On Tuesday 26 November at 11:30 AM (GMT+1), we invite you to our webinar to discover the solutions we offer and understand how our platform can meet your technological and strategic challenges.

In an ever-changing technological landscape, technical teams are looking for solutions to simplify their day-to-day work while ensuring performance, availability, security, scalability and sovereignty. That's where Clever Cloud comes in: a French PaaS (Platform as a Service) designed to meet the needs of developers, DevOps, and technical decision-makers looking for a reliable, high-performance and sustainable platform.

On Tuesday 26 November at 11:30 AM (GMT+1), join us on Livestorm for our webinar and find out why Clever Cloud is the ideal solution for your projects.

Who will be the speakers?

• Florent Perreux, Chief Sales Officer, will present our offerings, our strategic vision and our DNA;
• Steven Le Roux, Chief Technical Officer, will take over with a demonstration of the platform and then present our technological roadmap.

Florent Perreux, Chief Sales Officer

Steven Le Roux, Chief Technical Officer

What will you discover?

During this 30-minute webinar, we will cover: :

• Overview of Clever Cloud ;
• Demonstration ;
• Roadmap and innovations ;
• Focus on reliability, security and performance;
• Q&A session.

With Clever Cloud, you code, we do the rest: auto-scaling, integrated monitoring, CI/CD, and much more.

When and where?

📅 Tuesday 26 November 2024

⏰ 11:30 AM (GMT+1) (duration: 30 minutes)

📍 Online on Livestorm

Find out why our Cloud is Clever!

Back to basics with this first article in a new series. Let's take a look at how cloud computing works, its different architectures (public, private, hybrid), its many benefits for businesses, and the differences between cloud computing, edge computing and on-premise to help you choose the solution best suited to your needs.

Cloud computing: definition and origins

Cloud computing has profoundly transformed the way businesses and individuals access IT resources. The idea is simple but innovative: rather than owning and managing their own servers and data centres, users can now access IT services on demand, via a network. These services include computing power, data storage and sometimes even database management, offering unprecedented flexibility and accessibility. It's not an idea that dates back to yesterday...

How cloud computing has evolved over time

The concept of cloud computing, although widely popularised in the early 2000s, has its roots in the 1960s. At that time, computer pioneers were already considering the idea of making computing power accessible as a public utility. During the 1990s, network diagrams began to use the image of a ‘cloud’ to represent the Internet, symbolising the complexity and interconnectedness of the networks that today enable cloud computing to function as a global and flexible architecture.

The real strength of the cloud lies in its ability to provide remote and scalable computing resources, enabling businesses to simplify the management of their infrastructure, avoid wasting resources, and improve energy efficiency through three pillars:

• Unified billing: The cloud offers a single billing system that simplifies cost management for businesses. This transparency makes it possible to accurately track expenditure and optimise costs;
• Centralised, secure access: The cloud offers a single interface that simplifies access to services, while centralising management. IAM (Identity and Access Management) systems provide enhanced security, with auditability tools for improved compliance;
• A rich and diverse marketplace: The cloud provides a vast marketplace, giving businesses access to a wide range of products and services. This diversity promotes the flexibility and scalability of the solutions deployed.

How do you simply define cloud computing?

In simple terms, cloud computing is defined as remote access to shared computing resources, without the complexity of managing the underlying physical infrastructure. This approach enables businesses to make a long-term investment in the long-term management and hosting of their data, while giving them the flexibility to rapidly adjust their capacity as required. Clever Cloud, for example, automates the scalability, optimising resources in real time to meet demand.

How does cloud computing work?

Based on a network-based computing services model, the cloud enables businesses to access resources such as data storage, computing power and access to a catalogue of online applications, without the need to manage the hardware infrastructure directly. This approach offers greater flexibility, cost optimisation and operational efficiency, all of which encourage innovation.

The key elements of cloud operation

There are several fundamental elements that ensure the efficiency and scalability of the cloud. Here's an overview of the key elements.

The physical infrastructure

At the heart of the cloud is a physical infrastructure made up of servers, storage systems and interconnected networks. These infrastructures are located in data centres around the world, promising very high availability, enhanced security and optimum performance. Cloud providers like Clever Cloud invest heavily to maintain high quality standards, verified through various certifications.

Virtualisation

This fundamental principle enables the creation of virtual versions of physical resources, such as servers or storage systems. Virtualisation improves efficiency by enabling several users or applications to use the same resources in an optimised way: the famous Virtual Machines (VMs). This technology also simplifies management and reduces operating costs by disconnecting the hardware infrastructure from the user experience.

Access interfaces and APIs

Cloud service interfaces are designed to be secure and high-performance, making it easier to manage resources and deploy applications. APIs offer system administrators, DevOps and developers the possibility of automating and integrating cloud services into their own systems, maximising customisation, efficiency and flexibility and extending the range of possible functionalities.

The different cloud architectures: public, private and hybrid

Each cloud architecture has its own advantages and addresses different needs. The key is to choose the one that best aligns with your organisation's strategic objectives and operational constraints.

Public Cloud: simplified accessibility and scalability for data hosting

The public cloud is the most common architecture. Here, IT resources are hosted on servers belonging to cloud service providers, such as Clever Cloud. These services are accessible via the network, providing a scalable solution that can adapt quickly to changing business needs.

The public cloud offers different levels of service, from Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) to Platform as a Service (PaaS), via Software as a Service (SaaS). This diversity means that businesses can choose the solution best suited to their needs, while benefiting from the fact that there is no initial investment in infrastructure.

Private cloud: controlled, secure data hosting

By definition, the private cloud is a solution dedicated to a single organisation. Unlike the public cloud, the customer's servers are dedicated to that organisation. This is often a hosting zone behind the customer's firewall, made available by a cloud provider. This architecture offers total control over data and enhanced security, which is ideal for sectors subject to strict regulations (financial, health, pharmaceutical, public, defence, legal, industrial, etc.). The private cloud allows greater customisation of the data hosting architecture, tailored to the specific needs of the business.

Hybrid cloud: don't put all your eggs in one basket

The hybrid cloud offers greater resilience by combining the advantages of the public and private clouds. By diversifying environments, businesses avoid putting all their eggs in one basket. For example, they can store sensitive data in a private cloud while using a public cloud for backups or less critical workloads. This means they can switch from one environment to the other depending on their needs in terms of performance, cost or security. However, with the high egress fees charged by hyperscalers, this approach can become costly.

In reality, the hybrid cloud is already common practice, often without companies being fully aware of it. Since the democratisation of SaaS, the majority of applications are no longer solely on-premises, but are based on a mix of public cloud, private cloud and SaaS services.

What are the different types of cloud computing?

Cloud computing is divided into several main categories: Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), Software as a Service (SaaS) and Function as a Service (FaaS). Each type offers different levels of control, flexibility and management, so you can choose the one that best suits your needs.

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) for maximum customisation

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) is historically the most widespread model of cloud computing. With IaaS, businesses rent IT resources such as servers, virtual machines, storage and networks directly from a cloud service provider.  Customers take care of maintaining their OS, databases, runtimes, etc. in operational conditions, using system administrators, either in-house or from an outsourcer. This allows companies to have a specific architecture that meets their needs. 

Platform as a Service (PaaS) for rapid deployment and automatic updates

Platform as a Service (PaaS) goes a step further than IaaS by providing an OS, middleware and a console for easy deployment of runtimes and even databases or third-party services, known as add-ons. The customer no longer has to worry about maintaining the system in operational condition (MCO), which is the responsibility of the cloud provider.

PaaS solutions make it easy to deploy applications quickly, while automatically maintaining and updating the infrastructure. With integrated development tools and a modular architecture, Clever Cloud simplifies the work of developers and DevOps teams by offering them a ready-to-use environment to accelerate innovation: deploy code, we'll take care of the rest! 

Software as a Service (SaaS) for greater simplicity

Software as a Service (SaaS) is the most common cloud computing model. SaaS applications are hosted and managed by service providers, enabling users to access them via the Internet, usually on a subscription basis. This model eliminates the need to install and maintain software locally, reducing costs and technical complexity.

SaaS is particularly useful for businesses looking to standardise their software tools without investing in IT infrastructure. For example, collaboration tools, customer relationship management (CRM) systems and office suites are often deployed as SaaS services for maximum simplicity.

Functions as a Service (FaaS) for greater agility

Functions as a Service (FaaS) is an evolution of the PaaS model that allows developers to create and deploy individual functions without worrying about server management. The cloud provider takes care of all the infrastructure, scaling and resource management, charging only for the time it takes to run the functions.

The functions are triggered by events defined in advance, enabling the function to launch its action (processing an image, converting a file, etc.) and therefore to switch on, be active for the duration of the action and then switch off. services for economic reasons. FaaS is often complementary to PaaS.

What are the advantages of cloud computing?

Whether in terms of scalability or security, the cloud offers a number of benefits for organisations that decide to adopt it.

Cost optimisation: a strategic approach rather than just savings

Cloud computing can be part of a financial strategy, in particular by transforming capital expenditure (CAPEX) into operational expenditure (OPEX). This budgetary transition enables companies to outsource their initial IT infrastructure costs (purchase of servers, data centre maintenance, fibre management, recruitment of a dedicated team, etc.). Organisations can adopt a pay-as-you-go model, adjusting their spending according to their real needs. Some hyperscalers will still offer to pay for reserved instances, which will have to be paid for even if they are not used, but this is not the majority of usage. 

Scalability: the cloud adapts to your needs

Whether you need to increase processing capacity during peak periods or reduce resources during off-peak periods, the cloud is flexible and scalable on demand, thanks to probes and orchestrators. This responsiveness ensures optimum use of resources and gives businesses greater agility to respond to changes in the market and in demand. At Clever Cloud, scalability is automatic, which means it adapts in real time to your needs, so you only pay for what you actually use.

Security: a key pillar for businesses

Cloud computing greatly improves the security of your data. Cloud providers invest, keep a constant watch and have the role of warning their customers or updating exposed areas. Storage in the cloud and its backups provide great resilience. Backed-up data can easily be accessed or a disaster recovery plan (DRP) or business continuity plan (BCP) can be launched. At Clever Cloud, we go even further: our Materia databases are automatically replicated to our three Paris data centres, giving you peace of mind. Another key point is that many security certifications may be required when hosting critical or personal data. Cloud providers undertake to comply with them. 

Accessibility: instantaneous response to new work trends

Cloud computing makes your data more accessible, enabling your teams to collaborate effectively, regardless of their location. Data and applications hosted in the cloud can be available 24/7. This facilitates teleworking, speeds up decision-making processes and improves team productivity, while guaranteeing real-time synchronisation of information.

Automatic updates and operational maintenance

With cloud computing, software updates and security patches are automatically managed by the supplier, without the intervention of the customer's IT team. This not only reduces the internal workload, but also ensures that the systems have no security holes.

Who uses cloud computing?

Cloud computing is now an essential component for businesses of all sizes and in all sectors. Its massive adoption is driven by the outsourcing of management and MCO, the unification of costs and access to a marketplace.  Whether it's for data storage and backup, Big Data analysis, mail server hosting or web application development and deployment, the cloud has become essential for meeting the growing demands of the market.

For example, organisations in the financial sector are using cloud computing to detect and prevent fraud in real time, using machine learning algorithms and predictive analysis. Healthcare companies, meanwhile, are exploiting these technologies to offer more personalised treatments, thereby improving the quality of care for their patients. The entertainment sector and video game creators are relying on the cloud to deliver their content to millions of users around the world, guaranteeing a fluid and immersive experience.

But this technology is not just for large companies: SMEs, start-ups, freelancers and private individuals are also adopting the cloud to benefit from a scalable infrastructure without having to bear the high costs associated with physical data centres. By opting for these solutions, they can concentrate on what they need.

What are the uses of cloud computing?

Cloud computing offers a multitude of uses for businesses and individuals, including the following.

Storing and backing up data

The cloud enables businesses to protect their information while benefiting from a large storage capacity, all the while retaining control over billing. Data can be easily accessed from any connected device, making it easier to recover in the event of a technical problem.

Hosting applications and websites

Hosting applications and websites is another key use of cloud computing, enabling applications to be created and deployed with a high degree of scalability. Developers benefit from a reliable solution that delivers a fluid, high-performance user experience.

Distributing software and content as a service

Cloud computing also facilitates the development of software and content as a service (SaaS). This model reduces the need for local installations and enables companies to offer regular updates without service interruption, accessible at any time and on any type of device. They can focus on the continuous improvement of their products while simplifying the management of software versions.

Data analysis and artificial intelligence (AI)

Data analysis and the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) are made possible by the capabilities and performance of cloud computing. Companies can centralise their data in cloud systems, such as datalakes or data warehouses, and use and train machine learning services to extract the desired elements. These technologies help to develop predictive models, automate processes, generate text or images, etc.

Application testing and development

The cloud is also a powerful tool for application testing and development. Thanks to the standardisation of test environments, it is now possible to obtain dedicated spaces in just a few clicks, saving time for teams of developers. Cloud infrastructures offer a high degree of flexibility for creating, testing and deploying applications, while facilitating continuous integration and continuous deployment (CI/CD). This approach accelerates the development cycle and enables companies to reduce their time to market.

Edge computing and cloud computing: the differences

Cloud computing and edge computing are two distinct architectures that meet different needs. Whereas cloud computing centralises resources and processing in large data centres, edge computing moves these operations closer to the data sources using small-scale infrastructures.

This approach enables edge computing to reduce latency and improve processing speed, which is essential for applications such as the Internet of Things (IoT), autonomous vehicles and augmented reality. The choice between these two technologies often depends on the context and on performance, security and connectivity requirements. Edge computing also makes it possible to offer a hybrid architecture, which can take over in the event of availability problems.

Cloud computing is distinguished by its ability to offer scalable, pooled resources, accessible via the Internet, making it an ideal solution for applications requiring high computing and storage power. By contrast, edge computing favours local processing for real-time responses, reducing dependency on network connectivity.

When should you choose edge computing rather than cloud computing?

Choosing between edge computing and cloud computing depends on several key factors:

• Reactivity and low latency: Edge computing is the best solution when instant response is crucial. For example, in industrial control systems or autonomous vehicles, every millisecond counts. Local processing of data by edge computing reduces delays and improves the reliability of operations;
• Volume of data to be processed: When the volume of data generated is too large to be transferred quickly to a central data centre, edge computing becomes essential. It enables data to be filtered and processed at source, minimising network traffic and optimising bandwidth use;
• Isolated environments or those with limited connectivity: In areas where the Internet connection is unstable or non-existent, edge computing ensures that data is processed without interruption. This makes it an ideal solution for remote sites, such as industrial facilities or critical infrastructures;
• Data security and confidentiality: Edge computing provides an extra layer of security by processing data locally, limiting its exposure to potential cyber threats. This is particularly important for sensitive sectors such as healthcare or financial services.

So, while cloud computing is suited to tasks requiring vast resources and global accessibility, edge computing is essential in contexts where speed, locality and data security are paramount.

On-premise and cloud computing: the differences

The evolution of IT infrastructures has led to two main approaches: on-premise and cloud computing. These two solutions differ fundamentally in terms of deployment, management, cost and scalability. On-premises involves purchasing, installing and managing hardware and software directly on the company's servers by a trained team, offering total control over data, network and security. Cloud computing, on the other hand, is based on outsourcing these tasks so that the company can concentrate on its core business.

When should you choose on-premise rather than cloud computing?

Opting for an on-premise infrastructure can be a strategic choice, from a budgetary, technical and HR point of view. If the company wants to pay for and amortise its investments, control the entire value chain and be able to recruit and retain its talent, the on-premise option may be just what it needs. If it wants to concentrate on its core business, it will find it easier to turn to cloud computing to outsource this work to a service provider whose job it is. 

The future of cloud computing

Cloud computing continues to evolve at lightning speed, and its potential continues to grow. We are at the dawn of an era where cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), quantum computing and edge computing will redefine current cloud paradigms. This future promises increased integration of low-code and no-code platforms, as well as massive adoption of the Internet of Things (IoT), enabling businesses and developers to design innovative solutions without necessarily benefiting from advanced technical expertise.

Yet these ageing infrastructures pose constant challenges in terms of maintenance, evolution and cost.

SuperBOL: the solution that propels COBOL into the cloud era

SuperBOL is a solution that enables large companies to migrate their COBOL applications to cloud infrastructures without having to completely rewrite their existing systems. Developed by OCamlPro, and usable on Clever Cloud's public cloud, SuperBOL allows businesses to keep their COBOL systems while benefiting from the flexibility and scalability of the cloud. SuperBOL also offers a tool for transposing COBOL into C.

The challenges of COBOL in the modern era

After years of existence, COBOL today faces a number of challenges:

• Lack of qualified COBOL developers;
• High cost of mainframes and maintenance of legacy infrastructures;
• Difficulty of integration with modern technologies;
• Complexity of migration to new environments;
• These obstacles prevent many companies from evolving and keep them in costly, inflexible systems.

How does SuperBOL meet these challenges?

With SuperBOL, you can modernise your COBOL applications by migrating them to flexible cloud infrastructures, without having to rewrite all the code. Here are the key benefits:

• Simplified migration of COBOL infrastructures to a sovereign cloud environment;
• Reduced mainframe licence and maintenance costs;
• Optimisation of resources and reduction in the energy footprint of systems;
• Possible transpilation from COBOL to C, facilitating integration with other tools;
• Secure projects thanks to a scalable, high-performance infrastructure.

Come and discover SuperBOL during our live demo

On 15 October 2024 from 11:30 AM, during a webinar dedicated to SuperBOL, Fabrice Le Fessant, President of OCamlPro and Florent Perreux, Sales Director of Clever Cloud, will be giving a live demonstration of the solution, enabling you to find out how to deploy a COBOL application on Clever Cloud's public cloud.

Whether you're a CIO or a developer, come and find out more about SuperBOL at our webinar on 15 October.

The UP Programme is designed to support start-ups in their development, offering them an opportunity to benefit from a range of resources, training and technical support to help them take their projects to new heights.

The 5 winners of the Clever Cloud UP Programme

All the start-ups that applied were analysed by an internal Clever Cloud jury to select only those projects to which we were certain we could bring real added value. Five were finally selected.

Azimutt

Azimutt revolutionises the exploration and maintenance of complex databases. Thanks to its intuitive interface, it simplifies schema and data navigation, while offering suggestions for improvements to optimise your databases.

ETEOS

ETEOS innovates in the field of luxury goods management by guaranteeing the authenticity and traceability of valuable objects using advanced technologies such as blockchain and NFC chips. This solution ensures total transparency and strengthens consumer confidence, while increasing the value of brands.

EcoLLM

The first GreenAI start-up, EcoLLM is tackling the environmental impact of artificial intelligence. Their mission: to develop ecological AI solutions for more environmentally-friendly projects and programmes.

Melodium

Mélodium is an open source orchestration and runtime optimisation system that accelerates development cycles and continuous integration (CI), while reducing operational costs.

Bigfriend

Finding the right agency can be time-consuming. Bigfriend makes this task easier by sourcing the best agencies for your projects, impartially. They present you with three options to ensure the success of your project.

How do startups benefit from the UP Programme?

Clever Cloud's UP Programme is specially designed to support start-ups in their early or growth phase.

In addition to the cloud credits allocated for their first year, Clever Cloud offers a full range of services to support these promising projects. These include onboarding and personalised support with our engineers, monthly monitoring and technical support. Start-ups also benefit from workshops, masterclasses and mentoring to strengthen the skills of their team, while gaining visibility through the media, social networks and events organised by Clever Cloud. Finally, they can obtain a recognised certification in partnership with École Hexagone.

With these assets, the UP Programme aims to reduce the technical and financial barriers faced by startups, providing them with the tools they need to turn the cloud into a lever for growth rather than an obstacle.

The UP Programme supported by its partners

Clever Cloud's UP Programme benefits from the support of partners committed to the development of the start-up ecosystem. These include ADN Ouest, H7, Épopée Gestion and École Hexagone, whose support and commitment are helping to nurture the start-ups of tomorrow.

How can I join the UP Programme as a start-up?

Start-ups interested in the UP Programme can apply now using the form below. Don't miss this opportunity to benefit from unique resources to propel your project forward.

This membership is in line with Clever Cloud's commitment to open source, its promotion and protection.

A unique vision of open source

Joining the Eclipse Foundation reflects Clever Cloud's desire to play an active role in strengthening open source and, in particular, in building a strategically autonomous European cloud. As recent developments in the market for proprietary virtualisation software have shown, it is imperative to have open source alternatives to these, whose governance is indisputable and transparent. The Eclipse Foundation is the ideal partner for this: an association under Belgian law, it offers neutral and open governance, and promotes and enables the implementation of best practice in this area for the projects it supports.

"We are very proud to be joining the Eclipse Foundation. This membership embodies our ambition to strengthen open source, as well as to develop the strategic autonomy essential to the emergence and distribution of independent clouds, in Europe and around the world," says Quentin Adam, CEO of Clever Cloud.

"We are delighted to welcome Clever Cloud to the Eclipse Foundation. Their commitment to open source aligns perfectly with our mission to foster transparent governance and promote best practices in open technology projects,” said Mike Milinkovich, Executive Director at the Eclipse Foundation. “As part of our community, Clever Cloud will participate in a number of important initiatives that promote European innovation with a worldwide impact."

For the development of open source in Europe and worldwide

By participating in the Eclipse Foundation ecosystem, Clever Cloud aims to:

• Promote open source in Europe and worldwide: Through shared values and a commitment to businesses and organisations, this membership will contribute to the wider adoption of open source in Europe and worldwide. This supports an independent digital economy, encouraging local innovation and reducing dependency on proprietary solutions and technological lock-in;
• Promoting transparent governance: While open source projects are now essential components of any application, it is important to ensure that they remain free and open. Clear, stable governance that is immune to privatisation abuses is the guarantee of their development, the investment they attract and their longevity;
• Continuing to innovate in the development of open solutions: A shared belief in open source, the impact of sharing knowledge and its intrinsic quality of innovation through collaborative work. Motivated by the quality of software and its maintainability, Clever Cloud has long been invested in the development of open solutions such as Sōzu, Exherbo, Biscuit, etc.

This membership supports Clever Cloud's commitment to the strategic autonomy of cloud software components, of which open source is an essential building block, for the maintenance of robust, open and transparent innovation. This support for local innovation and technological development gives European companies the opportunity to collaborate and develop solutions tailored to the specific needs of their markets.

Clever Cloud will be contributing a number of its open source projects to the foundation in the near future, providing an opportunity to strengthen the availability of alternatives to proprietary software with unquestionable and transparent governance.

About the Eclipse Foundation: The Eclipse Foundation provides our global community of individuals and organisations with a business-friendly environment for open source software collaboration and innovation. We host the Eclipse IDE, Adoptium, Software Defined Vehicle, Jakarta EE, and over 415 open source projects, including runtimes, tools, specifications, and frameworks for cloud and edge applications, IoT, AI, automotive, systems engineering, open processor designs, and many others. Headquartered in Brussels, Belgium, the Eclipse Foundation is an international non-profit association supported by over 360 members. Visit us at this year’s Open Community Experience (OCX) conference on 22-24 October 2024 in Mainz, Germany. To learn more, follow us on social media @EclipseFdn, LinkedIn, or visit eclipse.org.

By combining their respective expertise, these two French cloud technology champions, specializing in PaaS (Platform as a Service) and IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service) solutions, are joining forces to offer a solid, autonomous, and open alternative to hyperscalers.

Comprehensive and integrated solutions for businesses

This strategic partnership aims to provide businesses with an extensive and integrated range of IaaS and PaaS services. The proposed solutions will enable companies to benefit from a complete cloud infrastructure, from advanced resource virtualization to simplified application deployment and management. This way, businesses can address their diverse challenges while freeing themselves from complex operational burdens.

Meeting strategic autonomy requirements

By combining the strengths of Clever Cloud and Vates, this partnership responds to the growing needs for technological independence and digital sovereignty of businesses in European and international markets. The solutions offered will reduce their reliance on major global providers while ensuring optimal performance tailored to the needs of modern enterprises. This partnership demonstrates that European technologies are capable of delivering technologies as efficient, if not better, than those of the hyperscalers.

Rejecting lock-in strategies

Clever Cloud and Vates share common values around open source and rejecting technological lock-in strategies. While many competitors have chosen to develop proprietary technologies forcing clients to adapt their code and infrastructure, Clever Cloud and Vates have taken the opposite approach, finding these practices unethical.

"The market is increasingly aware of the issues of strategic autonomy and technological lock-in. Today, this partnership is a decisive step towards creating innovative, ethical, and European cloud solutions that cover our clients' needs from IaaS to PaaS." said Quentin Adam, co-founder and CEO of Clever Cloud.

"In the face of the domination of hyperscalers who impose their conditions, European cloud champions must work together to offer solutions that are at least as innovative and efficient as those of the industry's giants. This is essential for companies to have strategically autonomous alternatives and to exercise choice." said Jean-Baptiste Piacentino, VP of Alliances at Clever Cloud.

"Recent market changes are pushing infrastructure operators and users to evolve their needs, and it is important for them to be able to rely on a strong alternative that spans from physical machine virtualization to managed services for enterprise applications." said Olivier Lambert, CEO and co-founder of Vates SAS.

"Our partnership with Clever Cloud is already translating into an increased capacity to address specific client use cases and access new business opportunities. It is also important at the French and European levels because the combination of our two players is quite unique within the European Union. This partnership paves the way for innovative cloud and edge infrastructures, made in France, and adapted to market needs." said Charles Schulz, Strategy Director at Vates.

About Vates: Vates is a key player in the field of IaaS. Specializing in virtualization and orchestration solutions, Vates develops open source technologies that meet the critical needs of businesses. Its Xen Orchestra platform is a flagship example of its commitment to innovation and transparency.

Its ambition is to provide companies, public players and citizens with operational avenues for reflection in a trusted digital environment. For companies, the Chair has formalized the concept of “privacy as a business model”. Clever Cloud joins the VP-IP Chair to participate in its multi-disciplinary work alongside the IN Groupe, Orange and the CNIL.

Clever Cloud publishes a Platform as a Service service, based in Europe. Its aim is to help development teams put digital applications and services into production, on a reliable, scalable and secure infrastructure, with transparent pricing. Clever Cloud is committed to keeping abreast of legislative and regulatory developments. In this context, Clever Cloud pays particular attention to privacy and the protection of personal data, whether in France, Europe or abroad. With this in mind, the company has chosen to support the Values and Policies of Personal Information Chair through a sponsorship program.

Clever Cloud is openly committed to data sovereignty, to ensure a free and autonomous digital space for all. This approach resonates with the multidisciplinary work carried out by the Chair, which is at once technological, legal, economic and philosophical.

The aim of the VP-IP Chair is to develop, in close collaboration with its sponsors, world-class research with the following objectives:

• Contribute to discussions on the legal, economic, technical and ethical regulation of personal information and digital identities;

• Study the factors that ensure trust in new services that collect and process personal information, in order to guarantee implementation that respects the rights and obligations of the players involved;

• Enhance the security of personal information;

• Propose trust policies and their variations;

• Examine the combination of different types of personal information and data (particularly public data) to develop innovative products and services;

• Create a space for international cooperation and multidisciplinary expertise.

Claire Levallois-Barth, Coordinator of the Values and Policies of Personal Information Chair at Institut Mines-Télécom: “We are honored to welcome Clever Cloud as one of our sponsors. Their commitment to digital sovereignty, including data sovereignty, resonates deeply with the research themes on which the entire VP-IP Chair team is working. Their support strengthens our ability to explore new perspectives in our multi-disciplinary work, particularly in terms of privacy and data protection.”

Quentin Adam, CEO of Clever Cloud: “We are delighted to join the VP-IP (in french)Chair, which is in line with our values and our commitment to the strategic autonomy of data. At Clever Cloud, we are convinced that such academic research is vital to building a trusted digital environment at international level, and that it is essential to support it.”

This chair is a sponsorship chair, supported by the Fondation Mines-Télécom.

Clever Cloud joins the other sponsors and partners of the Chair: IN Groupe, Orange, the Université Catholique de Louvain and the CNIL.

Clever Cloud's “UP” program is designed specifically to support startups in their early and growth phases. The program promises numerous training, coaching and certification levers, as well as credits for use of its cloud services. Clever Cloud aims to reduce the technical and financial barriers often encountered by young, innovative companies.

There's more to life than credit

Wishing to make a real impact on the development of startups, Clever Cloud has decided to create a rich cloud support program with onboarding, certification training, a mentoring program, monthly workshops, communication actions and €10,000 in credits, or even more.

“We are delighted to launch the ‘UP’ program at VivaTech, the leading meeting place dedicated to innovation. This program demonstrates our commitment to supporting the entrepreneurial ecosystem and contributing to the growth of innovation. We didn't want to just hand out credits and leave startups to deal with their cloud issues on their own, but rather become a lever for growth,” says Clément Nivolle, co-founder of Clever Cloud and head of the UP program.

A program and its partners

The program has been built up with partners committed to the development of local startups (ADN Ouest, H7, and others soon to be announced). These partners offer their startups the opportunity to apply to join UP. Finally, the training and certification program has been created with Ecole Hexagone, a French IT school training its students in current issues (AI, digital sovereignty, Green IT, cybersecurity, etc.).

“This enables us to have a first level of selection, and thus better identify tomorrow's high-potential companies” adds Clément Nivolle.

A rich program

The UP program offers eligible startups :

• Up to €10,000 in cloud credits in your first year (or more);
• Onboarding on our platform and training with our engineers;
• Monthly coaching;
• Clever Cloud certification with Ecole Hexagone;
• Access to our high-level support;
• Workshops and masterclasses for your technical team;
• Mentoring for your founders and technical team;
• Visibility on Clever Cloud media, social networks and events.

Startups interested in the “UP” program can apply now on the Clever Cloud website. The selection process will begin immediately after VivaTech and continue throughout the year.

Meet Clever Cloud on Wednesday May 22 at the Pays de la Loire pavillon, hall 1, at Vivatech.