CMA CGM creates international startup incubator Ze Box in Marseilles

January 31, 2018: The CMA CGM Group has announced the creation of Ze Box, its first international startup incubator, based in Marseilles. Located in Le Castel building, it will cover a surface of 800 square metre and will house, starting June 2018, a dozen of startups coming from all around the world to develop their potential. A call for applications will be launched shortly.

The creation of Ze Box is part of CMA CGM’s strategy to make digitalisation one of the pillars of its development. This innovation will accelerate, complete and strengthen the initiatives that have already been launched by the group within the past months including the appointment of a worldwide team of chief digital officers, the creation of CMA CGM Ventures, the corporate venture structure dedicated to investments in innovative technologies.

Its recent investments include Nyshex, the first digital marketplace for ocean freight contracts, or e-dray, a collaborative platform enabling drayers to limit port congestion.

Apart from this, the French container transportation and shipping company has also extended support for Le Carburateur, a startup incubator for the northern districts of Marseilles, with financial support awarded to 5 businesses related to the sea, transport and logistics sectors.

It has also partnered with Aix-Marseille French Tech, a key player in digital innovation, and The Camp, an innovative campus bringing together large companies, startups, teachers and researchers. The company also has a partnership with Infosys, a global IT leader, to accelerate the transformation of its information system. Also there are new partnerships with major ebusiness companies like Alibaba.

Ze Box is launched within a strong and ambitious partnership with the Aix-Marseilles University and the Aix-Marseille Provence Métropole. As a center for exchanges aimed at accompanying startups and promote an entrepreneurial and innovative spirit, Ze Box will benefit from CMA CGM’s expertise and from the skills of researchers and PhD students. It will be headed by Matthieu Somekh, previously Head of Entrepreneurship and Innovation at Ecole Polytechnique (a leading French institute which combines top-level research, academics and innovation at the cutting-edge of science and technology). 

On the occasion Rodolphe Saadé, chairman and chief executive officer of the CMA CGM Group, stated, “With Ze Box, CMA CGM is accelerating its digital strategy and is developing the means to become the transportation industry’s leader in innovation. By combining our expertise with the one of the startups that will be hosted within Ze Box, we will develop global innovations that create value for our customers and for CMA CGM. Thanks to Ze box, our ambition is to attract to France the best startups from all around the world. Its creation in Marseilles also shows our strong will to contribute to the economic development of this territory.”