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Matching Up: three years of open innovation!

Matching Up has reached the three-year stage and more than ever the Bouygues Construction’s open innovation programme aims to generate new ideas within the company, putting Group employees and start-ups in touch in order to design and create new projects together.
Three years during which 686 start-ups and innovative SMEs responded to calls for projects covering four subjects: new construction projects and sustainable neighbourhoods, followed by forward-thinking offices and finally the homes of tomorrow. Three years of innovation to stand out in an ever-more competitive sector, to stay ahead in all technological fields, but also in our management processes… The two objectives of the programme – to be able to quickly launch experiments on our construction sites, our work areas and in our proposals, thanks to highly innovative start-ups and small companies, and to involve employees in these experiments – have been achieved.​ And this is just a start. This initial success is setting a great example and other regions and local operational units are keen to embrace it and organise their own calls for projects. The programme is also exportable, with the launch last March of a version in Birmingham, including Bouygues UK, Bouygues Energies & Services UK and Midland Metro Alliance (Colas UK Ltd and Colas Rail). This time, the start-ups were invited to propose solutions to create Smart Birmingham, a smart, connected city, based on eight themes: augmented reality and advertising, the intelligent city, connected homes, multimodal transport, quality of life in the city, new transport methods, connecting the public to the decision-makers, and finally integrated construction processes.
 
  The programme may also be coming to Bordeaux, in 2018-2019. The task this time is to provide support to a Linkcity local project, involving a reply to a tender.
From global to local: to stimulate the economy and the regional ecosystems The adoption of the Matching Up programme by the operational units and regions will make it possible to develop innovation locally and to enhance the economic fabric by drawing upon the region’s skills. A responsible and committed approach, of the kind so dear to the Group, which should be extended to other regions.