Capgemini launches Applied Innovation Exchange in Singapore to serve Southeast Asia region

• Latest Applied Innovation Exchange (AIE) takes Capgemini’s global network to 10 innovation centers worldwide.
• Singapore entrepreneurs invited to take part in InnovatorsRace50: a chance to win equity free-funding of US$50,000 and global business support.

Paris, Singapore – Capgemini, a global leader in consulting, technology and outsourcing services, today announced the launch of its newest Applied Innovation Exchange (AIE) located in Singapore. The exchange will deliver a robust service catalogue, within an ecosystem of other AIEs, including a focus in areas such as data analytics, visualization, artificial intelligence and cognitive computing. It will be Capgemini’s first AIE in Southeast Asia and 10th globally, in addition to its complement of Applied Innovation Discovery Centers. In line with Singapore’s ‘Smart Nation’ vision which is designed to harness digital technologies as powerful catalysts for change, the AIE will strengthen Singapore’s reputation as an innovation hub by expanding the region’s innovation capacity and bolstering the development of local talent, to co-create a technology-enabled future.

Singapore is already one of five Asian cities ranked among the top 10 locations for innovation centers worldwide, according to Capgemini Consulting’s research, with Asia now rivalling Silicon Valley as a new home to global innovation centers¹. Capgemini’s AIE enables local and regional organizations to future-proof themselves, by proactively planning for forthcoming transformations by responding in an agile way that breaks with the traditional siloed models of Research & Development (R&D).

“Businesses are now focused on how to embrace and apply innovation with speed and scale in a secure and sustainable way. This requires a new way of thinking and working, in which companies drive corporate innovation through collaboration with a broad innovation ecosystem, to reinvent themselves for tomorrow’s business challenges,” said Lanny Cohen, Global Chief Technology Officer and member of the Group Executive Committee at Capgemini. “With its vibrant start-up scene and business friendly environment, Singapore is the vanguard of Asia’s rise as an innovation superpower and the perfect location for Capgemini to establish our first AIE in Southeast Asia.”

Capgemini’s AIE Enhances the Start-up Ecosystem

From the beginning, the Singapore AIE will be working with Capgemini’s partners and academic institutions in Singapore, to develop a databank of knowledge and expertise specifically for Singapore. It will also work globally with existing AIEs in locations such as London, Munich, Mumbai, Paris, and San Francisco.

In addition, Capgemini’s InnovatorsRace50, a global competition for start-ups and entrepreneurs, is now open to applicants worldwide including from across Singapore and the APAC region. Launched in January with an entry deadline of March 6, the competition provides start-ups with an international platform to showcase the potential of their products, services or innovative uses of technology to disrupt businesses and industries. Through celebrating the spirit of innovative entrepreneurship, this special 50^th Anniversary edition of Capgemini’s Innovators Race series offers five winning start-ups the opportunity to secure equity free-funding of US$50,000, extensive networking opportunities, participation in international tech events, access to industry experts, and the opportunity to become a Capgemini partner.

“Singapore’s recent Committee for the Future Economy report underscored the nation’s need to further develop innovation by fostering entrepreneurial talent and collaborating with innovation hubs. To that end, we are committed to working closely with our key partners, the Economic Development Board, and the city’s varied ecosystem of innovators and start-ups to create new solutions for companies to future-proof their businesses,” said Luc-François Salvador, Executive Chairman of Capgemini Asia Pacific and the Middle East.

How the Applied Innovation Exchange Works

Leveraging Capgemini’s inherent culture of applied innovation, the AIE framework helps organizations foster a structured approach to drive the innovation process comprising four phases – Discover, Devise, Deploy, and Sustain. It enables companies to systematically work through the process of innovation, uncover and experiment with new creative ideas, while simultaneously remaining agile enough to respond to the constant market and technology shifts. Companies from industries such as automotive, manufacturing, consumer products and retail, banking and insurance, and energy and utilities have used this framework to help to drive real and sustainable growth opportunities for their businesses. The new AIE will also function as a gateway to broader and deeper knowledge by providing businesses from Singapore and neighbouring nations access to a wider global ecosystem of emerging technologies and innovation collaborators, as well as to the entirety of Capgemini’s leading innovation capabilities and expertise.

Samuel Tan, Chief Digital Officer, Singapore Power said, “In today’s fast changing world, innovation does not happen in a vacuum, and cannot be contained within an organization. Innovation is a process, and requires an ecosystem of partners that enable you to be aware, agile and imaginative. Rapid innovations with a fail-fast mindset are critical to foster this ecosystem. The traditional models of procurement are also fast changing since innovation is not confined to a single partner, and hence cannot be “procured”. When it comes to innovation, the ecosystem outpaces the individual, and therefore, finding the best brains to collaborate with is the mantra for smart innovation.”

For more information on Capgemini’s AIE, please visit: www.capgemini.com/appliedinnovationexchange.

About Capgemini

With more than 190,000 people, Capgemini is present in over 40 countries and celebrates its 50^th Anniversary year in 2017. A global leader in consulting, technology and outsourcing services, the Group reported 2016 global revenues of EUR 12.5 billion. Together with its clients, Capgemini creates and delivers business, technology and digital solutions that fit their needs, enabling them to achieve innovation and competitiveness. A deeply multicultural organization, Capgemini has developed its own way of working, the Collaborative Business Experience^TM, and draws on Rightshore^®, its worldwide delivery model.

Learn more about us at www.capgemini.com.¹ The Spread of Innovation around the World: How Asia Now Rivals Silicon Valley as New Home to Global Innovation Centers.

Rightshore^® is a trademark belonging to Capgemini