On June 4th, Paris’ Leonard, a “shared vision driven by Vinci,” will be hosting a major virtual demo day, featuring half a dozen start-ups from their seed program, and judged by leading venture players from Europe and the US, focused on the sector. This event will then be followed by eleven days of programming showcasing initiatives from VINCI‘s Intrepreneurship program. Beyond being another opportunity for the global industry’s start-ups, the Demo Day is important for at least three reasons:
Leonard is one of the Most Significant Models of Corporate Commitment to Open Innovation in the Infrastructure Sector, Globally.
Launched as a platform for innovation in the sector in 2017, Leonard represents a major commitment to digitally enabled reinvention within the Built World by one of the biggest players in the sector. With reported 2019 revenue of 48 Billion Euro, Vinci is one of largest companies in the Buildings and Infrastructure Sector, globally. Next week’s Demo Day and the ensuing effort marks an important milestone in the French Giant’s ongoing effort to foster a world class start-up ecosystem in France and also to integrate that effort into the broader, global Built World ecosystem.
Leonard Is a Major Anchor Around Support of the Buildings and Infrastructure Start-Up Ecosystem in Paris.
More than a vision, Leonard is a physical place in Paris, complete with staff, meeting space, and co-working space. We toured the building, just across the river from Paris’ vibrant Station F start-up hub, last year to learn more about the vision for Leonard from its Head of Open Innovation and Start Ups, BuiltWorlds Member, Guillaume Bazouin. French, but also a master’s graduate of Stanford University (home to so many players in emerging tech in the world of buildings and infrastructure), Guillaume has helped guide Leonard’s efforts to integrate with the broader start-up and investor community in order both to help bring VINCI’s considerable resources to the effort and also to bring the best of emerging tech around the world more into Paris’ and VINCI’s orbit. Perhaps most importantly, Leonard’s efforts are providing oxygen from around the world to Parisian start ups in the sector.
Leonard is Also an Important Connector of the Many Disciplines and Stakeholders that Collectively Comprise the Built World Sector
For more on Vinci, Leonard, and Europe’s other Industry Players, Investors, and Start-Ups, check out the BuiltWorlds 2019 European Market Report.
Reflecting the vast scope of operations of VINCI but also the scope of the worlds of infrastructure and buildings, Leonard’s competition is open to players in fields relating to Construction, Mobility, Real Estate, and Energy. Their judges come from investor groups supported by building materials companies, as well as commercial real estate, and energy infrastructure players. Beyond start ups and industry, they are critically bringing together pure financial players, government, and educational players to support the development of the ecosystem. Integrating Stanford’s Programming into the mix of winnings is a notable illustration of the mix of players that supports the overall effort.
The companies participating (listed below), offer an interesting look at the kinds of start-ups coming out of the French region. We will have more coverage on the region at our Digital Global Summit in October, However, here is a rundown of the players on tap for next week.
- Build2B: the first B2B platform for freelancers in the construction industry
- Soliquid: freeform concrete 3D printing for the construction industry
- EP Tender: a « Battery as a Service » solution that allows drivers to travel with peace of mind
- Inergeen: presenting Cubeen, a tailor made and sustainable modular construction solution
- VanO: an on-demand van service for mid-sized cities
- Waste Market Place: an online waste management platform for the construction industry
For more information about the Digital Demo Day and to register, visit: Leonard By Vinci Demo Day: June 4, 2020, and to learn more about Leonard and the European Start Up Ecosystem.
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