KEDGE  is hosting the Smartport Challenge of the Port of Marseille Fos to promote innovation for the Port of the Future

KEDGE is committed to its mission of creating impact with regional actors. As such, it is a partner of the Smartport Challenge, an open innovation competition which is in line with the French Smartport in Med approach undertaken by the Marseille-Fos Port, the Aix-Marseille-Provence Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and Aix-Marseille University. The goal of the 3^rd Edition of this Challenge, which was launched on Thursday, 26 May 2021, is to develop innovative solutions to build the Port of the Future: an attractive, innovative port that will respond to current and future needs through a strategy based on digital technology and sustainable development. 

KEDGE is actively engaged in the regions by being a local actor of economic development. It also contributes to regional activities to support their development. As such, KEDGE is a partner in the Smartport Challenge. The Port of Marseille Fos aims to develop solutions that will allow it to strengthen its excellence in the fields of port logistics, energy performance, and digital solutions. In an effort to support the existing ecosystem, and to develop and experiment with innovative solutions, economic bodies, the port, and academic and institutional players have come together to implement this open innovation competition. Frédéric Dagnet, Director of the Cabinet of the Grand Port Maritime de Marseille explains, "This open innovation support programme will further Marseille-Fos Port’s strategic project for 2020-2024 "A green port at the service of the blue economy".

Accordingly, KEDGE and nine other major international groups and public authorities are providing their support by offering innovative companies with facilities to conduct tests, data, expertise, teams, and communication resources.

The Challenge is comprised of nine tasks launched by major international groups and public partners (EDF, CMA CGM, Veolia, Interxion, Hammerson - Les Terrasses du Port, NGE Connect, Marseille-Fos Port/UMF, City of Marseille, Bouches-du-Rhône Departmental Council, and Club de la Croisière Marseille Provence, Provence Tourism) in accordance with their respective strategies.

Start-ups were invited to pick a challenge and submit their application before midnight on 27 June. On Monday, 19 July, the successful start-ups (GUIDEMECITY, FARWIND ENERGY, DEKI, LOGIQ DIGITAL, WIXAR BY WIDE WEB VR, INEO SENSE, BEE AND CO, SYNCHRONICITY, and EDIKOM) and their project leaders (innovative challenges) met at KEDGE for the kick-off of this transdisciplinary programme, the aim of which is to bring each of the innovative solutions to its target market.

"We are delighted to be able to support and host the 3rd edition of the Smartport Challenge, whose challenges call on several of KEDGE's strong and recognised areas of expertise, particularly in the fields of maritime, logistics, entrepreneurship, and open innovation. Our mission is to teach skills that are always up to date and to provide support to the selected start-ups in the experimentation of innovative solutions for the Port of Marseille Fos is a perfect illustration of this", stated Christophe Mouysset, KEDGE Director of Corporate Relations and Entrepreneurship, who opened the seminar with a welcoming address. 

With a team of 10 experts, the competition started with a day of methodological guidance so that all the teams would speak a shared language with the same tools (Design Thinking, Value Capture, Innovative Business Model, and Qualification of a scenario). On the second day, the teams and their respective coaches worked on the concept paper and retro planning for the design of their project. Each team presented and shared their thoughts with the other competitors and leaders of the Challenge.

The teams and their coaches will meet on 10 September for the second session of this competition and will focus on their business models. A third session, scheduled for 14 October, will be reserved for providing additional expertise and conducting co-development workshops. At the final session, scheduled for 19 November, the nine Challenge teams will present a functional and economically viable prototype.

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