Mobility solutions provider Alstom on Oct. 16 reported formalizing a two-year partnership with Montreal-based technology incubator Centech to “accelerate the development of innovative and sustainable rail solutions by working with promising start-ups in Quebec and the rest of Canada.”
By teaming with Centech, Alstom said it is “expanding its network of innovators while supporting Canadian technology entrepreneurs.” This partnership will strengthen Alstom’s research and development efforts, offering start-ups opportunities for growth and collaboration, according to the company, which noted that it will promote the international deployment of innovations developed through the collaboration with Centech.
Under the terms of this partnership, Centech “will play a key role in identifying and selecting the most promising start-ups to meet Alstom’s needs and challenges, drawing on its extensive network in Quebec and Canada as well as its in-depth knowledge of the innovation ecosystem,” Alstom said.
Centech was founded in 1996 by École de technologie supérieure of Montreal. It is described as “an ecosystem that fosters technological innovation and entrepreneurship projects stemming from science and engineering.” Since 2018, the company has had its own “open innovation hub,” the Collision Lab, which is said to support large companies “in their open innovation initiatives in collaboration with technology start-ups.”
“This partnership with Centech fits in perfectly with our open innovation strategy,” said Bruno Gutierres, Director of Open Innovation at Alstom. “It enables us to benefit from a dynamic ecosystem that will enrich our innovation in priority areas such as artificial intelligence, automation, energy and decarbonization. These future innovations will be integrated into our products and services to meet the needs of our customers around the world.”
“Working with Centech represents an exceptional opportunity for Alstom and the Canadian ecosystem to accelerate the energy transition,” added Éric Rondeau, Director of Alstom’s Innovation Center. “By combining our expertise with the innovation of local start-ups, we are strengthening our joint efforts to develop sustainable solutions that will transform the future of mobility while contributing to a cleaner energy future for Canada.”
“The partnership with Alstom is a tremendous opportunity for Quebec and Canadian entrepreneurs,” Centech Director of Strategic Partnerships Julian Lucchesi said. “It allows them to collaborate with a world leader in mobility and accelerate the development of innovative and sustainable solutions.”
In related developments, Alstom in April reported signing an agreement with AtkinsRéalis and Polytechnique Montréal to develop railway and public transit engineering training that they said would “directly address both mobility and decarbonization issues”; last fall signed a memorandum of understanding with the Environmental and Related Technologies Hub, a consortium of five universities and colleges in Ontario, Canada, to create new learning, research and work opportunities in the mobility sector; in January 2023 announced a cybersecurity education partnership with the Rochester (N.Y.) Institute of Technology; and in November 2022 teamed with the University of Pittsburgh Swanson School of Engineering to develop new mobility research and student engagement programs.
