie, occupant des postes de direction dans des start-up d'e-commerce telles que Zalora et Lyst, avant de lancer sa propre entreprise, Lullaby, une place de marché dédiée aux produits pour bébés.

De la French Tech au gouvernement

En 2019, elle rejoint Vestiaire Collective en tant que Chief Business Officer, puis prend la tête de la Mission French Tech en 2021, où elle supervise des initiatives stratégiques comme les programmes Green20 et DeepNum20. Le 21 septembre 2024, elle est nommée secrétaire d'État chargée de l'Intelligence artificielle et du Numérique, avant de devenir ministre déléguée pour le même portefeuille le 23 décembre 2024.

Ambassadrice pour le numérique et l'IA

Lors du remaniement du 5 octobre 2025, Clara Chappaz quitte le gouvernement. Par décret du 10 décembre 2025, elle est nommée ambassadrice pour le numérique et l'intelligence artificielle, poste rattaché au ministère des Affaires étrangères qu'occupait auparavant Henri Verdier. À ce titre, elle porte la diplomatie technologique française : souveraineté numérique européenne, protection des mineurs en ligne, lutte contre la manipulation de l'information et cybersécurité, avec un agenda jalonné par le Sommet mondial de l'IA en Inde, le G7 et le G20.

Vision et engagements

Clara Chappaz défend une vision d'une IA éthique, souveraine et inclusive. Elle œuvre pour le soutien aux start-up issues de la recherche fondamentale et la promotion de champions français de l'IA, tels que Mistral AI, Hugging Face ou LightOn.