A place that leverage on collective intelligence
This new center reflects the Group’s open innovation approach, with a particular focus on the energy transition and the environment, healthcare, and the digital transformation.
The work spaces have been designed to be conducive to the kind of sharing and collaboration that promote and leverage collective intelligence. Spread over 15,000 square meters, the R&D center integrated into the Paris Innovation Campus Innovation is home to 350 researchers.
The center also has 48 laboratories and pilot platforms designed to enable the large scale design and testing of technologies, with clients involved.
Strengthening synergies and partnerships inside the Paris-Saclay ecosystem
Paris-Saclay is a scientific and technological hub that gathers large companies, innovative SMEs associated with world-class university center. This makes this place one the eight most important innovative places in the world*. It will eventually house 20 to 25% of the total French research effort.
For example, Air Liquide is collaborating with the Institut Photovoltaïque d’Ile-de-France (IPVF) to develop technologies that will enable the production of high yield low cost solar cells. The Group is also a major player in the Additive Factory Hub. This location is also ideal for multiple collaborations with France’s Universities and Grandes Écoles (Paris-Sud, Polytechnique, CentraleSupélec, etc.) as well as with its research institutions: the CEA, the CNRS, and the Institut de Recherche Technologique SystemX, which is partnering with Air Liquide to work on the predictive maintenance of its facilities.
*: Ranking from the Technology Review published by the Massachussets Institute of Technology (MIT)
A deep-tech start-up incubator
Air Liquide also plans to roll out a deep tech start-up incubator inside the Paris Innovation Campus. Deep-tech start-ups are based on scientific breakthroughs and disruptive technologies that can fundamentally change design and production methods. They face specific issues, including the long process of developing their innovations and industrializing or scaling up their technologies.
Air Liquide will provide not only accommodation and access to shared experimental spaces, but also a support program staffed by in-house experts, for the purpose of accelerating industrialization. Starting in 2019, the Paris Innovation Campus will host deep-tech start-ups in its four buildings that together measure 3,000 square meters.
An innovative and sustainable building
At its Paris Innovation Campus, Air Liquide has invested in an innovative, high energy performance, bioclimatic building that is in alignment with the Group’s sustainable development approach. The Paris R&D center promotes clean energy sources such as biomethane and solar (including 300 square meters of photovoltaic panels). A hydrogen-powered fuel cell meets most of the building’s heating, cooling and electricity needs.
