Call for innovative solutions for recharging the smartphones of spectators at Roland Garros 2018

As part of the partnership between ENGIE and Roland-Garros, ENGIE is looking for mobile charging solutions that can be used at the 2018 tournament.

The solutions must be:

1. mobile, 
2. innovative compared to existing solutions*
3. must address the issue of sustainable development.
4. They also need to be able to be installed and operational on April 15, 2018.
5. Lastly, the solution must be white label, able to be branded ENGIE and Roland Garros and replicable at other events.

Companies will need to provide financial information on the cost of their solution. Solutions whose economic model is profitable will have preference.

*a photovoltaic terminal + non-photovoltaic terminals with the possibility of leaving his smartphone in a locker

Deadline for responses: 21 January 2018

Rewards and benefits:

• Implementation of the winning solution on court 18 and its surroundings during the Roland-Garros 2018 tournament (May 24th to June 10th, 2018).
• Opportunity for commercial development of the solution with ENGIE Cofely

 

Detailed description / context

On the west side of the stadium, the redevelopment of the Fonds des Princes will include the new court 18, with a capacity of 2200 seats, permanent stands and access for persons with reduced mobility. Located next to the new main public entrance, this new competition area will also include a wide landscaped alley.  It is a semi-underground court that is distinctive for being visible from the complex’s internal pedestrian walkways. It is the only court in the Roland-Garros Stadium complex built this way.

The new public entrance to the stadium situated at the P door will will accommodate approximately 10,000 spectators per day. Door P will be one of the 2 public entrance of the stadium near the court 18.

Click here or on the link at the bottom of the page to enlarge the map.

Court 18 will be the largest of the annex courts and will host major matches in the Men's and Women's Singles in the first week as well as some Junior/Wheelchair Finals (TBC) during the second week. It is located near an ice cream outlet, a water fountain and restaurants, shops, and a giant screen.

The average length of attendance at Roland-Garros exceeds 8 hours. The Roland-Garros mobile app gives visitors a personal and experiential journey throughout the day, both before their arrival and while they are at the stadium. So keeping their cell phone batteries charged is a real concern for tennis fans. Many visitors go back and forth between their seats and mobile charging stations at the expense of getting the full experience.

Eligibility and selection criteria:

• Suitability for the subject
• Innovative nature of the project
• Solidity of the planned business model
• Feasibility in the short term
• Potential for replicability
• Integration of sustainable development issues
• Value for money
• Ease of implementation and use
• Possibility of branding the solution
• Operational viability
• Reasonable size and weight so that users can transport the solution
• Strength of product to avoid being damaged by users (heavy use)
• Single unit and small size (e.g. self-sufficient, solar or single plug)
• Weatherized for outdoor use in case of rain 
• Statistics about usage (ex: time spent recharging, number of recharges per hour/day, daily and end of event reports to promote ideal turnover and optimal use of the tools
• Universal cables with manufacturer warranty to prevent damage to users' phones
• Formalized procedure for loaning and/or returning material to facilitate operational management (user empowerment)

Provisional timetable and selection procedure

Deadline for submitting applications: January 21st, 2018
Analysis and shortlisting applications: January 21st  to 29th 2018
Announcement of finalists: Week 5 of 2018 (January 30th - February 4th , 2018)
Finalist pitch for the selection committee: week 6 (February 5th – 9th  2018) 
Announcement of winners: week 7 (February 12th - 16th  February 2018) 

Selection committee and partners of the call for projects: 

ENGIE has been an Official Partner of the French Open at Roland-Garros since 2014, confirming its more than 25-year commitment to women's tennis while giving it a new international dimension, in alignment with the Group’s presence  in more than 70 countries.As an Energy and Sustainable Development Partner of the Paris Grand Slam, the Group also brings its experience and know-how as an energy expert to bear on how the tournament is changing to face the future.

For sports lovers and for the general public, Roland-Garros is an unmissable, immensely prestigious event. More than 470,000 spectators attended the 2017 French Open, and the event was broadcast in 223 countries and localities around the world, making the tournament an international, first-order event in world sports. Organized by the French Tennis Federation, Roland-Garros is the only Grand Slam tournament to be played on clay, one of the oldest and most noble surfaces in the history of tennis. 

An Energy and Environmental Efficiency Services Company. ENGIE Cofely offers businesses and communities solutions for better using their energy and reducing their environmental impact. Its expertise is based on three long-term skill sets: 

• improving the energy and environmental performance of buildings, 
• local production of renewable energies 
• integrating services. 

ENGIE Cofely is part of the BtoB Business Unit of the ENGIE Group, one of the world's leading energy companies. ENGIE COFELY works in: 

• Heat production and distribution: industrial boilers, urban boiler plants, cogeneration, etc. 
• Energy efficiency in buildings: managing fluids, controlling consumption, committing to results. - Nuclear activities: maintenance and technical management of thermal and refrigeration equipment. 
• Services integration: multi-technical and multi-service contracts (facility management).