IGNITEFranco-Indian Corridor 2026
A first-of-its-kind program empowering 20 women founders to scale across France and India — through AI, GenAI, and the France-India Year of Innovation.
Where France Meets India. Where Ambition Meets Action.
IGNITE Franco-Indian Corridor is a pioneering cross-border program designed to support 10 French and 10 Indian women founders building and leveraging AI and GenAI solutions. Selected founders will gain immersive access to both ecosystems through workshops, mentors, corporations, VCs, and technology experts — in Paris and Bangalore.
Paris
June 15–20, 2026 (tentative) *
2 days of workshops + VivaTech 2026 participation
Bangalore
November 2026 (tentative) *
3 days of workshops + India AI ecosystem immersion
* Dates are tentative and subject to change
Program Goals
Drive cross-border growth and market expansion
Forge high-impact Indo-French strategic partnerships
Unlock privileged access to both ecosystems
Build a powerful global network of women-led innovation
✓What's Included in the Program
Our Organizations
CCIFI
Established in 1983, CCIFI is the official bilateral chamber in France strengthening economic, cultural, and industrial ties between France and India. CCIFI connects businesses through B2B networking, sector intelligence, bilateral events, and next-generation talent programs.
ccifi-france.org→
SonderConnect
Founded in 2016, SonderConnect is a not-for-profit platform dedicated to empowering women entrepreneurs. Operating pro bono and without taking equity, it has supported 167 founders across 8 nationalities, helping create 5,000+ jobs, $150M+ in revenue, and $100M+ in funding raised.
sonderconnect.com→Meet Our Leaders
Lathika Pai
Founder SonderConnect
🇮🇳 Bangalore
A serial entrepreneur and visionary in the global startup ecosystem, Lathika Pai founded SonderConnect in 2016 with a single conviction: the future belongs to women who build. With a career spanning Nortel, LogMeIn, and a $300M-funded cloud startup, Lathika has guided 167 women founders across 8 countries to collectively generate $150M+ in revenue and raise $100M+ in funding. As former Managing Director of Microsoft for Startups (MENA & SAARC), she brings deep knowledge of the AI and enterprise technology landscape. She is a founding board member of CXXO, Kalaari Capital's initiative to invest in women founders. IGNITE is her boldest bet yet: that when you connect the right women across borders, the impact is unstoppable.
Hina Wadhwa
Vice President CCIFI
🇫🇷 Paris
Hina Wadhwa is a seasoned international business professional with over 16 years of experience spanning sales, marketing, partnership development, and executive education. As Vice President of CCIFI and Director of Marketing & Admissions at École des Ponts Business School — one of France's most prestigious institutions — Hina sits at the exact intersection of French excellence and Indo-French ambition. A graduate of both ESCP Business School and École des Ponts Business School, she has been instrumental in building the CCIFI's next-generation programs, including the French-Indian Young Talents Program. With IGNITE, Hina brings the full weight of the Franco-Indian business community to the table — opening doors that matter.