MOVIN’ ON: Montreal’s Michelin Challenge Bibendum

Compiled by Randy Gananathan, Provinz Editor (from August 2017 Provinz page 40)

For almost 20 years now, the Michelin Challenge Bibendum has been the world’s main conference on mobility and its challenges. In those 20 years, the world has changed a lot and is now changing even faster than ever. The real challenge isn’t to adapt, but to help create a better world by proposing innovative mobility solutions that can benefit both the planet and the economy. Michelin, an OEM partner with Porsche, believes that assembling scientists, entrepreneurs, visionaries, creative minds, and people from all walks of life will create the necessary energy to push the world forward. “Now is the time to come together, to get inspired, to share and to explore different ways of thinking and doing things.” It was this mantra, to innovate a creative and immersive event that propelled Michelin to partner with C2, who is experienced in creating conferences that burst with inspirational ideas and actionable solutions. By rebooting the Michelin Challenge Bibendum, they’ve launched a new event to make the future of mobility a better one and a more sustainable one. But most importantly, it brings everyone together to shape it collaboratively, reinventing it together. This new paradigm was aptly named Movin’On.

The inaugural Movin’On was held June 13–15 in Montréal. There were over 4,000 participants from more than 31 countries, 108 partners (including three universities, four governments, and six research institutes) from 11 different countries, and 79 speakers, who presented 49 workshops and masterclasses. Over 40 startups presented 21 cutting-edge vehicles in an event called Ride & Drive, for everyone to participate in firsthand. 18 charging stations featured the newest of technologies for electric and fuel-cell propulsion systems.

Five experimental brainstorming experiences were designed by the C2 Team. In one, participants ascended into the air on cable-suspended chairs that had been arranged into a discussion-style circle, swinging freely below a mammoth cylindrical canopy while moving images were projected onto it. The idea was to simulate a floating sensation, and to stimulate thinking without being “grounded”. In another experience, 585 participants were set up on “braindates”, a unique new way to meet like-minded people at a conference such as this, resulting in 5,223 hours of collaboration. A soundproofed glass studio dubbed “the Aquarium” housed 18 hours of interviews by speakers, members of the Movin’On community, and other inspirational leaders.

The event was held in a 220,000 square-foot hangar that had 25 tonnes of structural material suspended from the roof, combined with 210 flat screens scattered everywhere. Planning required more than 640 hours of technical drawing by the production team and they even scattered 3,000 plants around the venue to emphasize the importance of being green while developing new mobility technologies. Michelin invited 250 members of the media from around the world to report on this inaugural event. Six innovative rolling FaceTime robots from Michelin Mexico connected Michelin employees in other locations, with real time conference participation!

Following a successful first edition, Jean Dominique Senard, President of Michelin (worldwide), announced that Movin’On would be returning to Montréal in 2018. Building on the success of the first edition, it will further develop the elements at the heart of the event.

As a Porschephile and someone deeply connected to mobility on and off the track, it will be an opportunity for you to experience the future of how we move. So stay informed and plan to attend Movin’On 2018. To enjoy discounted admission tickets, register now at:  https://movinon.michelin.com/en/2018-pre-sale

 

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