Groupe ADP has accelerated the internationalization of its innovation initiative, Innovation Hub, through an open innovation competition organized in different areas of its airport network. The competition, named the Airport Innovation Days, is intended to source startups in several countries to identify solutions to challenges common to the whole group’s network. The challenges include 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, 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 nine winners were rewarded by a local jury, made up of Groupe ADP’s members and experts.
In each country, three startups were awarded prizes. First place startups won a POC (proof of concept) of up to €50,000 (US$52,400) to test their projects at airports in the winning 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. The second prize was mentoring support for innovation and airport operations teams, and the third prize was international media exposure, in collaboration with Sifted.
On the occasion of “Airport Innovation Days“, Sifted is publishing a report titled 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 outlines a vision of the airport’s future, reviewing the various technologies that are helping to reduce the environmental impact of air transportation, as well as the startups 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).
Paris
On December 4, 10 finalist startups pitched their solutions in Paris. First prize was awarded to Unboarded for its innovative gaming solution that enables more than 100 passengers to play simultaneously on a single screen, using their phone as a controller. Second place went to Jabu, which predicts consumption using AI to optimize meal preparation in collective catering facilities and minimize food waste. HyLight won third place for its dirigible balloon designed to carry out large-scale, silent, emission-free, long-range aerial inspection missions.
Turkey
In Turkey, the 15 finalist startups pitched their solutions on October 25. The first prize was awarded to Sensemore. This company provides an AI-based equipment health solution to improve performance and longevity by detecting potential problems before they occur through predictive maintenance. In second place was Assistbox, which produces video solutions to enhance the customer experience, such as video assistants or sign language call centers for visually impaired passengers. Waste Log was in third place with its a technological solution that enables waste management to be controlled at source, thanks to real-time tracking and analysis through a mobile application connecting waste producers and approved recycling companies.
Jordan
Finally, in Jordan, the 13 finalist startups pitched their solutions on November 6. The first prize was ADADK, which enables the precise detection and location of water leaks in buildings in real time, thanks to wireless sensors and an augmented reality network. LYNEports was awarded second place prize for its software solution that visualizes and eases the integration of advanced air mobilities (eVTOLs and drones) into airspace, as well as ground infrastructures such as vertiports (eVTOL docking stations). Third was Salam from Jordan, which enables passengers to create personalized postcards at a self-service kiosk.
Edward Arkwright, deputy CEO of Groupe ADP, stated, “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.”
Franck Mereyde, TAV Airports board member and chairman of the executive committee, said, “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.”
Nicolas Deviller, CEO of Airport International Group (AIG), said, “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.”
In related news, AutoFlight and Groupe ADP recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to experiment with the Prosperity I electric take-off and landing aircraft (eVTOL) from Pontoise Vertiport in France during the 2024 Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games. Click here to read the full story.