On February 20th, 50 partners, 100 entrepreneurs and 150 investors attended the 50 Day conference to hear pitches from 30 startups. RCI Bank and Services, one of the main sponsors, had two objectives with the event: to stay abreast of trends in innovation and to identify startups that fit well with our ecosystem for possible future collaboration.
Modeled on the incubators found in the US and UK, 50 Partners is a program set up by established entrepreneurs like Blablacar, LeBonCoin, and PriceMinister that is designed to give a boost to a selected group of startup companies. On the 50th day of the year, the members of the 50-partner ecosystem meet to hear reports on the progress and prospects in all the projects supported by the accelerator and to get an update on the major trends in innovation.
© 50 Partners
Jean-Christophe Labarre, Head of Innovation and Partnerships, spoke about blockchain, a disruptive, high-potential technology for RCI Bank and Services, which is developing expertise with an agile ecosystem. The blockchain technology is indeed a key initiative for the banking, insurance, and manufacturing sectors.
Startup DNA: an inspiration for RCI Bank and Services
In November 2016, RCI Bank and Services created its innovation department in order to structure a comprehensive approach that would benefit our company as well as the brands of the Renault-Nissan Alliance. To that end, the Group has developed its ecosystem by forming partnerships with incubators, startups, schools, universities, and companies to promote open innovation.
"An event like 50 Day is very stimulating for RCI Bank and Services. It is an opportunity for us to be inspired by the agility and operating methods of startups. We had the chance to listen to and talk with entrepreneurs from different sectors such as e-commerce, mobility, artificial intelligence, and blockchain. Most of their offers, which are customer-centric, provide the same advantages to their customers, and they are the same as ours: simplicity, rapidity, and savings of time. That is precisely our ambition! Radically transform how we operate for the benefit of our business lines,” says Jean-Christophe Labarre.
© 50 Partners
(1) 50 experienced entrepreneurs gather to select and support promising startups to success
