Framework and approach

Developing an entrepreneurial culture, serving the needs of the city

To address major social, environmental and climatic challenges, cities must undergo a transition and adapt to new lifestyles, work habits and trends with regard to using and living in urban space.

In order to develop and implement solutions that respond to such transformations, Icade has put in place an agile framework, aimed at cultivating an entrepreneurial spirit and fostering a culture conducive to innovative projects.

« To ensure that innovation is more than just a great idea, we have strongly embraced an entrepreneurial culture. We consider it crucial to combine the agility of entrepreneurs and the firepower of a large group in order to address the pressing issues facing cities »

Nicolas Bellego Head of Innovation

Innovation for sustainable, healthy and liveable cities

Innovation at Icade is based on a holistic view of the city, one of smart and sustainable urban environments. For this reason, Icade is working on new ways to build a better city, including new low-carbon construction processes, frugal engineering, upcycling, temporary occupation and pop-up space, urban greening, etc.

This vision is applied to Icade’s business activities, drawing on the following topics:

The home of the future, in response to new challenges, habits and lifestyles: affordable housing, shared and modular housing, co-living spaces, new services, co-design, etc.
The office of tomorrow and the future of work: PropTech, new workplaces, co-working facilities and third places, changes in management practices, workplace well-being, etc.
Health and well-being in cities: new health and wellness experiences, short supply chains, new ways of consuming, urban diversity

Innovating to set ourselves apart from the rest and better meet the expectations of our customers and partners

With the aim of building a culture of innovation and enabling employees to initiate and implement innovative projects which improve Icade’s solutions and practices day after day, the team in charge of innovation promotes and supports intrapreneurial efforts (through coaching, training and seed funding).

The Group’s transformation is also based on co-innovation through start-ups along with local and industrial partnerships.

Urban Odyssey, 1st start-up studio shaping the cities of tomorrow

Through Urban Odyssey, Icade will develop new growth drivers and create new activities for the Group. In practice, this means putting teams of entrepreneurs in place, chosen for their entrepreneurial talent and personality, and working with them to co-create start-ups with Icade.

For entrepreneurs, it is an opportunity to find a reliable partner enabling them to scale up in an often capital-intensive industry and also to gain faster access to their market alongside a leading real estate company.

Entrepreneurs, are you worried about going it alone?

Do you have an idea? Do you have a start-up project? Are you interested in co-creating a start-up alongside a key player in cities?

Contact us

A multi-disciplinary team from a start-up culture

To spread a culture of innovation, foster intrapreneurship and build bridges between the entrepreneurs in residence from Urban Odyssey and the Group, the team in charge of innovation operates as a small start-up itself! Creative and empathetic, the members of the team take turns being business developers, coaches, promoters, etc.

Designed to support Icade’s business lines, the team also includes young graduates enrolled in the Graduate Programme.