The French Tech Tour is back by popular demand. UBIFRANCE’s San Francisco office is currently accepting applications for the sixth edition of their annual event, to be held in Silicon Valley from June 2 to 8, 2012. Hi-tech companies from across France are invited to apply. Applications will be submitted for review to UBIFRANCE’s American Partners – a list that includes some of the most established names in Silicon Valley, from Google to HP , Intel and Cisco . It’s our American partners who will determine who makes the cut. When they arrive in Silicon Valley, those selected companies will benefit from an intense week of B2B meetings with both official partners and potential clients. In addition, each company will receive personalized coaching on their American presentation style and have multiple opportunities to pitch their technology to both specialized press and the general public. Companies most likely to succeed their candidacy are small to midsize tech companies that either possess strong client references in France, and/or significant funding, and/or exceptionally innovative technology and intellectual property. Approximately half of past years’ selected companies have since incorporated in the United States. Participation in the French Tech Tour offers not only the opportunity to accelerate a company’s business development in the United States, but has become a mark of success in Europe, furthering international recognition. The dossier de candidature is available at http://frenchtechtour.com , and must be completed by February 27, 2012. For additional information on either applying or becoming a partner, please contact: frenchtechtour@ubifrance.fr . We look forward to seeing you in June!

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  UBIFRANCE – the French Trade Commission is bringing a delegation of leading French companies working in the rail sector, specifically rail infrastructure, to the Northeast Corridor . The group will go to Washington, D.C., Philadelphia and New York from April 23 – 26. The companies will meet public authorities to discuss numerous projects, recently funded by the U.S. Department of Transportation concerning inspection, maintenance and repair of rail infrastructure in the Northeast. The group will sit down with decision-makers from the Federal Railroad Administration , Amtrak , New Jersey Transit and New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority to learn about what projects are in the pipeline in the near future. A networking reception will be held in Washington, D.C. the evening of April 23, during which the French professionals can meet American professionals to exchange best practices and look for opportunities to work together. A second opportunity to bring together French and American professionals will be B to B meetings held in New York on April 26. During this ‘’speed dating’’ – esque meeting, each French company will meet one-on-one with four to five American companies. American firms working on rail infrastructure projects are encouraged to participate in both the reception and B to B meetings. France prides itself on its world-class rail and urban transit networks. The French companies in this delegation bring to the table innovative technology and services not always found in the U.S., as France has a proud tradition of creating and maintaining a rail infrastructure second to none. Thanks to massive government subsidies for research and development at French engineering universities and research centers, the country’s expertise in rail and public transit is recognized and respected throughout the world.  The trade mission is still open to French companies (or their U.S. subsidiaries) interested in joining the delegation and American firms interested to meet the group. Please contact Rachel.kurowski@ubifrance.fr if you would like to take part in this dynamic trade mission to create relationships between the French and American experts in this sector. Join us on April 23-26!  

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Languedoc-Roussillon has become France’s bane and its great hope. Bane because this massive southern region, with 740,000 acres in vine, or half again as much as all California, has long been a wine lake - a source for oceans of industrial wine to slake thirst in Europe and the Americas alike. But let’s focus on the hope. For two decades, it has also enjoyed a renaissance as a region that blends Old World tradition and New World freedom. Here is the one place in France where rules are still being written. It seemingly wants to say you can have it both ways: You can have big fruit in your wine, and you can have it without sacrificing the signature of place. Yet its revolutionary phase has matured. Houses like Mas Champart and Daumas Gassac have made their names here. So what’s the state of the art? Read the full article on www.sfgate.com

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  Cheeses gaining attention among retailers include (top to bottom): Big Woods Blue from Shepherd’s Way; Bavarian Limburger; Rush Creek Reserve from Upland Cheese; Swiss Försterkäse; Wavreumont sheep’s milk cheese from Belgium; and Dante sheep’s milk from Sheep Dairy. Whether looking close to home or across the pond, artisanal cheese-makers have shown innovation and staying power for the year to come. Learn which cheeses in 2012 will demand attention—and room in every retailer’s display. The start of a new year means it’s officially trend-spotting season: time to stand back and try to distinguish the enduring changes from the evanescent. Which regions, styles or creameries have been building steam in recent months and may break through in 2012? What cheeses do you need in your case to be ahead of the curve? read the full article on specialtyfood.com

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As Playtime New York is drawing more and more attention : discover the innovative and authentic French brands that will display their collections with UBIFRANCE!  Moon & Miel will bring an international style to little kids’ wardrobe! Inspired by her multiple journeys in India and Morocco, the designer has created tops for boys and girls, dresses and skirts, as well as ballerinas and tights, whose embroidery and ribbon finishing make little kids travel through the One Thousand and One Nights tale … Trendy and timeless, Moon & Miel invites us on dreaming journey. http://www.moonetmiel.com/collhiver_hautsG.html  “Color your T-shirt and wear your creation!” Gribouille has made children’s oldest dream come true! The designer offers a line of T-shirts, pyjamas and accessories on which kids can express their creativity without being scolded. The little kid can color in, and the adult fixes his/her creation by ironing the cloth. Gribouille products are made with 100% organic cotton. www.gribouille.com   Familles Recomposees offers clothing lines and interior decor items for baby. The designer plays with the materials, shapes, colors, and adds to Familles Recomposees Baby a line of very colorful interior decor items (pillows, frames): Famille Recomposees Deco Home. http://www.famillesrecomposees.biz/familles-recomposées-déco-home-les-produits/  Chic, contemporary and elegant, PilePoil Paris is THE specialist of “Made in France” faux-fur. Their faux-furs are always softer and more elegant, with subtle colors: black, brown, dark purple … The brand encompasses two universes: fashion & accessories on one hand; home decor on the other hand. High-end collections for children include gloves, wraps, cardigans, scarves, as well as carpets for baby’s room decoration (round shape, star / cloud shape …). www.pilepoil.biz   Pom d’Api has been a renowned designer and manufacturer of high-quality shoes for children since 1973. This authentic brand is THE reference on the French market and has developed an extensive line to fit babies to teenagers. www.pomdapi.fr   LouAnn’s collections are designed for modern little girls. Ludic and elegant, the products are made with high-quality materials and signed with detailed finishing: hand embroidery, engraved pearly buttons and wonderful color shades. LouAnn’s universe is associated with poetry, which pleases both young girls and their mummy. www.louann-kids.com L’Esprit De Luna has developed a “Cocoon” universe for children from 0 to 12. Very soft fabrics and colors, as well as detailed finishing represent the core of the brand. www.espritdeluna.com     Come visit the brands at Playtime New York: March 10-12 – 82 Mercer Street, SoHo – NYC    Follow us on Twitter or join the  French / North- American Fashion Business Group on LinkedIn  

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  Ubifrance-French Trade Commission is thrilled to announce their partnership with the Academy of Art University in an effort to boost the presence of French textile manufactures to American students of the Fashion School of the Academy of Art University San Francisco, CA regarding the Spring/Summer 2013 Collection that would be previewed in NYC in July of 2012 and shown in its entirety as part of the university fashion show during Mercedes Benz Fashion week in September 2012. For the project, meters of fabric will be donated by the French mills of a variety of types and weights. 18 women’s wear designers from the Academy of Art University Master of Fine Arts program and between 5-20 French manufacturers, exhibitors at Premiere Vision Preview Show New York (next edition taking place January 10-11 at the Metropolitan Pavilion in New York), will be joining forces. Current potential mills include: print (AB Creations); silk, jacquards (Belinac, Denis&Fils, Malfroy Million, Philea, Soieries Chambutaires, Sprintex); wools (Clarenson); lace (Sophie Hallette, André Laude, Goutarel, Riechers Marescot, Solstiss); knits (Deveaux, Philea, Sprintex); tweeds, muslins, taffetas (Malfroy Million) and prints (Price, Vernet, Minakani) and production of small & big series of metallic accessories (Mettetal Creation) With more than 17,000 students, Academy of Art University ( www.academyart.edu<http://www.academyart.edu >) is the nation’s largest private art and design university.   Established in 1929, the school offers accredited A.A., B.A., B.F.A., M.A., and M.F.A. programs in Acting, Advertising, Animation & Visual Effects, Architecture, Art Education, Fashion, Fine Art, Game Design, Graphic Design, Illustration, Industrial Design, Interior Architecture & Design, Landscape Architecture, Motion Pictures & Television, Multimedia Communications, Music Production & Sound Design for Visual Media, Photography, and Web Design & New Media. Online degrees are offered in most areas. Academy of Art University is an accredited member of WASC (Western Association of Schools and Colleges), NASAD, and Council for Interior Design Accreditation (BFA-IAD). Follow us on Twitter  , or join the french North-American fashion business group on LinkedIn

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IN a setting reminiscent of a speed-dating bar scene, but with no promise of even a first date, much less a long-term relationship, more than 20 fledgling fashion companies pitched their talent, their drive and their ideas to an audience of potential investors at the Fashion Institute of Technology last week. Fashion is fickle, making it harder for start-ups to raise capital. But FashInvest , created by David J. Freschman and Karen Griffith Gryga, venture capitalists, is a platform that acts as a kind of matchmaker between seedling fashion companies and investors. Last week, FashInvest held its second annual Capital Conference at F.I.T., a daylong event at which fashion and retail companies were given eight minutes to promote their brainchild to more than 50 possible backers. Then, in a short “American Idol”-style feedback session, an investor, a sponsor and an industry veteran vetted the pitches. Kevin Ryan, the chief executive of Gilt Groupe, was the keynote speaker, and the designer Steven Alan was among the presenters who shared their experiences. The intersection between fashion and technology is generating increased interest, and investors are hurrying to keep up. “To the fashion world, technology is suddenly very cool,” said Saleem Qadir, who works on the development side of eBay. Mr. Qadir attended FashInvest hoping to find future partners. “The shopping experience has to be personal yet social,” he said. “It has to simplify the complex stuff, like fit. That is going to differentiate the winners from the losers.”

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