Interview with Marc Charlet, Managing Director of NextMove, SNECI’s partner

SNECI is a partner of many actors for mobility such as the FIEV, the PFA, SIA …, partners all involved in the mobility of tomorrow to meet the structural, economic, environmental and societal challenges facing the automotive industry.

Today we decided to talk to you about our partner NextMove through the interview of its General Manager, Marc Charlet.

Mr. Charlet, could you tell us how NextMove has been created ?

The competitiveness cluster was created in 2006, under the impetus of the Raffarin government, to boost competitiveness through collaborative innovation in French territories. It was born from the merger of two existing clusters at the time: Normandy Motor Valley in Normandy, and Vestapolis in the Paris region. These two regions account for approximately 70% of automotive R&D in France.

Dedicated to automotive and mobility innovation, the cluster born from the merger of these two structures was named Mov’eo at its creation.

In 2019, Mov’eo, whose action focused mainly on the aspects of innovation projects, and the Regional Associations for the Automotive Industry of Île-de-France, dedicated to industrial performance in the sector, merged, giving birth to NextMove.

A competitiveness cluster that now brings together the entire value chain with more than 600 members, from design to industrialization, in a territory of European excellence – the “Mobility Valley” – where solutions are invented, developed, tested and industrialized to meet the mobility challenges of today and tomorrow.

Can you tell us a little more about NextMove’s day-to-day activities in the field of mobility?

With the entire industry we share one ambition: to contribute to innovative and responsible mobility by bringing together the players in the transformation from idea to market.

On a daily basis, this translates into the animation of a dynamic network federating the main players in the automotive and mobility sectors and the support of :  generation of R&D or industrial projects and their labelling by experts within the cluster (about a hundred), research and support to obtain funding, development in Europe and “big international”, training projects to ensure the adequacy between skills and the needs of manufacturers, “business” support, provision of information and programming of events dedicated to current technological or industrial themes, support to the exit of crises…

The cluster operates in three main markets: mobility solutions, the automotive industry and public transport.

Recognized as a privileged place where fruitful cooperations are born, NextMove is a key reference on technologies and uses related to innovative and responsible mobility, in constant connection with the priorities of the sector and the activities of our members: mobility with a low environmental footprint, industrial and operational excellence, new mobility services and solutions and finally safe, automated & connected mobility.

We also participate in many programs for the development of mobility, for example NextMove leads the “Power Electronics” program of the PFA (National Automotive and Mobility Industry), in conjunction with the electronics industry.

The challenge for both sectors is to mobilize a real French power electronics team, with the aim of creating French leadership in these technologies.

What types of services does NextMove offer?

Initially positioned on the financing of innovation, NextMove now offers a wide range of services to its members to strengthen their competitiveness: networking, business, consulting, innovation and R&D, industry, services & 4.0, skills, development in Europe and internationally…

We can bring our know-how or that of our members and partners, whatever the type of project or its stage of development.

For example, we have just developed a demonstrator vehicle (NextCar) to enable SMEs to test their innovations, to make themselves known to major clients while sharing development, prospecting and commercial development costs.

We have also launched a platform for sharing goods and skills (GENESIS) to meet the challenges of the circular economy. At any time, it is possible to lend and request labor, make goods available or for sale, and offer industrial expertise, regardless of your sector of activity. Simple and intuitive, the platform connects qualified resources available in a job pool with employers with complementary needs, targeted as closely as possible to our contacts.

We also help members boost their visibility by offering them pavilions at trade shows, such as this June’s SIA Powertrain & Energy.

This is just a small glimpse of what the cluster can offer, which since 2020 also offers a wide range of training courses dedicated to automotive professionals or to develop in Europe.

Our services are aimed at our members, but not only. We are also opening up “premium” services to all, albeit with preferential rates for cluster members

The challenges facing the automotive industry are complex: how does NextMove support its members on a daily basis?

Innovation and competitiveness are played out in the heart of the territories. NextMove is the armed wing of the industry in the regions where we are mobilized to support the major transformations of the industry.

Our actions are totally in line with the priorities of the PFA, the national automotive and mobility industry: Research Development Innovation / Competitiveness & Industrial Excellence / Jobs & Skills.

We support our members on a daily basis to help them face the crisis and seize opportunities in the context of ongoing changes: electrification, circular economy, connectivity, new mobility services, 4.0, evolution of skills…

We animate the sector through the organization of information and awareness events and webinars.

We accompany and support projects towards financing mechanisms thanks to a labelling process that relies on a unique expertise and improves the chances of success.

What is NextMove’s ambition in 5 years?

We are in the midst of a strategic reflection phase as part of the renewal of support from the Regions and the State from 2023 (Phase 5 of the competitiveness clusters).

Our ambitions are to consolidate our position as a benchmark ecosystem at the European level, to be recognized by our members as an essential player in supporting them in their transitions (digital, environmental, industrial, societal), to play a major role in France’s industrialization strategies for the technologies of the future, and to be a “super-accelerator” of growth and business for ETIs, SMEs and start-ups.

What is your current situation?

We are currently actively preparing the 9th edition of our annual convention.

It is one of the major events for players in the sector, and will bring together more than 300 industrial, academic and institutional players in our ecosystem on June 23 in Le Havre, with an ambitious program that includes a forward-looking and dynamic conference, discussion forums and technological innovations, and awards for innovative cluster members.

Every year, we propose prospective interventions by bringing in leading professionals.

For example, this year Luc Julia, Scientific Director of the Renault Group (ex-Director of Apple’s Siri program) will share his vision with the professionals present.

SNECI and the mobility of tomorrow:

With 70 years of expertise in the automotive industry, an industry of excellence, and thanks to our knowledge of the sector and with our many partners, we accompany the actors of the automotive industry on a daily basis whether they are manufacturers or suppliers.

Our expertise ranges from business development to industrial performance. As part of commercial development, we offer market studies, tailor-made strategies, research for partners and financing, international business development through the establishment of a commercial, project, quality and logistics team locally.

In industrial performance, we offer purchasing, optimization and logistics management solutions, as well as management of complex projects (dismantling, transfer and launch of production lines, with a part of reengineering and optimization of production lines). Our experts are also able to offer audits that meet international standards, manufacturer standards, industry standards and even customize our ISA© audit tool to have a specific and tailored audit. Our training offers in partnership with NexMove but also SIA, FIEV, STELLANTIS, GALIA, allow us to have a complete approach for the professionals of the subsidiary since the training is one of the keys to better prepare the future. Finally, our Sorting and Reworking department allows us to intervene in less than 2 hours in 14 countries to implement Quality walls.

If you wish to be accompanied by our experts, do not hesitate to contact Laura by email laura@sneci.com or to contact us directly via the contact tab of our website.