The event brought together some of the world's leading thinkers in the fields of the future and innovation. Focusing on the topics of technology and disruptive innovation, the SU Global Summit 2019 was held in San Francisco, and was attended by 2,000 agents of change there to discuss issues including artificial intelligence, blockchain, energy transition, mobility, robotics, the future of work, the impact of the corporate world and investment in disruptive innovation.
“Above all, the event was centered around a message of hope: technology has been breaking down barriers and helping humanity to evolve over time. When thinking about current socio-economic indicators, we quickly realise that we are better off than ever, however it´s true to say that the challenges facing us are greater than ever: we are due to reach the 10 billion population mark in 2050, which raises countless issues with regard to food safety and energy solutions, in addition to growing concerns in relation to sustainability. But we need to convey a positive message, that we can overcome these challenges with the help of technology and innovation”, declares Jorge Fernandes, director of Innovation at Galp.
Organised by Singularity University – the Portuguese branch of which Galp is a founding partner –, the Global Summit featured a number of lectures geared to mobility with a focus on self-driving vehicles, electric and hydrogen-powered cars. One of the most interesting examples was “Olli”, a self-driving electric vehicle manufactured in 3D in a digital micro-plant, featuring numerous built-in sensors.
Olli, a self-driving electric vehicle
“All the electrical and mechanical parts are installed after it´s been printed. The idea entails a tremendous reduction in costs, but the biggest advantage lies in the fact that production is decentralised. Or in other words, it discards the idea of mass production and global distribution for a low-scale proximity model, fully customised in accordance with the client's needs and the characteristics of the place (for which) in which it's built”, explains Jorge Fernandes, citing another example in the area of mobility: Discovery, a South African insurance firm that uses sensors in cars to analyse driving patterns, thereby conducting risk analysis based on personalised pricing.
“Why can´t we do something similar with our energy consumption patterns, from the perspective of efficiency, to define cross-selling and upselling solutions?”, cites as an example the director of innovation, who has held the position for a little over two months, and with a well-focused mission: the integration of new technologies, creating pillars of business growth and value pursuant to ideas related to the circular economy, new mobility models, new energy solutions, smart cities, and based on open innovation featuring ties with startups and different strategic partnerships.
The SU Global Summit 2019 was held in San Francisco, and was attended by 2,000 agents of change
Another purpose of the presence of Jorge Fernandes was the involvement of the Portuguese company in a dynamic and disruptive ecosystem such as Silicon Valley. “We need to be present in the innovation hotspots. We need to take advantage of our presence and capacity in the markets in which we are most active, such as the Iberian Peninsula, Brazil and Mozambique. Moreover, with regard to innovation we need to be close to the key players: in the USA, for example”.
Lisbon currently has an enormous capacity to attract technological companies and startups wishing to take advantage of resources such as engineering and computer systems. To this end, Jorge Fernandes wants to create a scouting network through partnerships and alliances geared to identifying technologies and motivated professionals to work in these areas. For now, the director, who has been living abroad for the last 20 years, says he is still “on honeymoon”. “Our job is to provide new options to facilitate the road to energy transition and to expand the company's portfolio.” In other words, to speed up Galp's future.