Two years ago, Station F opened its Parisian doors to 1,000 early stage companies from around the globe, to help visualise their dreams.
Dubbed the world’s largest startup campus, Station F launched with Microsoft’s AI Factory – an on-site artificial intelligence program, designed to help startups develop AI proof-of-concept projects by offering scientific, technological, and business expertise. The AI Factory aligns with Microsoft France’s commitment to the development of trusted and ethical AI in France, which is also bolstered by the company’s AI skills programme and Paris-based AI School.
Now, after two years and 27 supported startups to date, Microsoft France is focusing on helping AI-based startups contribute in five key areas: health, environment/energy, transportation, financial services, and agri-food. The first accelerator in this new program – AI for Green Energy – has launched in partnership with Schneider Electric, and is focused on finding new ways to use AI to decrease consumption and increase energy efficiency. Other programs will be presented before the end of the year.
AI for Green Energy
Selected startups will benefit from the technical and business expertise of Microsoft and Schneider Electric during a three-month acceleration period. The ambition of this first program is to accelerate the digital transformation of this sector, and to help European startups continue their AI development.
The Inria laboratory, Sigfox, Elaia, Energize Venture and France Digitale are also partnering with this program and will be involved at different stages of the program, such as startup sourcing, selection process, coaching and more.
- Startups must have developed a green energy solution based on artificial intelligence technology for businesses and organizations.Entrepreneurs with great ambitions to use AI to transform energy solutions should apply here to file an application. The application process is open from July 1 to August 31, based on some conditions:
- Startups must have already carried out fundraising.The announcement of the six winners will be made official on October 2 in Barcelona, at Schneider Electric’s Innovation Summit.Agnès Van de Walle, Director of the One Commercial Partner entity states that “We are delighted to leverage our ecosystem of partners to serve together the most important causes to society, thanks to the start-ups of tomorrow. Schneider Electric will bring to this first promotion an in-depth expertise and personalised support, accelerating innovation across the energy sector. »
“We are delighted to partner with Microsoft to incubate new ideas to use AI to help the energy sector in the energy transition,” Cyril Perducat, Chief Executive IoT and Digital Transformation, Schneider Electric: continues. Co-innovation projects like this one are important to move the entire energy industry towards a sustainable future.”
This communication was first published 4 July 2019 by Microsoft.
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