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€300 M
innovation expenses in 2018
100+
start-ups working with us
4,000
employees contributing to innovation
Our open innovation approach
Our innovation is part of an open ecosystem. It leverages both Air Liquide internal communities and the external innovation ecosystems.
Our Innovation and Development teams gather:
- R&D with centers in France, Germany, the United States, China and Japan
- The innovation initiatives from Engineering & Construction
- The Digital Transformation teams, notably including the i-Lab
- The Global Markets & Technologies WBU, focused on new markets
- ALIAD, the venture capital arm of the Group
These teams work closely with the Group's operational teams.
Air Liquide and innovation with François Darchis (2019)
In the frame of its open innovation approach, Air Liquide has developed numerous collaborations with customers, scientific partners and technology institutes, suppliers and start-ups.
Air Liquide has strongly strengthened its partnerships with start-ups to accelerate innovation and digital transformation for the benefit of the customer experience: the Group is working with more than 100 start-ups worldwide.
Techstars Paris accelerator 2017
Science, technologies and entrepreneurial spirit
The Innovation and Development teams combine scientific and technological expertise with an entrepreneurial spirit. With a portfolio of more than 11,000 patents, Air Liquide files more than 300 new inventions each year and develops. In partnership with external ecosystems, the teams design and deploy new offerings to improve the customer and patient experience.
Invent: Air Liquide's global inventor recognition program
Innovating for a more sustainable world
The Group supports the new markets of energy transition, maritime logistics and scientific exploration / deep tech. Air Liquide brings environmentally friendly solutions to the clean energy market with hydrogen energy and Bio-Natural Gas for Vehicles, refrigerated transport using nitrogen, but also the treatment and injection of Biomethane into domestic energy grid as an energy source.
The Group is deploying many projects which contribute to prevent the global warming, to improve air quality and healthcare:
- Technologies to increase the energy efficiency of its production units
- The Blue Hydrogen approach to gradually lower the carbon content of its hydrogen production dedicated to energy applications
- Research & Development on medical gases, in particular for analgesia and in respiratory diseases
- Support for patients through e-Health solutions
Almost 30% of the Group’s innovation expenses in 2017 were devoted to reducing CO2 emissions, by reducing the carbon content of its products or those of its customers.