Paul de Marnix (M14) was recently appointed Managing Director of 21, the French Red Cross social innovation accelerator. He tells us about the actions he leads, and how you can support them.

ESSEC Alumni: What path took you to the helm of 21?

Paul de Marnix: Driven by a fascination for politics and law-making, I began my career at the French National Assembly and the Senate, followed by the European Parliament in Brussels. I then moved into consulting in public engagement and positioning for private companies, before returning to Parliament and entering the Ministry of Labour under Prime Minister Jean Castex. This is where I discovered the world of integration and inclusion, a true awakening on the ground which led me into social action with Nexem, the sector’s leading employers’ union, and partner of the French Red Cross as a co-shareholder of 21. That’s how I arrived in my present position, a role I embrace with a great deal of humility.

EA: What actions do you lead with 21? 

P. de Marnix: 21 is both an accelerator for social innovation and a community. Our ten-person team supports entrepreneurs and hosts around one hundred social and solidarity economy co-workers on a 1,000m² campus in Montrouge.

EA: What sort of projects does 21 support? 

P. de Marnix: We help start-ups to design and test their solutions in response to emerging and/or non-covered issues in the field of disability, child protection, independence and the fight against poverty and exclusion. This is a key challenge identified by the French Red Cross, which acts to protect and unconditionally assist people in vulnerable situations.

EA: What are the actual synergies between 21, the Red Cross and Nexem? What do you bring as one to the projects supported?

P. de Marnix: 21 is a subsidiary of the French Red Cross and its partner, Nexem. We work directly and on a daily basis with the two organisations’ networks. In practical terms, this allows entrepreneurs to test their solution within a unique experimental field in France, alongside more than 11,500 institutions and departments and 380,000 sector professionals. Access to such expertise enables fine-tuned innovation in line with needs.

EA: Could you give us some examples of 21 ‘success stories’?

P. de Marnix: Kurage assists the rehabilitation of hemiplegic patients by developing devices to strengthen or replace the brain’s motor functions, using artificial intelligence and adapted clothing. Cantoo helps children with ‘dys’ disorders to follow the school curriculum and take their exams in better conditions, thanks to the combination of various digital tools enabling them to read, express themselves or organise their ideas and workload. The software Nomad facilitates and optimises the organisation of PRM transport for the drivers of medical-social establishments. Bonjour Henry is a tablet with a vocal assistant designed to help elderly people send an email or SMS and make video calls, thanks to a form of technology adapted to their needs. And I could quote many more!

EA: What impact has 21 had more generally since its launch? 

P. de Marnix: In our 4 years of existence, we have assisted 85 entrepreneurs out of an average 150 applications annually, and have hosted more than 110 co-workers. It’s also worth pointing out that 32 employees and volunteers within our network have become intrapreneurs. This highly encouraging momentum incites us to grow further.

EA: What projects and prospects does 21 have for the coming years? 

P. de Marnix: We want to develop new themes such as mental health and the incubation of innovations by vulnerable people. Another aim is to forge links with the traditional private sector and more specifically all companies seeking a positive, useful and effective impact via the ‘S’ of their CSR. 

EA: How can the ESSEC community support 21’s activities?

P. de Marnix: You can help us to form partnerships with your company. The idea is to foster and implement the company’s CSR aims by putting it in contact with start-ups or charities serving true needs on the ground. The desire to build a world of fair and sustainable progress is an inherent aspect of ESSEC and ESSEC Alumni’s values. All we have to do is meet each other!

Interview by Louis Armengaud Wurmser (E10), Content Manager at ESSEC Alumni 

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