Best new transport ideas will be developed, mentored and maybe even launched by likes of Orange, Thales and Atos
Six French companies have formed an entente of enterprise, the Software Republique, with a shared mission to unearth new ideas and invention. ‘European sovereignty’ and Europe’s ability to exploit new tech and disruptive services are at stake, they say, and our creative energy must be mobilised. Their latest initiative is a competition to find new creative ideas for mobility. The winners will be mentored for development and possibly even mobilised. according to the organisers.
The founder members of the Republique – Atos, Dassault Systèmes, Orange, Renault Group, STMicroelectronics and Thales – launched their first open innovation challenge, The Mobility 4.0 Challenge, on September 6 and invitations are open until October 13th.
Mobilisez vos inventeurs
The competition is a call to arms for inventive ideas from anyone who can become an actor of ‘new european mobility’. It is primarily addressed at conventional members of the mobile operator supply chain, such as SMEs, research institutes and academics. But entries from start ups and entrepreneurs are also welcome.
Candidates must submit project ideas for sustainable and intelligent mobility based on data provided by the six major mobile industry players of the Software République.
The six vendors have all pledged to assist those who qualify, through the competition, for technical assistance in the form of data, technical tools, hardware and software prototyping platforms, knowledge and expertise.
Mobility is the brother of invention
Candidates will work on one of the five themes, using data provided by the members of the Software République. There are four specific suggestions for innovation: The User Experience of Electric Vehicles, Multimodal Accessibility, Intelligent Transport and Cybersecurity. A fifth category is for ‘open ideas’.
Selected candidates will have access to data necessary for their project and will be supported by experts from the six companies to help them formulate their value proposition and develop prototypes of their idea. The eventual winners will be integrated into and incubated by the Software République, with privileged access to R&D facilities. Winners will enjoy industrial opportunities, media exposure at an internationally renowned technology exhibition and space in one of partner’s campuses.
The jury will comprise members of the Software République, namely:
Sophie Proust, EVP Group Chief Technology Officer, Atos Group
Laurence Montanari, VP Transportation & Mobility Industry, Dassault Systèmes
Frédéric Vacher, Head of Innovation 3DEXPERIENCE Lab, Dassault Systèmes
Jean-Marc Lafond, IoT portfolio Director, Orange Innovation
Luc Julia, Scientific Director, Renault Group
Gilles Le Borgne, EVP Engineering, Renault Group
Frédérique Le Grevès, Executive Vice President, France Public Affairs, STMicroelectronics & President and CEO, STMicroelectronics France
Stéphane Royer, Group Chief Data Officer, Thales
Participants have until October 13, 2021 to apply.