Alstom and the Montreal technology incubator Centech join forces to accelerate innovation in intelligent and sustainable mobility

A two-year partnership to foster innovation

This strategic collaboration between Alstom and Centech illustrates Alstom’s desire to increase its leadership in green and smart mobility, and to solidify its commitment to the Canadian ecosystem. By collaborating with leading players in the local ecosystem, recognized for its richness and dynamism, this partnership aims to bring innovative solutions to Canadian and North American transport operators.

“This partnership with Centech fits in perfectly with our open innovation strategy. 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.” said Bruno Gutierres, Director of Open Innovation, Alstom. 

“Working with Centech represents an exceptional opportunity for Alstom and the Canadian ecosystem to accelerate the energy transition. 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.” added Éric Rondeau, Director of Alstom’s Innovation Centre.

By partnering with Centech, Alstom is expanding its network of innovators while supporting Canadian technology entrepreneurs. This support strengthens its research and development efforts, offering start-ups in Quebec and Canada unique opportunities for growth and collaboration. Leveraging its global footprint, Alstom will promote the international deployment of innovations developed through this collaboration.

“The partnership with Alstom is a tremendous opportunity for Quebec and Canadian entrepreneurs. It allows them to collaborate with a world leader in mobility and accelerate the development of innovative and sustainable solutions.” said Julian Lucchesi, Director of Strategic Partnerships at Centech.

Centech is an ecosystem that fosters technological innovation and entrepreneurship projects stemming from science and engineering. Open to all, Centech was founded in 1996 by École de technologie supérieure of Montreal. Through its ‘Acceleration’ and ‘Propulsion’ programs, Centech acts as a true instrument of growth, creating one of the largest concentrations of early-stage technology entrepreneurs in Quebec and Canada. Since 2018, Centech has had its own open innovation hub, the Collision Lab, where large companies are supported in their open innovation initiatives in collaboration with technology start-ups.

Under the terms of this partnership, Centech is responsible for canvassing for Alstom’s annual international campaign, which each year focuses on a different theme aligned with the company’s innovation priorities. In this context, 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.

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