Veolia Environnement launches the Veolia Innovation Accelerator Program to boost innovation in ecotechnologies
Paris, February 25, 2010
During the 26th edition of the Cleantech Forum which continues tomorrow in San Francisco, Veolia Environnement is launching the Veolia Innovation Accelerator (VIA).
“Our goal for the Veolia Innovation Accelerator program is to facilitate exchanges, stimulate cooperation, and unite good ideas between start-up companies and corporate organizations with the appropriate resources, partners and outlets. Through VIA, we can accelerate the development of start-up companies by minimizing the risk associated with developing and deploying new technologies, to achieve tomorrow’s collective successes”, said Philippe Martin, Director of Research and Innovation at Veolia Environnement. “Partnerships are critical for addressing global environmental issues, so we aim to be the strategic partner of choice for the world’s leading cleantech start-ups and investors”.
How does VIA work?
The VIA program is intended to become a global platform for rolling out the best in ecotechnology. The main research areas supported by VIA are bio-resources, water and wastewater, waste sorting, recycling and recovery, sustainable and green cities, energy generation and optimization, transportation, health and environmental performance, carbon capture and storage, and energy storage.
The VIA program offers cleantech start-ups access to new markets and customers. It provides economies of scale, and mitigates the risks associated with technology development, adoption and execution.
Its approach is three-pronged:
1. Detect: Systematic international monitoring to identify trends and track emerging
technologies, through a network of partnerships with universities, institutes and industries;
2. Create: Design, develop, enhance and integrate clean technologies if the market need cannot be met by existing solutions;
3. Adapt and Deploy: Optimization and integration of new technologies into Veolia’s business proposals and processes, and field implementation support.
“Veolia has long been an advocate for innovation in water technology,” said Jeff Green, CEO of NanoH2O, Inc., which has partnered with Veolia to jointly explore key geographic areas for new and existing seawater desalination plants. “Working with Veolia, one of the leading companies in the global desalination industry, will accelerate the adoption of NanoH2O’s nanocomposite reverse osmosis membranes worldwide to change the fundamental economics of desalination.”- 2 -
Furthering open innovation and fostering opportunities
Veolia Environnement stands ready to invest its facilities, people, including its research resources and personnel, and customer relationships in helping innovators succeed. Through VIA program, the company is exploring flexible partnership models such as technology co-development, development of new markets and joint offerings.
“We see urbanization as one of the most important global trends with huge implications for water, power, transportation and waste management. Veolia is uniquely positioned to address these needs around the world, which is why several portfolio companies of ours have a unique opportunity to partner with Veolia,” said Ajit Nazre, partner of Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, the Silicon Valley venture capital firm. “We look forward to continuing our collaboration through the Veolia Innovation Accelerator to maximize the potential of our portfolio companies.”
In the upstream development phase, Veolia offers its partners infrastructure, world-class technical evaluations and research test programs to improve innovations and accelerate their time-to-market. In an advanced phase of innovation, VIA partners can leverage Veolia’s vast client portfolio and many facilities to validate the solution marketability.
For all media related enquiries please contact Renee Fry- Corporate Affairs Manager (02) 8571 0000
Make an Enquiry
Do you have an enquiry or comment?
