The Leading News & Information Service For The Facilities, Workplace & Built Environment Community

Sodexo Mentors Start-Ups to Develop Smart Tech and Sustainability Innovations

Sodexo Mentors Start-Ups to Develop Smart Tech and Sustainability Innovations
11 May 2022
 

Sodexo, in partnership with L Marks, has selected five start-up businesses to help them develop new solutions in the areas of smart buildings, employee experience and sustainability.

The start-ups will take part in a 10-week Accelerators Innovation Programme to road-test their propositions with Sodexo.

Over 400 start-ups applied to the programme which launched in January this year, with 21  selected to pitch their business propositions to Sodexo at live events in London and Dublin.

The 21 start-ups pitched their innovations (virtually and in-person) to an audience of Sodexo senior leaders, operational teams as well as the organisation’s experts in areas such as sustainability, employee engagement, marketing, supply chain as well as market consultants.

Sodexo opened up the pitches to its colleagues around the business by live-streaming the events and enabling colleagues to have a say through an app-based voting platform.

 

Image

Picture: a photograph of two of the Accelerators finalists, from Wayleadr. Image Credit: Sodexo

 

Watch the Video

 


 

Five Technology Start-Ups Awarded Place on Sodexo’s Accelerators Innovation Programme

 

Sodexo’s Accelerators innovation programme has already been launched in China, Brazil, India, France and Sweden.  For the UK and Ireland programme, Sodexo has partnered with L Marks - an innovation specialist with experience in running over 70 programmes with some of the world's leading companies.

The chosen five finalists for UK and Ireland are:

 

  1. Asseticom - a pioneering digital solution that advances asset data collection and building surveying.
  2. Hark Systems - a technology company specialising in helping enterprises to improve efficiency and reduce waste by providing visibility and automatic control over assets such as energy metres, building management systems and industrial systems.
  3. Advanced Bacterial Sciences (ABS) - developing next-generation bacterial treatments for waste and water management, pollution remediation and agriculture that boost efficiency, cut maintenance and running costs and regenerate natural systems.
  4. Wayleadr - reimagining the last mile of commuter journeys by connecting smart buildings with smart vehicles, saving time, rightsizing real estate spend and curbing carbon emissions.
  5. Infogrid's AI Building Intelligence Platform makes buildings healthier for occupants, more efficient for managers to operate and more sustainable for the planet.

 

The five finalists will now work with Sodexo to test, refine and adapt their business propositions in a live operational environment, mentored by Sodexo’s subject matter experts.

Julie Ennis, CEO Sodexo Corporate Services, UK & Ireland said: “We were delighted with the quality and volume of applications we received for the programme.  The pitch days were very exciting and action-packed. 

“Technology enabled a number of the start-ups to pitch remotely and by live-streaming the event we were able to invite colleagues from across our business, not just in the UK and Ireland but from around the world to watch the pitches and be involved in the selection process via the voting platform.

“The feedback and votes from both days helped us decided on the final five and we look forward to the finding out how the five get on during the next stage of the programme, which will test their solutions in our live operations.”

Picture: a photograph from the Sodexo Accelerators London pitch day, showing people sitting on chairs looking at a projector screen. Image Credit: Sodexo

Article written by Ella Tansley | Published 11 May 2022

Share



Related Articles

Spotlight Interview – Joanna Harris | Sodexo

Joanna Harris is a Senior Programme Manager and Hard FM Ambassador at Sodexo and is well known for her voluntary work and advocacy for business-focused maintenance....

 Read Full Article
Training for FMs – Free Course on Intelligent Maintenance

The IFM Innovators Programme is a free course to help FM and maintenance professionals improve their knowledge on innovation and maintenance. Industry 5.0 is shaping...

 Read Full Article
Sodexo Awarded Best Waste Prevention Project

Sodexo has received the award for Best Waste Prevention Project at the 2021 Waste2Zero awards for tackling food waste through smart technology. Hosted by...

 Read Full Article
Sodexo Retains Food Services Contract With Swizzels Matlow

Sodexo has signed a new three-year contract to deliver food services at Swizzels Matlow Ltd’s Derbyshire sweet factory. The £1 million contract extends a...

 Read Full Article
Sodexo to Help Modern Slavery Survivors Into Work

Sodexo has committed to supporting survivors of modern slavery rebuild their lives with long-term employment. In collaboration with not-for-profit Bright Future Co-op,...

 Read Full Article
Sodexo Appointed to Help Home Office Develop its Own FM Function 

The Home Office has appointed Sodexo to assist it in developing its own in-house FM function for its 677 built assets, including office spaces, ports, airports, and data...

 Read Full Article
Deborah Rowland Scholarship Second-Year Recipients Announced

The Deborah Rowland Scholarship, a fund that helps emerging facilities management professionals to progress, has announced its 2025 recipients. The scholarship was...

 Read Full Article
Sodexo Signs Extended Catering Contract With Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Sodexo Health & Care has secured an extended contract to provide patient dining services for the Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. Following a...

 Read Full Article
CIBSE Announces Fundraising Campaign for Member Skills Hub

The Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers has launched its "Building for the Future" campaign. The campaign aims to create a knowledge...

 Read Full Article
Deborah Rowland Scholarship 2025 Launches

A scholarship to help FM professionals progress is looking for new recipients for 2025. The scholarship is the brainchild of Deborah Rowland, Director of Public...

 Read Full Article