Raphaël Gorgé

EY World Entrepreneur Of The Year^™ 2026 finalist, France
Group CEO, Gorgé Group

Raphaël Gorgé is redefining high tech innovation for defense and climate resilience

Raphaël Gorgé has spent the past two decades transforming a traditional family company into a global high-tech group focused on defense and clean energy. With early roots in chemistry and a decade in finance, he developed a strategic mindset that guided a major pivot when he joined the Gorgé Group in 2004.

Convinced that disruptive technology is the ultimate lever for national sovereignty and climate resilience, he led the organization out of mature industrial sectors and into high-precision robotics and navigation. That vision resulted in Exail Technologies, now a world leader in maritime autonomy. By vertically integrating high-end sensors, navigation systems and fully autonomous platforms, the company supports the protection of critical infrastructure and allied fleets around the world, most recently securing a US$460 million contract while maintaining a 95%-win rate in international tenders.

Raphaël has applied equally forward-looking thinking to climate solutions. Through Calogena, he is developing low-carbon nuclear reactors, or small modular reactors, dedicated to decarbonizing district heating, tackling one of Europe’s most persistent energy blind spots. With plans for 400 modules and a US$1.7 billion flagship project, the initiative aims to cut 10 million tons of CO₂ each year.

A Chevalier de la Légion d’honneur, Raphaël continues working to solve the world’s most pressing security and environmental challenges at scale.