HAS Saint-Denisa stone’s throw from the Olympic infrastructures, the Handilab recently opened its doors. On an area of 13,000 m², this first innovation accelerator dedicated to handicap and to the car lossescrumb, carried by the Fiminco groupaims to sustainably evolve the place of disabled people in society.
A legacy of the Paris 2024 Games
“Handilab was born from a strong conviction: to offer a unique place where actors of innovation, disability and autonomy meet“, says Gerald Azancotpresident of the Fiminco group, at the origin of the project. Conceived as a concrete legacy of Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Gamesthe Handilab aims to be a model d’innovation inclusive.
Stéphane Houdet, three-time Paralympic wheelchair tennis champion and ambassador of the project, underlined the importance of such an initiative to change the way we view disability: “It’s time to include people with disabilities as true value creators“.
A place of innovation and cooperation
The Handilab is structured around several pillars to encourage research and concrete solutions: a start-up incubator dedicated to disabilityled by the Village by CAexperimental spaces, but also an original device, the Many times. The latter allows beneficiaries to test the solutions before their deployment.
Furthermore, academic partnerships, particularly with theParis-Nord Sorbonne University and theESSECwill accompany the work of the Handilab. A research chair on inclusion is already in preparation.
Training and awareness
In addition, Handilab Learning will offer modules of formation continue on the issues of inclusion. Essec, the Catholic University of Lille and ISC Paris have already joined this initiative, which could soon extend to Sciences Po.
“Our ambition is to create a unifying ecosystem, open to all, which will become a reference in terms of innovation serving a society more inclusivewhere no one is forgotten“, recalled Gérald Azancot.
A unifying project supported by committed stakeholders
Many companies have already taken part in the project, including AXA, Capgemini, L’Oreal, Bouygues or even Orange. The Handilab also benefits from the support of local communities a you associative fabrica sign of a shared desire to promote an inclusive society. With this initiative, the territory of Saint-Denis positions itself as a “true laboratory of social innovation“.
By being in line with the values of the Paris 2024 Games, the Handilab does not stop itself from seeing further. “The long-term ambition is to open up to international cooperation and become a place of exchange to facilitate the development of international innovations.“, concludes Gérald Azancot.
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