François Mattens is the Director of Public Affairs at XXII, a leading French start-up in AI-powered computer vision. He is also the co-founder and Vice President of Défense Angels, the first investment fund dedicated to defense and security start-ups. François Mattens served as the Director of Public Affairs and Innovation at GICAT (the French Land Defense Industry Association) for 8 years. A columnist for the Harvard Business Review and a graduate of the MIT Sloan School of Management, he began his career in various government departments (Foreign Affairs, Interior) and with political leaders (Senate, Ministerial Cabinet). An operational reserve officer in the army, former president of the Jeunes IHEDN, he is currently a member and board member of the Société des Explorateurs Français.