Salon de la Data et de l'IA 2026

The annual data and AI community trade show in Nantes: 11th edition, 2,000+ visitors, hybrid format, free to attend.

Date
Location
22 September 2026
Nantes, France

Definition

Salon de la Data et de l'IA is an annual trade show and practitioner gathering for the French data and AI community, held at the Cité des Congrès in Nantes. Now in its eleventh edition, it serves as the main data-sector event for practitioners and organisations outside Paris, combining conference sessions with an exhibition floor. The event is free to attend and runs as a hybrid format with both in-person and online participation.

What the programme covers

The programme addresses the full data stack in professional and enterprise contexts: data management and governance, data engineering and pipeline architecture, machine learning and AI deployment, analytics and business intelligence. Sessions are primarily in French, reflecting the event's role as the central practitioner forum for the French-speaking data community.

Organisers for the 2026 edition include IGN (the French national geographic institute), Talan, KPC Group and Wavestone, a mix of public-sector data users and private consultancies that illustrates the breadth of the French data profession.

Nantes and the regional data community

Nantes is France's sixth-largest city and a significant technology hub in western France. Hosting the Salon de la Data et de l'IA in Nantes rather than Paris gives the event direct access to a regional tech community spanning Brittany, the Loire region and the Atlantic coast. The Cité des Congrès de Nantes is the city's main conference facility, capable of accommodating the 2,000+ visitor attendance.

FAQ · Identity and audience

Who attends Salon Data?

The audience spans data engineers, data scientists, analytics professionals, CDOs and data governance leads, primarily from French companies and public sector organisations. The event attracts both technical practitioners and business-side data decision-makers.

Why is the event free?

The trade show model funds the event through exhibitor and sponsor fees. Visitor admission is free to maximise attendance and community reach, which is standard practice for trade shows of this type.

Is the event French-language only?

Sessions are primarily in French. Some international speakers or sessions may be in English; check the programme on salondata.fr for language details per session.

What is the online component?

The hybrid format allows remote attendance for sessions streamed online. Details of the online programme are published on the official website closer to the date.

Editorial take

Salon de la Data et de l'IA is the annual data and AI community trade show in Nantes, the main practitioner gathering for France's data profession outside Paris. In its eleventh edition, it has established itself as a stable fixture in the French data calendar, combining the accessibility of a free trade show with a programme that covers both technical depth and business application. For data teams based in western France and the broader Francophone data community, it provides peer networking at a scale that smaller regional meetups cannot match.

How to register and what it costs

Admission is free. Register at salondata.fr. Both in-person and online registration options are available.

FAQ · Access and practicalities

How do I get to Nantes?

Nantes Atlantique Airport serves domestic and European routes. The city is also on the high-speed rail network, approximately 2 hours from Paris Montparnasse by TGV. The Cité des Congrès is close to the city centre and accessible by tram.

Is the online stream free?

The hybrid online stream is included in the free registration. Details are on salondata.fr.

Is there an exhibitor or sponsorship programme?

Yes. Contact the organisers through salondata.fr for exhibitor and partner information.

Resources

Official website https://salondata.fr