Linking innovative French SMEs and key accounts

Thursday September 17, the DGA welcomed 27 key players of the defence sector, among which MBDA, to its first Club RAPID* annual meeting in Paris, an event organized with Comité Richelieu**. This new DGA  initiative, meant to become a yearly event,  aims to foster group-wide exchanges enabling key accounts to meet SMEs and discover programs that have been developed since Club RAPID was created 5 years ago.

To facilitate encounters, networking and business contacts, 20 minutes face-to-face meetings were arranged. DGA had defined 300 innovating lead themes, among which 40 were of prime concern to MBDA. A team of MBDA experts met SMEs working in innovation fields connected to R&D in systems of weapons to identify opportunities and discuss about innovations carried by Rapid projects.

MBDA’s leading innovation and commitment to strong partnerships find in the DGA initiative a great opportunity to reinforce the dynamics of cooperation and business possibilities with SMEs, echoing its E3 vision Explore, Engage, Endure and creating a real value chain.

*The Dispositif RAPID is a DGA program financing French SMEs developing highly experimental and technological programs.

**Comité Richelieu is a French non-profit organization representing small and medium innovative companies.