Open innovation

Saint-Gobain’s outward-looking strategy, notably as concerns innovation, has led it to develop and diversify its partnerships. To keep up with eco-system complexity and ever-faster technological change, the Group needs to work more with external partners to extend its expertise.

Opening Up to Greater Innovation 

NOVA EXTERNAL VENTURES, ENABLING BORDERLESS INNOVATION    

NOVA is Saint-Gobain's external ventures arm dedicated to identifying and fostering partnerships with startups, incubators, and accelerators. 

NOVA aims to strengthen Saint-Gobain’s open innovation efforts and existing presence in major entrepreneurial hubs worldwide by connecting strategic partners with the Group’s resources and experience.

> Learn more: http://www.nova-saint-gobain.com/

> Connect on Twitter: @SGNOVA

TMT, a technical-marketing team

Saint-Gobain’s TMT team is dedicated to exploring opportunities offered by new market demands and evaluating emerging markets and technologies. It also seeks out new applications for the Group’s existing processes and products. 

SUN, a partner network of international universities

The international Saint-Gobain University Network (SUN) gives the Group access to the academic world’s latest scientific advances and high level expertise. In addition, this cooperation approach expands the pool of researchers with thesis placements and post-docs, making it easier to hire managers with an excellent level of training in strategic countries. 

The Group has long-term partnerships with, for instance:

  • The National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS) in France,
  • The Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the University of Massachusetts, and Case Western Reserve University in the United States,
  • The Indian Institute of Technology Madras in India, 
  • The RWTH Aachen University and the Fraunhofer Institutes in Germany,
  • Lomonosov Moscow State University in Russia, 
  • The National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS) in Japan. 

Partnership with CNRS in France and NIMS in Japan

Saint-Gobain, the CNRS (French National Scientific Research Center) and the NIMS (National Institute for Materials Science) have just opened the Laboratory for Innovative Key Materials and Structures (LINK) in the presence of the French Ambassador to Japan, Thierry Dana. The aim of this international research center is to develop new materials that could have applications in several of Saint-Gobain’s industrial activities, in particular ceramics, grains and powders, crystals, glazing and abrasives. Linked to both Saint-Gobain and the CNRS, the center is housed at the NIMS in Tsukuba in Japan, one of the world’s leading materials research laboratories. This is the first time Saint-Gobain and the CNRS have opened a joint research center abroad.

Saint-Gobain innovation centers 

Saint-Gobain innovation centers have been created to foster exchanges with major players in the building and construction market and provide technical solutions that meet their needs. 

Find out more about our innovation centers