Michelin: stakeholder and partner in digital transformation At the end of May 2018, Viva Technology or VivaTech for those in the know will take place in Paris. It’s the biggest European event in the digital ecosystem, bringing together the biggest names in start-ups and investors... May 16 2018 Imprimer Michelin has fully embraced the 2018 edition by sponsoring a competition that brings together the best young European businesses. Called “The Startup Battlefield Europe”, it is organized by TechCrunch, the American website specialized in the digital ecosystem. This is a great opportunity for Michelin to remind everyone that its commitment to digital technology also means supporting start-ups. 8 000 Startups 1 400 investors from 103 countries 1 500 journalists 80 000 participants are expected at the Porte de Versailles Exhibition Center in Paris, from May 24 to 26 Michelin and digital transformation For the group, digital transformation is today a necessity. It supports our leadership in sustainable mobility and also underlies our growth. The digital tools and solutions provided by digital transformation are revolutionizing how we work, from tire manufacture to career management and including customer relations. Digital transformation provides teams with more independence, makes work easier and helps us put the customer at the heart of our concerns. “How do we manufacture a tire or service that a customer needs at a specific time?” “How do we manage all of our flows to keep our promises in terms of delivery, quality and price?” “How do we improve our employee expertise and experience?” Digital technology helps us answer all these questions. Using digital technology, we are improving the lives of our employees and also the lives of drivers, fleet managers, farmers and more. Open to the world, Michelin supports partnerships in the digital ecosystem. This is why in 2014 it created an Incubator Program Office (IPO) in the US, Europe and China, to find internal and external projects linked to mobility and provide the resources and time required to demonstrate their viability before they can stand on their own two feet. In February 2017, Michelin also created “FactoLab” in Clermont-Ferrand, in partnership with academic laboratories. A joint lab which aims to develop core technologies for the digital industry, in particular in the field of man / machine cooperation. In parallel, Michelin also created “SimatLab”, a mixed public-private research laboratory at the Clermont-Ferrand Chemistry Institute, dedicated to digital modeling tomorrow’s polymeric materials. Our approach is local, participating in local ecosystems like “Le Bivouac” in Clermont-Ferrand, and at the same time global, rolling out our actions in Europe, the US and China. Finally, this year Michelin invited 35 start-ups from all over the world to come to the 2018 Movin’On summit, the Global Sustainable Mobility Summit in Montreal, Canada, from May 30 to June 1st...a top-level international networking opportunity. Michelin is a stakeholder, driver and facilitator of digital transformation. Michelin supports start-ups at VivaTech This year at VivaTech, Michelin is sponsoring the TechCrunch Startup Battlefield Europe, a competition broadcast live on the TechCrunch website with the aim of identifying the best European start-ups at an early stage of their development. The 15 pre-selected start-ups will present their projects to a jury of entrepreneurs and investors chosen by TechCrunch. A competition taken very seriously by Michelin, as the Group will be represented by Florent Menegaux, Group Chief Operating Officer and Eric Chaniot, Chief Digital Officer. After the first round, 5 start-ups will be selected to do their presentations on the VivaTech main stage. The winner will receive a prize of €25,000 plus an all expenses paid trip to the “Startup Battlefield” in San Francisco in September 2018, which will pit the world’s best young businesses against each other. Event website 3 QUESTIONS FOR ERIC CHANIOT Michelin Chief Digital Officer & Senior VP Why do you support a competition like this? When we were offered the chance to sponsor the “TechCrunch Startup Battlefield Europe”, we immediately thought it would be an excellent opportunity to re-establish our support for start-ups. This is why this year Michelin will reward the best European start-up. Start-ups are agile, passionate and often motivated by improving our lives - like Michelin. So, start-ups can and will help us make great changes in sustainable mobility, and much more. What is the connection between the digital ecosystem and Michelin? Michelin’s primary mission is the mobility of its customers. Michelin wants to improve this mobility by designing and selling the most suitable products, services and solutions and enriching the mobility experience. To achieve this, we have been innovating and supporting the digital ecosystem for years. Michelin is convinced that digital innovation will make people’s lives better, that technologies, like artificial intelligence, will improve the capacities of human beings. Concretely, how does Michelin help start-ups? Firstly financially. But also by supporting them when they are starting out to help them develop their technologies and deal with any difficulties that arise... Basically, by helping them in their initial development phase. We are very proud of the projects we have supported, like E Dai Bo, the first valet car service in China, Exotic Systems, a range of smart objects for tomorrow’s farming industry, and Nextraq, which provides telematics solutions for fleet management. And I could name many more. TECHCRUNCH JURY + MotoGP™: 400 victories with innovation and technology Read more All you need to know about MICHELIN’S Bib Gourmand guide Read more
