Groupe ADP has purchased an equity stake in Innov'ATM via the ADP Invest fund dedicated to investing in new and innovative companies. This acquisition ties in with Groupe ADP's strategy of strengthening the operational performance of its airports' aeronautical activities.
Optimising airport infrastructure capacity
Innov'ATM has developed a software suite that optimises the air traffic around airport infrastructures, both in the air and on the ground using artificial intelligence algorithms. The software manages all aircraft movement on the runway during departure, as well as in flight on arrival as the aircraft approaches the airport.
This system reduces wait times on runways during take-off and landing through a highly visual interface adapted to each user. The French company was founded in 2014 by two experts in air traffic management software. Four years after its creation, the founders now work alongside a team of a dozen employees. A major challenge for airport infrastructure managers is the optimisation of airport capacity, which requires a highly efficient use of airspace, runways and aircraft parking areas, and which in turn helps to reduce air pollution.
The company is also currently developing a software suite for managing drone flights, in partnership with the French Civil Aviation Authority, Thales, and Groupe ADP.
Raising €1 million in funds
Groupe ADP is participating in a round of fundraising alongside the investment fund Irdinov (one of the company's long-term shareholders) with a target of €1 million. This fundraising effort will hopefully enable Innov'ATM to accelerate its commercial and international development, strengthen its workforce, and pursue its research and development programme.
The investment will enable us to accelerate the co-development of innovative solutions and their future implementation. Global air traffic is expected to double by 2035. The optimisation of air traffic flows, both on the ground and in the air, is thus crucial to solving the growing issue of airport congestion. "
It is essential that, as of today, we explore more efficient ways of dealing with the rapid growth of air transport, such as improving passenger capacity and air traffic management. This is a challenge not only for Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport, which has the potential to accommodate 75 million passengers by 2020, but for runways around the world, along with other issues such as reducing emissions. Our critical fundraising efforts will enable entrepreneurs to accelerate their companies’ growth, global expansion and product development in collaboration with Groupe ADP, operating throughout our network of airports both in France and abroad. The investment ties in closely with our ‘Innovation Hub’ programme, launched in March 2017, which seeks to establish strategic partnerships with new and innovative companies through our recently-created internal dedicated fund,” said Edward Arkwright, Deputy CEO of Groupe ADP.
An up-close look at the drivers of the Innovation Hub programme:
- OPEN: focused on promoting innovation culture and establishing an effective ecosystem (including think tanks, incubators, academia, centres of excellence, etc.).
- CONNECT: geared towards to sourcing, assessing and experimenting with start-ups and innovative SMEs. Over a dozen projects related to Smart Airports, new mobility solutions and robotics are carried out each year.
- INVEST: created for acquiring minority stakes in order to establish strategic partnerships via the ADP Invest fund. ADP Invest has invested in PACIFA Decision, Egidium Technologies, Safety Line, and more recently, Bestmile. Groupe ADP also supports four additional external funds: Cathay Innovation, Ellaia Delta, White Star Capital and X-Ange Capital 2 (SIPAREX).
Optimising airport infrastructure capacity
Innov'ATM has developed a software suite that optimises the air traffic around airport infrastructures, both in the air and on the ground using artificial intelligence algorithms. The software manages all aircraft movement on the runway during departure, as well as in flight on arrival as the aircraft approaches the airport.
This system reduces wait times on runways during take-off and landing through a highly visual interface adapted to each user. The French company was founded in 2014 by two experts in air traffic management software. Four years after its creation, the founders now work alongside a team of a dozen employees. A major challenge for airport infrastructure managers is the optimisation of airport capacity, which requires a highly efficient use of airspace, runways and aircraft parking areas, and which in turn helps to reduce air pollution.
The company is also currently developing a software suite for managing drone flights, in partnership with the French Civil Aviation Authority, Thales, and Groupe ADP.
Raising €1 million in funds
Groupe ADP is participating in a round of fundraising alongside the investment fund Irdinov (one of the company's long-term shareholders) with a target of €1 million. This fundraising effort will hopefully enable Innov'ATM to accelerate its commercial and international development, strengthen its workforce, and pursue its research and development programme.
The investment will enable us to accelerate the co-development of innovative solutions and their future implementation. Global air traffic is expected to double by 2035. The optimisation of air traffic flows, both on the ground and in the air, is thus crucial to solving the growing issue of airport congestion. "
It is essential that, as of today, we explore more efficient ways of dealing with the rapid growth of air transport, such as improving passenger capacity and air traffic management. This is a challenge not only for Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport, which has the potential to accommodate 75 million passengers by 2020, but for runways around the world, along with other issues such as reducing emissions. Our critical fundraising efforts will enable entrepreneurs to accelerate their companies’ growth, global expansion and product development in collaboration with Groupe ADP, operating throughout our network of airports both in France and abroad. The investment ties in closely with our ‘Innovation Hub’ programme, launched in March 2017, which seeks to establish strategic partnerships with new and innovative companies through our recently-created internal dedicated fund,” said Edward Arkwright, Deputy CEO of Groupe ADP.
An up-close look at the drivers of the Innovation Hub programme:
- OPEN: focused on promoting innovation culture and establishing an effective ecosystem (including think tanks, incubators, academia, centres of excellence, etc.).
- CONNECT: geared towards to sourcing, assessing and experimenting with start-ups and innovative SMEs. Over a dozen projects related to Smart Airports, new mobility solutions and robotics are carried out each year.
- INVEST: created for acquiring minority stakes in order to establish strategic partnerships via the ADP Invest fund. ADP Invest has invested in PACIFA Decision, Egidium Technologies, Safety Line, and more recently, Bestmile. Groupe ADP also supports four additional external funds: Cathay Innovation, Ellaia Delta, White Star Capital and X-Ange Capital 2 (SIPAREX).
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