French Touch Award - for Startup & SME
In collaboration with
Honoring a French startup or SME established in the United Arab Emirates that shapes imagination, awakens sensibilities, and forges new connections between the two nations, enriching their cultural and social fabric through the creative power of their industries.
Covering the worlds of fashion and design, video games, publishing, visual arts, lifestyle, music, performing arts, cinema and audiovisual production, this award celebrates organizations that demonstrate how French know‑how and entrepreneurial boldness can have a profound impact at the crossroads of two great nations.
These are companies that export not only products or services, but a vision, a distinctly French way of understanding the world one that elevates industries, enriches communities, and reminds us that culture remains one of the most powerful drivers of competitiveness and growth.
To apply, please make sure you meet the following criteria:
- Be a company with fewer than 50 employees, and not part of a larger group,
- Hold a valid Emirati business license. Please email your business license to coralie.flick(@)ccifranceuae.com
- Belong to one of the six verticals of the Cultural and Creative Industries:
- Fashion & Design: from haute couture to industrial design
- Video Games: interactive entertainment and creative technology
- Publishing: literature, media, content creation, and editorial innovation
- Visual Arts & Lifestyle: fine arts, lifestyle, gastronomy, and aesthetics
- Music & Performing Arts: concerts, theatre, dance, and live experiences
- Film & Audiovisual: cinema, production, streaming, and audiovisual content
- And be at least one of these criteria:
- Be a member of the CCI France UAE (no condition of nationality)
- Be referred by La French Touch
- Be a French company (a company created by at least one French person)
- Be a French-founded company initiated abroad of the UAE
The deadline for submitting your application is Friday, 13 March 2026, 12pm.