Fruitful preliminary discussions for the brand new Metropolitan Council for Positive Industry, meeting at the Métropole building on October 1
st.
Led by Montpellier Méditerranée Métropole, about twenty managers from local startups, innovative SMEs, major companies (IBM, EDP, Orange...), professional associations, and consular chambers have shown their determination to promote positive industry, in the presence of: Philippe Saurel, Montpellier Métropole president; Chantal Marion, vice-president in charge of economic development, higher education and research, innovation, French Tech, and artisan trades; and Gérard Lannelongue, Delegate Councilor for Industry, who joined the effort in January 2019.
All of them are committed to ensuring that Montpellier is recognized as a land of technological and societal innovation, with strong dedication to sustainable employment and talent.
“The industry of tomorrow will have the lowest possible ecological impact,” highlights Virginie Monnier-Mangue, territorial delegate for EDF in the Occitanie region.
The Metropolitan Council for Positive Industry wishes to promote three notably innovative sectors with sustainable jobs: information and communication technologies (ICTs) and the digital industry, energy-environment, and health. The goal is to foster synergy and develop opportunities between traditional local sectors with innovation potential and public works/construction and metalwork; transportation and mobility; agriculture and agri-food; businesses and artisan trades, and tourism and leisure.
Some of the key points raised include: the benefits of renewable energies; the power of innovation in the ecosystem, notably with the
Montpellier BIC,
Smart city, development of the
Creative City; and plans by the professional metalwork association
UIMM to create “a platform to accelerate the industry of the future.”
Made in Montpellier: responsible and committed
A stakeholder in the highly innovative hydrogen sector, Bulane demonstrated its collaboration with
APF 34, an “Adapted Company” recognized both for the quality of its products and services and for its societal and environmental commitments:
“This approach helped us keep our technology in the Montpellier area when we reached our industrial phase,” highlights Nicolas Jerez, CEO of Bulane.
Supported by an expert committee, the Metropolitan Council for Positive Industry will hold three workshops from November 2019 to January 2020. The workshops will take place at Council members’ offices.
The goals are to:
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Define a strong identity for Made in Montpellier industry by setting up a consistent and sustainable marketing strategy.
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Identify and support flagship actions in the positive industry space via an adapted offering.
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Foster collective intelligence to build a mindset based on sharing and solidarity between stakeholders to reinforce the ecosystem and its momentum.
Potential ideas include adapting the local property and real estate offering; creating a digital platform; choosing a representative location; setting up an investor circle; and more. The “Made in Montpellier” positive industry roadmap will be approved in February 2020.
