- Groupe ADP has decided to accelerate the internationalization of its innovation initiative, Innovation Hub, through an open innovation competition organized in different geographies of its airport network, the "Airport innovation days".
- The goal is to source startups in several countries, in order to identify innovative solutions to challenges common to all the airports group'network: improving passenger experience, digitizing and making operations more efficient, and decarbonizing all activities.
- With TAV Airports in Turkey, and Airport International Groupe (AIG) in Jordan - and in partnership with Sifted (Financial Times Group's dedicated innovation media) -, nearly 150 startups applied across the three geographies, the finalists were given the opportunity to pitch their solution over one day in each country, and 9 winners were rewarded by a local jury, made up of Groupe ADP's members and experts.
"The 2024 edition of Airports Innovation Days marks an international turning point in our Innovation Hub approach, launched in 2017, and which aims in particular to drive a local innovation ecosystem and identify startups to meet our industrial and customer challenges. The quality and originality of the winning solutions testify to the attractiveness of the airport as a ground for experimentation and deployment of innovative solutions," said Edward Arkwright, Deputy CEO of Groupe ADP.
"Airports Innovation Days is an perfect example of our group's strength in creating synergies across its global footprint. As TAV Airports, we hosted the first stage of this competition in Ankara, Turkey, which was stimulating for the local startup ecosystem as well as for our airport stakeholders. We are committed to minimizing our impact on the environment, providing the best travel experience for our passengers and optimizing our operational efficiency. To achieve this, we rely on the local startup ecosystem and support their initiatives, collaborating with them both on our day-to-day operations and on achieving our long-term goals," stated Franck Mereyde, TAV Airports Board member and Chairman of the Executive Committee.
"This competition launched by Groupe ADP showcases our commitment to advancing Jordan's entrepreneurial ecosystem. Through exchanges with startups and entrepreneurs in the running, we were able to open up different, even unique, insights, and to uncover innovations tailored to meet local, but also global, needs of airports. With this challenge, AIG, as operator of Amman's Queen Alia airport, offers support in terms of resources, expertise and guidance to young companies, empowering them to develop concrete and effective solutions to aviation." emphasized Nicolas Deviller, CEO of Airport International Group (AIG).
In each country, three startups were awarded the following prizes: :
- First prize: a POC (Proof of Concept) of up to €50,000 to test their projects at airports in the wining zone : at Paris Aéroport (Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Paris-Orly, Paris-Le Bourget), at Ankara airport managed by TAV Airports and at Amman airport operated by AIG;
- Second prize: mentoring support for innovation and airport operations teams.
- Third prize: international media exposure, in collaboration with Sifted.
On the occasion of "Airport Innovation Days", Sifted is publishing a unique report entitled "Above the clouds, the future of flying", which takes stock of airport innovation and its contribution to the transformation of mobility in a context of ever-improving decarbonization.
This report, available on https://sifted.eu/intelligence/reports/the-future-of-flying, outlines a vision of the airport's future, reviewing the various technologies that are helping to reduce the environmental impact of air transport, as well as the start-ups and new services that are revolutionizing the passenger experience in the terminal. Finally, it examines the growing impact on airport operations of the development of AI, robotics and new airborne mobilities (drones and eVTOLs).
At Paris
(On December 4th, 10 finalist startups pitched their solutions).
- First prize: Unboarded offers an innovative gaming solution by allowing passangers - more than 100 - to play simultaneously on a single screen, using their phone as a controller.
- Second prize: Jabu predicts consumption using AI, to optimize meal preparation in collective catering facilities and minimize food waste.
- Third prize: HyLight has designed a dirigible balloon designed to carry out large-scale, silent, emission-free, long-range aerial inspection missions.
In Turkey
(On October 25th, 15 finalist startups pitched their solutions).
- First prize: Sensemore provides an AI-based equipment health solution to improve performance and longevity by detecting potential problems before they occur through predictive maintenance;
- Second prize: Assistbox produces video solutions to enhance the customer experience, such as video assistants or sign language call centers for visually impaired passengers.
- Third prize: Waste Log offers a technological solution that enables waste management to be controlled at source, thanks to real-time tracking and analysis throuhg a mobile application connecting waste producers and approved recycling companies.
In Jordan
(On November 6th, 13 finalist startups pitched their solutions).
- First prize: ADADK enables the precise detection and location of water leaks in buildings in real time, thanks to wireless sensors and an augmented reality network.
- Second prize: LYNEports develops a software solution to visualize and ease the integration of advanced air mobilities (eVTOLs and drones) into airspace, as well as ground infrastructures such as vertiports (eVTOL docking stations).
- Third prize: Salam from Jordan offers passengers to create personalized postcards at a self-service kiosk.
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