Blue-Sight works on several significant innovation projects for European and French partners.
For more information, please look at the website of ASCEND
ASCEND (Accelerate positive Clean Energy Districts) is a project funded by the European Commission’s Horizon Europe research programme. The project is based on the strong belief that there is a need to ACCELERATE and SCALE Positive Clean Energy Districts (PCEDs) to ensure the transition of cities to climate neutrality and social justice across Europe. The objectives are: i) to make cities healthier and more resource efficient; ii) to accelerate and expand the deployment of a system of smart and sustainable energy districts.
ASCEND proposes four key solutions. Firstly, we have defined the concept of ‘Multiplier Cities’ to work on catalytic experimentation of SCEDs. By the end of the project, the 6 Multiplier Cities will have already achieved results and successfully deployed their 6-CPED plan. Secondly, ASCEND has an ambitious strategy of cross-collaboration and dissemination of results to all stakeholders. Thirdly, the project develops 6 “Packaged Solutions” which, combined, create the most efficient CDEP. They combine financial, technical, digital and business model requirements to help cities implement them. Fourth, a CDEP is a complex living entity that will evolve over time. Two models of urban orchestrators have the role of aggregating all the services of the CDEP and ensuring long-term performance.
In summary, the strategic objectives are: i) to provide two inclusive and affordable CDEPs in Lyon and Munich; ii) to successfully implement CDEPs in the multiplier cities of Alba Iulia (Romania), Budapest (Hungary), Charleroi (Belgium), Prague (Czech Republic), Oporto (Portugal) and Stockholm (Sweden); iii) to scale up solution sets for a large community of cities and investors; iv) to disseminate our results widely to the smart city community.
Blue-Sight is part of the ASCEND project coordination team in its capacity as ‘Innovation Manager’. Blue-Sight ensures that the innovations implemented in the target districts are scaled up and replicated, leads the advisory board and the development of the business plan. As Innovation Manager, Blue-Sight contributes to Work Package 6 ‘Packaged Solutions’.
Blue-Sight together with its partner Odyssees put together the winning proposal in the framework of the Horizon Europe Positive Clean Energy District call for projects HORIZON-MISS-2023-CIT-01-02. The consortium includes 35 partners and 8 European cities.
The Dijon Metropolitan Attractivity Agency, Dijon Bourgogne Invest, has launched the operational launch phase in its new configuration. Indeed, in the summer of 2022, the new team and the new Executive Board began to structure Dijon Bourgogne Invest. The objective was, during a strategic seminar, to build a three-way roadmap for the Agency, which defines:
- The Agency’s main market targets with a pragmatic objective of combining ambition and realism,
- The main levers and actions to be undertaken and their distribution between the Agency, its permanent staff, the members of the executive board, the city and any other partners (public or private),
- The definition of a culture (of the agency, of the company) combining the capacity to seize opportunities and to be part of the medium term (roadmap),
- Key performance indicators will be monitored with a view to steering and reporting.
Blue-Sight co-defined and co-organised the seminar with its partner Algoé and in collaboration with Dijon Bourgogne Invest and the Dijon metropolitan area. Blue-Sight defined the format and content of several workshops on Aftercare and the Digital Agency of Dijon Bourgogne Invest. Blue-Sight also led workshops on the health and digital sectors in Dijon.
In 2022, the City of Marseille became one of the 100 cities labelled “climate neutral city by 2030” for the European Commission’s Climate Neutral and Smart Cities Mission.
Blue-Sight was part of the consortium accompanying the City of Marseille in its application for the 100 Climate Neutral Cities label with Algoé and Eclectic Expérience. Blue-Sight participated in the definition of the positioning of the application and in the elaboration of the project portfolio. Blue-Sight also drew up Marseille’s ‘Blueprint’, the city’s roadmap towards climate neutrality. The twenty-page document presents the ambitions of a socially just climate neutral model for Marseille, the five priorities for action – decarbonised mobility, decarbonisation of the building stock, green and local energy production, urban nature, citizen inclusion and innovation – as well as the conditions for success that are essential to the project.
The objective of the mission is to support the Cognition Institute in developing a portfolio of research contracts with large industrial companies about cognition, which combines many disciplines. This means:
- Testing and deploying a method of prospecting for key account types to establish long-term relationships with companies,
- An objective to develop major accounts (3 to 5) over several years,
- An attractive and adapted offer for these key accounts.
Blue-Sight assists the Cognition Institute in the definition and implementation of its key account strategy. Blue-Sight carries out:
- Support in the identification of key accounts,
- The production of targeted arguments, with the director of the Institute,
- Preparation of interviews and support in conducting them,
- The definition of the first research orientations with the director of the Institute in relation with the company,
- Support for contractualisation.
The French Atomic Energy and Alternative Energies Commission (CEA) is a public research organisation of a scientific, technical, and industrial nature (EPIC). A major player in research, development and innovation, the CEA is active in four areas: defense and security, low-carbon energy (nuclear and renewable), technological research for industry and fundamental research (material and life sciences). With its recognised expertise, the CEA is involved in setting up collaborative projects with numerous academic and industrial partners.
Blue-Sight works with its partner Inium to monitor and set up collaborative projects and grant applications, from the search for partners to the drafting of the application. Blue-Sight has assisted the CEA in setting up projects for the second life of photovoltaic panels and for the valorisation of national species in the construction sector.
Dijon metropolis has launched a mission to support the creation of a business growth agency for Dijon. The objective is to define the main principles of the agency: ambitions, organisation, service offer, operating methods, legal form.
Within the framework of the AMO (consortium with Algoé and Adaltys), Blue-Sight carried out an exploratory study of the French and European attractivity and the diagnosis of the territory in a first phase. During the restitution seminar, Blue-Sight led four exploratory thematic groups to test and define the vision of Dijon’s attractiveness, the operating methods and the service offer of the Agency. At the end of the mission, Blue-Sight co-wrote several scenarios for the roadmap of the new Agency.
Scalable Cities is a consortium of 18 projects, 124 cities and over 430 partners. Its objective is to accelerate the replication and scaling up of the 500 demonstrators of the European Smart Cities and Communities programme. It is funded by the European Commission.
The 500 demonstrators are being developed across the European Union, covering issues of citizen engagement and local governance, energy infrastructure, sustainable mobility, data platforms and many other areas.
Blue-Sight acts as a strategic advisor.
Its missions are, among others, to design the governance and the working methods of the consortium, as well as to lead the coordination between the different members of Scalable Cities. Blue-Sight is also moderating the strategic boards, such as the board of coordinators.
Smarter Together is a project of the European H2020 Smart Cities and Communities program.
Started in 2015, it brings together three lighthouse cities, Lyon, Munich and Vienna, as well as three fellow cities, Sofia, Venice and Santiago de Compostela.
The aim is to test innovative, user-centric solutions with high urban and environmental potential in three demonstrators. The project aims to replicate them on a larger scale and in the territories of the “follower” cities, as well as to share their feedback.
The solutions focus on five themes: data management platforms, renewable energy sources, holistic renovation, electric mobility, citizen engagement and participation.
After participating in the set-up and structuring of the project, Blue-Sight is involved in the Smarter Together project to develop the Smarter Together exploitation plans.
The objective is to understand and evaluate the progress, the risks and success factors, as well as the potential for replication of the Lyon, Munich and Vienna demonstrators. In this context, Blue-Sight is working with French, German and Austrian local authorities and the private sector (industries, associations, SMEs, start-ups).
In September 2020, the Club Ville Aménagement, which brings together all French public developers, launched a working group on smart city and its uses.
The objective is to respond to the challenges posed by smart cities. What are the impacts of the smart and sustainable city on the profession of urban developer? What are the expectations of elected officials, companies and citizens? What opportunities are there to enrich the practices of the whole value chain?
The working group is meeting in several workshops, with the aim of delivering a guide for developers on the opportunities of urban data platforms.
Blue-Sight acts as a Project Management Assistant for the preparation, animation and restitution of the workshops.
The AI4Eu project aims to build the European platform for artificial intelligence. It represents one of the pillars of the European Commission’s AI strategy and model.
The consortium developing this platform includes 82 partners and 22 countries.
AI4EU is linked to other Horizon 2020 projects, networks of excellence in AI, cyber security and industrial fields.
The objective is to deliver the platform and to animate the European artificial intelligence ecosystem.
Blue-Sight supports Thales in the coordination and management of the consortium. Blue-Sight co-hosts the strategic instances, such as the industrial board.
Blue-Sight is also involved in the evaluation of the objectives and the respect of the contractual framework with the European Commission.
Blue-Sight drives the definition and development of the sustainability strategy of Ai4EU.
AI4Copernicus is a research project funded by the European Commission. It aims at bridging the AI4EU on-demand platform and the Earth Observation data and services collected and created by Copernicus (the European spatial observation program). At the end of the project, the AI4EU on-demand platform will be the first choice for all users of Copernicus data, from scientists to SMEs and the non-tech sector.
The end goals for the project and the on-demand platform are :
- To drive technical integration
- To incentivise the AI4EU and Copernicus to solve tangible practical real-life problems in the fields of agriculture, energy, security and health-environment.
To that end, 8 small-scale experimentations and 9 use-cases have been selected through 4 open calls.
Blue-Sight leads the definition and deployment of the sustainability strategy of AI4Copernicus, in relation to AI4EU.