As you all know, Air Liquide is a Group focused on the long term. We grow with the strong belief that the future is prepared today and that we must always be capable of identifying and taking advantage of good opportunities. This leads us to provide support to deeptech start-ups; those companies that will create breakthroughs in their design and production methods.
Innovating through collective intelligence
Air Liquide’s innovation approach is based on an open ecosystem, which develops collaborative projects with its customers as well as with other external partners: suppliers, universities, technology institutes, start-ups, and others.
This open-innovation approach is rolled out worldwide, in particular via Air Liquide’s Innovation Campus network. The all-new Paris Innovation Campus was inaugurated in September 2018 and has been welcoming deeptech start-ups since June 2019.
What exactly are deeptech start-ups? These are start-ups which aim to break new technological ground using scientific advances that will create real breakthroughs. In real terms, these start-ups do not simply aim to revolutionize usages but to also fundamentally change their design and production methods.
Thanks to Accelair, its entity dedicated exclusively to deeptech start-ups, Air Liquide will host start-ups developing breakthrough technologies in areas related to energy and environmental transition, industry 4.0, aerospace, agribusiness, and healthcare. In addition to accommodation and access to experimental spaces, selected start-ups will benefit from a support program with Air Liquide experts to accelerate the time-to market of their offer.
Innovation at the heart of your expectations
During our discussions at the Annual General Meeting and the 2019 Shareholders’ meetings, a large number of you highlighted that innovation was one of the key reasons for your investment in Air Liquide.
Ariane P.
– Shareholder for 10 years – 2019 Annual General Meeting
Francis B.
– Shareholder for 20 years – 2019 Biarritz Shareholders’ meeting
To step up this innovation, the Group invested 300 million euros in 2018 and sought out new partnerships. It now works with more than 100 start-ups across the world. Thanks to your support, Air Liquide is currently the group most focused on innovation in its sector.
