As Séverin Naudet, CEO of Elemint, explained in an interview with Altaroc, "becoming a champion of innovation is above all about reinventing, or even creating the tools to destroy your own model in order to create a new one".
In addition to protecting biodiversity, innovation has become an integral part of the transport and telecommunications sectors.
This is the case of 3 companies featured in Vintage Altaroc Odyssey 2021. They have completely disrupted their respective markets. With a market capitalization of 31 billion euros, Israeli nugget Mobileye has established itself as the world leader in driver assistance systems and cutting-edge technologies for autonomous vehicles. Acko, meanwhile, has become the first car insurer in India to offer 100% digital contracts. Innovation is also touching telecommunications. Marlink, a French company with sales of $620 million last year, is deploying its satellite telecommunications technology worldwide.
Mobileye, world leader in advanced driver assistance systems
Mobileye was co-founded in 1999 by computer scientist and artificial intelligence specialist Amnon Shashua, now CEO, with the aim of reducing the number of injuries and deaths on the roads. He is a frequent winner of numerous awards in Israel: the Tel Aviv University Economics Prize, the Dan David Prize, the Israel Prize and a finalist for the European Inventor Award in 2019.
Mobileye was acquired by Intel in 2017 for $15 billion, making it still the largest deal ever in Israel.
Listed on the Nasdaq in October 2022, the company has become the world leader in driver assistance systems and technologies for autonomous vehicles. It has developed anti-collision and driver assistance solutions that alert the driver to help protect other road users. It has also recently signed a partnership with Porsche to equip German models with its "Navigate-on-Pilot" technology, which can follow navigation routes, change lanes autonomously and automatically overtake slower drivers on multi-lane roads thanks to eleven cameras positioned around the car.
It also counts BMW, Nissan and Volkswagen as customers, and recently announced that it will equip the first electric Bentley vehicle, due to go on sale in 2026. The British automaker's first electric car will initially be equipped with a partial "hands-free" driving system, before being able to benefit from fully autonomous driving in the future thanks to updates to the Mobileye system.
The SuperVision system, also integrated into the electric version of the Porsche Macan, will be deployed in this Bentley model. This technology is based on 11 cameras installed all around the vehicle, which will automatically change lanes, accelerate or slow down according to the suspicious behaviour of surrounding cars.
To date, more than 140 million vehicles from 38 different brands incorporate technology developed by Mobileye. Mobileye has forecast sales of $1.8 billion in 2022, up 35% on 2021.
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Acko, India's first digital insurer
Let's leave Israel for India, where Acko has become the first digital insurer for motorists. The unicorn, valued at over 1.1 billion dollars, has revolutionized the insurance industry by being the first Indian player to offer a 100% digitalized, simple and transparent customer path, from underwriting to claims handling. In addition to motorists, Acko also covers the self-employed, for whom it provides a tailor-made insurance solution that has already won over nearly a million customers.
The company was founded in 2016 by Varun Dua and Ruchi Deepak, who took advantage of the exponential growth of internet access in India to democratize insurance products via a revolutionary digital platform.
Acko thus focuses on providing personalized insurance products and a seamless claims experience. Using advanced data analytics and AI algorithms, it tailors contracts to the specific requirements of each customer, eliminating unnecessary cover and reducing costs. Underwriting in minutes online and rapid claims settlements have gained immense popularity among policyholders. The company continually pushes the boundaries of innovation, frequently introducing new offerings such as microinsurance and usage-based insurance, to make insurance contracts ever more affordable and accessible to all.
Acko was the first insurer in India to offer 100% digital insurance contracts, with underwriting in just a few minutes and a fully personalized offer.
As Venkatesh Gurumurthy, Vice President of Engineering at Acko, explains, innovation is at the heart of the company's DNA: "With the growing demand for artificial intelligence and machine learning, the future of insurance sales and purchasing will be purely based on artificial intelligence and people relying on digital technologies. Acko's investment in this area has reaped multiple benefits. Insurers have enhanced multi-channel interactions with an ecosystem of consumer and risk data from data providers, sensors, IOT devices and unstructured data to personalize coverage, deliver quality customer-centric service, reduce risk and earn the trust of those customers."
The insurance market is growing rapidly, driven by India's increasing population. Thanks to its tailor-made, digital offering, Acko continues to attract more and more policyholders.
Marlink revolutionizes telecommunications worldwide
Since its creation in 2000, Marlink has established itself as a major player in commercial satellite communications worldwide, operating through two distinct divisions: Maritime and Terrestrial.
The company equips more than 11,000 ships worldwide and serves more than 850 land sites, enabling its customers to be connected on the open sea as well as in the middle of the desert.
As the French group explains, "all segments of the maritime broadband connectivity market are booming, driven by the combined effect of the growing number of connected ships and the exponential growth in usage, from remote access to corporate applications, operational data and crew wellness services".
The company uses artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things (IOT) to revolutionize communications on a global scale. For example, it can automatically trigger a dam's load shedding or reduce an engine's speed remotely, without any human intervention. The company is also working on unmanned ship projects, piloted remotely thanks to a secure hybrid communications system, all with a view to automating tasks and reducing operating costs.
In addition to connectivity, Marlink offers a full range of value-added services to meet customers' needs in various market segments, from videoconferencing and telemedicine to remote site monitoring and cybersecurity.
The company recently signed a partnership with Arabsat to provide access to reliable, high-performance communications services in remote or hard-to-reach areas of Africa and the Middle East, supporting the crucial operations and activities of industries and organizations operating in the region.
The Group is also committed to supporting gender equality within its teams, and is a signatory of the United Nations' Women's Emporwment Principles.
Marlink has recorded sales in excess of $600 million in 2022. Its business is driven by digital services, which recorded 35% growth in 2022. The company employs over 1,100 people in 30 countries worldwide, including 155 in France.
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