Schneider Electric renews its strategic research partnership with CEA Tech for five years

The strengthened cooperation speeds up the integration of the most innovative technologies into Schneider Electric connected offers for redefining power and automation
The partnership demonstrates a long-term approach to open innovation

Schneider Electric, the global specialist in energy management and automation, has renewed its strategic partnership with CEA Tech, the technological research division of the CEA, the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission, for five years. The signing ceremony took place on September 21, 2016 in Grenoble, in the presence of Stéphane Siebert, Vice President of Technological Research at the CEA, and Prith Banerjee, Chief Technology Officer at Schneider Electric.

A best-in-class partner for innovation at every level

Set up in 2010, this strategic research partnership between Schneider Electric and CEA Tech aims to carry out exclusive R&D projects in key areas for Schneider Electric, to contribute to collaborative projects for validating prototypes, and finally to accelerate the transfer of technologies from CEA Tech, particularly as a founding member of the IRT Nanoelec Pulse platform, and their integration in industrial areas. By strengthening this collaboration, Schneider Innovation at Every Level harnesses the power and promise of the Internet of Things to reshape cities, transform industries and enrich lives through connected products, edge control, and apps, analytics and services. From left to right: Stéphane Siebert, Vice President of Technological Research at the CEA, and Prith Banerjee, Chief Technology Officer at Schneider Electric.

“In a fast-changing world, it is important to draw upon the highest level of expertise to design the technologies of tomorrow. This is why Schneider Electric is delighted to reinforce its research partnership with the CEA, the world’s most innovative research institution according to Reuters¹. This partnership provides us with access to numerous innovations in key technological areas, such as new materials, sensors and software engineering. With CEA Tech support, we are accelerating the integration of these technologies into our solutions to help our customers manage their energy and processes in ways that are safe, reliable, efficient and sustainable,” said Prith Banerjee.

Covering the whole innovation lifecycle

The CEA Tech – Schneider Electric partnership covers the whole innovation lifecycle, with the exception of fundamental research. It will allow Schneider Electric to achieve several objectives:

Pursuing the development of innovative projects
Gaining access to disruptive technologies
Pre-empting certain technological advances made by CEA Tech
Accelerating the transfer of innovative technologies to the Group’s businesses

This collaboration has already offered strong benefits to the Group. For example, Schneider Electric has adopted automation technology for developing critical real-time applications designed by a start-up incubated at the CEA. This allows the critical and non-critical parts of embedded software to be separated in a product, which drastically reduces the time and cost involved in certification. Further, CEA Tech has set up a technological platform in partnership with automotive and aviation industrial partners. Sharing its technical needs and existing solutions for industry on it, Schneider Electric can access to new technologies suited to its needs.

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1 http://www.reuters.com/article/us-innovation-rankings-idUSKCN0WA2A5