Sopra Steria Ventures invests in XXII startup
The potential for accelerating and optimizing industries, cities, and work methods through artificial intelligence (AI) is expanding the horizons for both private and public sector players. The adoption of AI within large companies has surged by nearly 20% since the launch of ChatGPT in 2023 (McKinsey, 2024), OpenAI's Large Language Model (LLM). Driven by confidence in these prospects, Sopra Steria Ventures, the investment and strategic partnership arm of Sopra Steria, has acquired a stake in XXII, a French startup leading in AI-driven computer vision.
“The new collaboration with XXII offers unprecedented synergies with Sopra Steria's current activities. We are eager to provide our clients with the benefits of this strategic partnership.” shared Socheat Chhay, Group Head of Sopra Steria Ventures. “AI-powered image analysis will be a key driver in the technological evolution of our lifestyles in the coming years, and we are confident that XXII and Sopra Steria will play a leading role in this transformation.”
Next Stop: Industry 4.0
The computer vision market is booming, with its value expected to reach $33 billion by 2027, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 28%. New technologies, including major advancements enabled by Vision Language Models (VLM), are key contributors to its acceleration. The combination of vision with natural language processing and computing capabilities is enabling rapid and precise data analysis locally.
Computer vision, a subsection of AI, is pushing the boundaries of how video data is captured, utilized, and interpreted. This technology automates image processing, driving exceptional efficiency gains in tasks ranging from simple to highly complex in nature. It also delivers fresh and relevant insights across a wide range of industries, regardless of the size of the players involved.
At the forefront of this wave of innovation, XXII’s project breathes new life into European industries, cities, and work practices.
Actionable Opportunities Across Multiple Sectors
The combination of XXII’s cutting-edge technology and Sopra Steria’s expertise unlocks promising application possibilities across a wide range of industries:
- Public Sector: Digitalizing urban life for smarter and more efficient cities
- Defense and Security: Protecting critical state infrastructures with advanced monitoring and response capabilities
- Transportation: Enhancing safety and performance in quality control processes
- Retail: Redesigning customer journeys in stores and optimizing merchandising strategies
XXII’s CORE 4 software, an advanced and versatile computer vision solution, addresses the current and future challenges with precision. It offers tangible solutions for the growing need for real-time analysis, operational optimization, and resilience in critical industry segments. Paired with Sopra Steria’s long-standing expertise, their propositions will empower business leaders to ensure the sustainability and advancement of our societies.
Notably, certain existing assets of Sopra Steria will integrate XXII’s solutions, creating greater value for clients. This collaboration also aims to develop new offerings tailored to commercial entities while strengthening a leadership position in the field of artificial intelligence.
A Shared Vision
More than just a product, XXII’s teams are at the core of a strategic alignment with Sopra Steria’s vision. Their ability to reshape innovative ideas into concrete and high-value applications is a significant asset for the digital transformation of established businesses.
By leveraging the respective resources of both companies, this partnership embodies the philosophy that technology is not an end in itself, but a tool to enhance humankind. The shared vision underscores a joint commitment to innovation paired with social responsibility.
Technological Inclusion — Computer vision should play a leading role in providing universal access to information. Large technology groups like Sopra Steria, alongside innovative pioneers such as XXII, bear the responsibility of ensuring these advancements benefit the greatest number of people.
Smart Cities — Often invisible in daily life but nevertheless omnipresent, technologies are continuously reshaping urban spaces. European cities are particularly affected due to increasing population density. XXII and Sopra Steria are combining their strengths to ensure everyone enjoys equal access to smooth traffic flow, a healthy environment, and guaranteed safety.
Europe’s Future — Europe faces numerous economic and societal challenges in the years ahead. As specialized players, the collaboration between the two companies aims to guide the technological decisions of private enterprises and major institutions.
Together, Sopra Steria and XXII are ambitiously laying the foundation for a long-term ambition to collaboratively build a digital Europe.