Join the Imerys Open Innovation Challenge and boost your business

Workshop input, documentation, and pitches will be held in English. While working in your team: if 100% of your team members prefer German, French, or any other language spoken within your team, that is not a problem!

Yes, reasonable travel expenses (transportation to and from France, accommodation for non-residents) incurred for the participation to the special events held in Paris, France during the program will be reimbursed upon duly justified expenses (train, flight economy, taxi/rental car/own car if necessary). More information will be provided once participants have been selected to take part along with other organizational information.

If traveling is possible (depending on COVID-19 travel restrictions), it is mandatory to attend the Innovation Camp and Demo Day at the end of the program (if you are among the selected participants). The mentioned events are planned to take place in Paris, France. Depending on the team, there are also 2-3 on-site workshops during the Proof-of-Concept phase.

We are constantly re-evaluating the COVID-19 situation. If traveling is not possible due COVID-19, we will facilitate the workshops and events for the program remotely.

Fill out the application form and provide us with the core information about your company (it takes approximately 15 minutes to present and register your application). If we require further information, we will contact you for a personal interview. The admission deadline is 30th April 2023, 23:45 CEST.

Best-in-class participants will be invited for an online interview (remote pitch) with our team, top managers, and experts from Imerys to discuss their business model, technology, and growth ambitions. Successful candidates will then be invited to the Innovation Camp. At the end of the Innovation Camp, the selected participants will enter a Proof-of-Concept phase and pitch at the final event (Demo Day) in front of the top management of Imerys. Successful teams could then be given the chance to enter into further discussions with Imerys on a type of cooperation to be assessed on a case-by case basis.

Participation to Innovation Camp, Proof-of-Concept phase and the Demo Day will be subject to signing a confidentiality agreement including any terms and conditions governing the Proof-of-Concept phase including the Demo Day. These agreements will be proposed by Imerys to the selected candidates and will have to be signed prior to the starting date of the events as an essential condition for their effective participation to such events.  

The applications call is open until 30th April 2023, and all applications will be reviewed in the following weeks after closing. After rating all applications, you will get a notification in case you are among the top selected participants who are invited to present their ideas within a remote pitching session.

Top selected participants are invited to present their business ideas and vision of a partnership with Imerys in an online interview to our team, top managers, and experts from Imerys. You will have 5 minutes to pitch your idea, followed by a short question-answer round. Remote pitches will be held in May. The exact dates will be announced leading up to the pitches, successful candidates will then be invited to the Innovation Camp.

It’s a 2-day workshop (exact dates to be announced) held in Paris, France, where you will jointly work with experts and top management from Imerys to:

1) Identify open and critical questions
2) Find a match between your capabilities and the requirements of Imerys
3) Get a clear common understanding of the next steps: identifying preliminary concept field trials, defining Proof-of-Concept Roadmap incl. budget, marketing scenarios, business case

A jury pitch at the end of the two days will set the definite participants of the Proof-of-Concept phase. During the Innovation Camp, both parties are free to exchange relevant information such as details on the material. The confidentiality of both parties will be respected by the signature of an NDA.

Reasonable travel expenses are covered for up to 2 team members (based on your location, we will provide you with the maximum amount that will be covered). Accommodation, including breakfast, is covered as well. Lunch and dinner will be provided at the event.

A four-person jury of senior Imerys employees will decide who participates. The criteria for final selection include how relevant the idea is for Imerys and its potential for growth.

During the Proof-of-Concept phase, the goal is to validate the proposal/hypotheses, run preliminary concept pilots and concept field trials, and develop a business case in order to present this on the Demo Day.

You do not have to be present in France the whole time and can work on the project remotely. However, there will be three workshops during these four months, where you will most likely have to travel to France. (Exceptions can be discussed). 

Budget may be granted, subject to proper justification on the expenses and costs for necessary preliminary concept testing, concept field trials, and concept prototyping foreseen. The amount depending on project scope will be subject to negotiations with Imerys. Subject to prior approval by Imerys Reasonable travel costs for attendance to workshops and Demo Day in Paris, France are subsidized.