09-05-2025

An Oscar, an Emmy, and a French Tech Success Story: A Conversation with Sébastien Deguy and François Cottin

by MerciSF and French Tech SF

As part of the event organized by Adobe & French Tech SF on the impact of AI on creative industries, MerciSF & French Tech met with two emblematic figures of French tech, Sébastien Deguy and François Cottin who shared their respective journeys and visions for the future. Sébastien, founder of Allegorithmic, and François, Head of Strategy for 3D & Immersive at Adobe and current French Tech ambassador in San Francisco, discussed the evolution of Allegorithmic, its acquisition by Adobe, and their future projects. This conversation shed light on the challenges and opportunities of growing a startup within a large company, and the importance of preserving the spirit of innovation and the original culture.

From Allegorithmic to Adobe: can you take us back to the early days?

Sébastien Deguy:
The adventure began in the late ’90s, when I defended my PhD in 2001 in computer science and applied mathematics. That’s when I realized that my research field, random processes, could have interesting applications in the world of computer graphics. I’ve always been passionate about cinema and video games—two industries where 3D was becoming increasingly important. So in 2001, I decided to create Allegorithmic in Clermont-Ferrand, a project born at the intersection of science and creativity. It was a particularly difficult time following the dot-com bubble burst, but I was fortunate to receive local support from organizations like BUSI and Anvar, which helped us get started. I was also lucky to count on mentors and co-investors—my thesis advisor and friends—who believed in the project.

François Cottin:
My path was a bit different, but our journeys crossed in 2014. Before that, I had worked in marketing and research, founded a company combining luxury and technology, and worked as a consultant. These experiences helped me understand strategic challenges, large-scale project management, and explore various industries. When I met Sébastien, he was looking to explore new markets for Allegorithmic, especially in the design sector. I saw incredible potential in the technology and decided to join the adventure, aiming to help expand the company’s ambitions beyond video games.

What were the biggest challenges and lessons learned during the acquisition by Adobe?

Sébastien Deguy:
The acquisition by Adobe in 2019 was a major milestone for us. The biggest challenge was going from a team of 140 people to a company of 25,000 employees. We had to adapt to a much larger corporate culture, with heavier processes and a need for financial predictability. It was quite a shift after being in a startup where we could make fast decisions and evolve products very quickly. But we soon realized it also gave us tremendous opportunities: access to resources, a global network, and most importantly, the ability to scale our technology worldwide. The most important lesson I learned from this transition is how critical it is to integrate into a large organization while preserving your creative soul. It’s not easy, but it’s possible.

François Cottin:
I completely agree. One of the challenges of integration was maintaining the agility of a startup while adapting to more rigid processes. At Adobe, you have to balance innovation speed with the need for stability. It’s a delicate balance because the flexible culture of a startup often clashes with the priorities of a large company—things like predictability and risk management. But I’ve learned to appreciate that balance. To succeed in a large group, you need to maintain your innovative spirit and ambition while respecting structure to benefit from its strengths.

After the acquisition, how did you manage to preserve Allegorithmic’s spirit within Adobe?

Sébastien Deguy:
The transition wasn’t easy, but it was a challenge we were determined to meet. The key was constant communication with our teams and giving them the freedom to continue working on creative projects while meeting Adobe’s requirements. One of the most important things for us was to stay close to our users and understand their needs. We also made sure that our passion for 3D innovation and research remained at the core of our strategy at Adobe. That helped preserve our DNA while benefiting from Adobe’s resources and opportunities.

François Cottin:
To preserve that culture, we continued focusing on innovation, encouraging teams to pitch new ideas and experiment. That’s what sets tech companies apart in a fast-moving market. We also maintained strong ties with our community—staying close to creatives in gaming, film, and design.

Sébastien, you even received an Oscar for your contribution to the film industry. What does that recognition mean to you, and how did it influence your journey?

Sébastien Deguy:
The Oscar was an incredible recognition—especially in the film industry, where I always dreamed of making an impact. It was a crowning achievement for our team and everything we accomplished with Allegorithmic. That award didn’t just celebrate a technology—it acknowledged its impact on the entire cinematic production pipeline. It validated that we had played a key role in advancing 3D texturing for visual effects. For me, it was the fulfillment of a personal arc: from film enthusiast to tech innovator serving that very industry.

François, tell us about the Emmy Adobe received for Substance. What does this award represent for the team and for the VFX industry?

François Cottin:
The Emmy recognized the tremendous impact that Substance had on the television production industry, especially with the rise of streaming. In just a few years, the industry changed dramatically—adding 3D elements is now often faster and cheaper than shooting them in real life. Substanceallows creators to make these 3D elements hyper-realistic, giving them precise control over visual quality. This award honors the progress we’ve made and the key role we’ve played in this transformation.

Your partnership seems particularly complementary. How would you describe your working dynamic?

François Cottin:
We’ve always been highly complementary in our approaches. Sébastien is a technical visionary, passionate about technology and innovation, and an exceptional human leader. I’ve focused more on the strategic and business side. Our skills complemented each other well, alongside an amazing team at the head of Allegorithmic and later within Adobe’s 3D division. We managed to balance creative vision with practical management and strategic market insight—helping Allegorithmic grow quickly and establish itself as a key player in the 3D industry.

Sébastien, you recently left Adobe and launched new ventures. What inspired you to make this move, and how do your past experiences shape your new projects?

Sébastien Deguy:
This is a new chapter for me. After more than 15 years leading Allegorithmic and going through the Adobe adventure, I felt the need to return to pure creation. I’ve always been drawn to cinema and animation, which is why I founded a content creation studio, Sans Strings Studio. The years spent developing tools for creative industries gave me a solid foundation, and now I’m using that experience to innovate in animation and gaming. It’s a return to my creative roots, with the chance to work on more personal, artistic projects.

At Sans Strings, we’ve developed techniques that allow for real-time animation and games using the same data—what we call “transmedia,” which is rare. Our first projects use digital puppets, and we’re having a lot of fun. We recently raised a pre-seed round from A16Z Games and joined their incubator, Speedrun.

François, you’ve chosen to continue growing within Adobe. What motivates you today, and how do you bridge the startup spirit with a large company culture?

François Cottin:
At Adobe, my role is to maintain the balance between startup agility and large-scale structure. What motivates me is continuing to support ambitious growth by helping teams fully leverage the potential of 3D within Adobe. It’s a fascinating challenge, combining speed and structure—and that’s what makes our 3D division so strong today.

What advice would you give to French entrepreneurs in tech and creative industries who dream of building a global success story like yours?

Sébastien Deguy:
My advice would be: never underestimate the importance of learning English properly. It’s essential for building trust and partnerships internationally. And at some point, the company must focus on creating value for its clients. Profitability, customer satisfaction, and sustainability are key.

François Cottin:
In my view, entrepreneurship is about building trust-based relationships with customers to generate solid revenue. Too often, founders chase investment instead of solving real problems. What creates real value is serving your clients with a product that genuinely meets their needs. For an entrepreneur, every dollar of revenue is a new degree of freedom.

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