Consumer Technology Association (CTA)® president and
CEO Gary Shapiro recently received the LĂ©gion d'Honneur (Legion of Honor) award,
recognizing his service in spearheading the transition to a technology-forward
society and organizing the world’s foremost technology event, CES®. In an eight-minute ceremony at the Palais d
l’Élysée in Paris, France, he was conferred the rank of Chevalier, just the
second American to receive this honor in 2021.
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In remarks during the ceremony, President of France Emmanuel Macron highlighted
Shapiro’s early recognition and support for the now-burgeoning French
innovation ecosystem. Calling him a “tech pioneer who became a tech giant,”
Macron lauded Shapiro’s vision, “deep understanding of what tech requires” for
business, and commitment to “people, values and principles.”
Those values are lived out at CES, which has played a critical role in
introducing innovative French technology on the global stage. Since French
startups debuted at CES 2014, their number has grown from several dozen to over
240 at the last in-person CES in 2020, with French startups outnumbering
American startups in 2019.
That same innovation will be on display at CES 2022. Through a partnership with
La French Tech, French startups will return to Eureka Park for the ninth year
and unveil innovative new technologies across multiple categories.
Fourteen CES
2022 Innovation Award honorees from France were also announced recently at CES Unveiled in Paris. Spanning technology from health-focused
wearables and green-tech to eco-design and smart energy, these innovations
embody President Macron’s ideal of “technology as a service of the many...[and]
technology for the common good.”
Owned and produced by CTA, CES
2022Â will convene the tech industry in-person and
digitally, Wednesday, Jan. 5 to Saturday, Jan. 8, with Media
Days taking place Monday, Jan. 3 to Tuesday, Jan. 4. Global
audiences will have access to major brands and startups, as well as the world’s
most-influential leaders and industry advocates. For over 50 years, CES has
been the global stage for innovation, and CES 2022 will provide an opportunity
for companies from around the world, both large and small, to launch products,
build brands and form partnerships. Registration
is now open for industry and media attendees. Visit CES.tech for all CES 2022
updates, including health protocols and
the media page for
all press resources.Â