By Chris Donkin
Orange CEO Christel Heydemann outlined an ambition for the company to continue to push its level of engagement with start-ups, with a specific focus on those related to sustainability and inclusivity.
In a keynote the executive highlighted a €350 million(US$368.095million) pot established to support new companies through its Orange Ventures arm. Of this, €50 million is destined for businesses in Africa and €30 million set aside for what she described as impactful start-ups, including those working in the environmental field.
“We share the responsibility of making new technologies the greatest and most powerful tool to build a better world, a more sustainable and more inclusive one,” she said, adding Orange was “deeply convinced start-ups are great partners in that project”.
Pointing to the critical role in this aim played by Orange Ventures and existing work with young companies across several sectors, Heydemann added. “Our connections to start-ups and their future is only natural as they provide the tools to build the world of tomorrow, our networks are the essential gate for them to exist and then scale.
“It is through future networks we can ensure more and more services can be provided to more and more people and start-ups will continue to be our partner in that”.
