URBAN MOBILITY - What kind of mobility for tomorrow’s city?

The call for projects in “urban mobility” is part of a larger process in GDF SUEZ’s strategy for developing the city of the future.

Mobility is one of the major levers for developing the attractiveness of the city. It must respond to new challenges: growth in the number of travelers and trips, the need for efficiency and for reducing the environmental impact of motorization, controlling the overall cost of infrastructures, etc. Technologies evolve, and new models have appeared.

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Chosen projects will benefit from support from GDF SUEZ subsidiaries and experts in developing and making them a reality.

Objectives

The call for projects in “urban mobility” is part of a larger process in GDF SUEZ’s strategy for developing the city of the future.

Mobility is one of the major levers for developing the attractiveness of the city. It must respond to new challenges: growth in the number of travelers and trips, the need for efficiency and for reducing the environmental impact of motorization, controlling the overall cost of infrastructures, etc. Technologies evolve, and new models have appeared.

At GDF SUEZ, we are convinced that urban transportation must focus on reducing greenhouse gas emissions in order to be considered a long-term solution. Prudent resource management, the circular economy, models that promote use over possession, eco-conception, and renewable energies all constitute options to be explored in achieving this goal. Do you have an idea or solutions that respond to these challenges? Whatever type of technology you use, make yourself known and get your idea recognized.

Chosen projects will benefit from support from GDF SUEZ subsidiaries and experts in developing and making them a reality.

Eligibility and selection criteria

The applications will be assessed based on several criteria.

• Matched to the subject
• Project originality/innovative character (approaches/procedures/technologies)
• Level of maturity and experience
• Feasibility
• Capacity for being tested and or rapidly deployed
• Coherence of the planned business model; technological appropriateness
• Societal, environmental and energy performance
• Social and societal acceptability

Experts from within the Group will select the winning projects.

Selection procedure

The selection process will take place in two phases:

Phase 1. An initial selection based on submitted applications.

Phase 2. The project leaders for selected projects will be invited to spend 20 minutes presenting their project for members of the selection committee at the end of March 2015.

Provisional calendar

Monday, December 15^th, 2014: launch of the call for projects via the new Open Innovation platform &mdash “OpenInnov by GDF SUEZ” (openinnovation-gdfsuez.com)

Sunday, February 15^th, 2015 at midnight: application deadline

Monday, February 16^th – Sunday, March 22^nd, 2015: Phase 1 / Analysis of projects submitted and initial round of project selections

End of March 2015: Phase 2 / Leaders of those projects initially selected will present their projects to the Selection Committee

April 2015: final decision and announcement of the winners

Context

As a major industrial group and public utilities provider for over 150 years, GDF SUEZ is convinced that the world of energy is undergoing a profound and permanent transformation.

In this context, the Group has set itself the goal of being the leader of Europe’s energy transition, relying particularly on innovation to do so. This belief, shared by the entire Group, is reflected in its efforts to transform good ideas into operational solutions in order to best serve its clients.

Three priority areas have been identified thus far:

• The management, aggregation, decentralized production and storage of energy;
• Cities, territories, and mobility;
• Energy efficiency and home comfort.

The Group’s internal organization has also changed in order to promote entrepreneurial creativity; new tools and processes have been set up so that innovation becomes a sustainable part of the Group’s development.

By regularly launching calls for projects, the open innovation platform known as “Open Innov by GDF SUEZ” aims to feed the innovation ecosystem and, thanks to its partnerships, to promote and develop innovative projects and solutions.

A 100 million-euro investment fund&mdashGDF SUEZ New Ventures&mdashwas launched to assist innovative startups. An incubation process for employee projects was also created.

With this in mind, the Group has chosen to examine the feasibility and the operational development of your idea or project, after its selection and in close collaboration with the selection committee.

Based on the specifics of the projects that are selected, the outcome could include a commercial or technological partnership with one of the Group’s subsidiaries, the development of local demonstration projects or access to the venture capital toolkit created by GDF SUEZ.

gdfsuez.com/innovation-transition-energetique