According to the 2020 Supplier-Enabled Innovation Centre (SEIC) survey, 85% of purchasing departments consider the capabilities of startups to be very important for their company but only 17% consider themselves to play an important role in collaborating with startups. 75% consider the delay between experimentation and industrialization very long.

A much-needed program for the support of innovative startups

POCs (Proof of Concept) between business lines and startups are useful, but not enough.  To set up long-term collaborations, a new customer-supplier relationship is essential. Therefore, Purchasing Departments must be put back at the centre of the Startups-Large Groups equation because they are the cornerstone of open innovation, the key between business line specifiers and innovative suppliers. Bpifrance decided to respond to these challenges by launching a support program dedicated to innovation purchase called DAPI “Direction Achat pour l’Innovation” (Purchasing department for Innovation) led by Bpifrance Le Hub. DAPI is the first program of its kind dedicated to the Purchasing Departments of large groups in CAC 40 and SBF 120 (French Stock Exchange).

The launch of the DAPI program represents an important step towards strengthening the collaboration between purchasing departments of large groups and innovative startups. By placing purchasing departments at the center of the equation, the program recognizes their crucial role in driving open innovation and fostering long-term collaborations. Through the DAPI program, Bpifrance aims to promote a strategic mindset within purchasing departments, positioning them as key stakeholders in the innovation purchase process. This involves not only facilitating proof of concept collaborations between business lines and startups but also establishing a customer-supplier relationship that goes beyond short-term projects.

The inaugural launch of the DAPI program is set for December 6, 2023, and will run for a duration of 12 months. This first cohort comprising approximately fifteen Chief Procurement Officers, will receive guidance from esteemed business experts, the renowned European consulting firm Roland Berger, as well as leading academic institution Kedge Business School, and recognized innovation purchasing experts. Each participant will receive personalized support facilitated by Roland Berger, while also engaging in interactive workshops.

For more information margaux.boullier@bpifrance.fr