Capgemini gives early stage start-ups the opportunity to jump start their business with its new InnovatorsRace50 contest

Paris – Capgemini, a global leader in consulting, technology and outsourcing services, today announced the ‘go live’ of its InnovatorsRace50, a worldwide competition for early stage start-ups to showcase the potential of their products, services or innovative uses of technology to disrupt businesses and organizations. This special edition of Innovators Race, to mark Capgemini’s 50th Anniversary year, celebrates the spirit of innovative entrepreneurship and builds on the life and times of Capgemini’s founder, the late Serge Kampf, who created his very own start-up 50 years ago. The 5 winning start-ups will each have the opportunity to secure business backing of equity free funding to the tune of $50,000 USD, extensive networking opportunities, participation in international tech events, access to industry experts, and the opportunity to become a Capgemini partner.

Entrants have until February 28^thto take part in the global competition via www.innovatorsrace50.com. Fifty start-ups will then be chosen across five categories (ten from each), to go forward to personal meetings with a panel of experts who will nominate two finalists per category. The contest categories are:

• Govtech and Social Enterprises
• Fintech and Mobility
• Consumers and Well-Being
• Digital Processes and Transformation
• Data and Security

In April and May the ten finalists, two per category, will then get the opportunity to meet with tech and industry experts in person in five of Capgemini’s Applied Innovation Exchanges (AIEs)¹. The five locations are London, San Francisco, Munich, Mumbai and Paris. During this time they will experience this immersive and transformative environment for further exploration, discovery, testing and application of their innovation. They will also benefit from access to an extensive network of experts to help them work on their proposals and prepare their final submission.

“Digital disruption is redefining all industries and innovation is its lifeblood,” comments Lanny Cohen, Group Chief Technology Officer and Member of the Group Executive Committee at Capgemini. “Navigating the start-up scene is at the very heart of what we do for our clients. It’s a privilege to work with emerging entrepreneurs and witness some of the most advanced and radical thinking that is transforming businesses today. We look forward to an exciting special birthday edition of Innovators Race this year, and to welcoming the finalists into our AIEs to help them refine their offers. I wish all participants the best of luck!”

Viewers will be able to see Capgemini’s “InnovatorsRace50” series in full throughout September and October at www.innovatorsrace50.com. A series of videos entitled ‘Unicorns’ will also be featured on http://CNNMoney.com/Unicorns and a special round-up TV show will air on CNN International in October. To tie in with InnovatorsRace50, CNN will publish a unique ranking of the 50 most active and promising start-up companies valued at over $1 billion USD in 2017: The Unicorns 50.

About Capgemini

With more than 180,000 people in over 40 countries, Capgemini is a global leader in consulting, technology and outsourcing services. The Group reported 2015 global revenues of EUR 11.9 billion. Together with its clients, Capgemini creates and delivers business, technology and digital solutions that fit their needs, enabling them to achieve innovation and competitiveness. A deeply multicultural organization, Capgemini has developed its own way of working, the Collaborative Business Experience^TM, and draws on Rightshore^®, its worldwide delivery model.

Learn more about us at www.capgemini.com.¹Capgemini’s Applied Innovation Exchange currently includes a global network of nine innovation spaces, known as ‘Exchanges’, where organizations are able to immerse themselves in the understanding, experimentation and application of all aspects of emerging technologies, as well as address the business disruptions confronting them and their industries.

Rightshore^® is a trademark belonging to Capgemini