Women in ConTech – Tech Show for Construction

On June 25, Impulse Partners, in partnership with Infopro Digital, organized a round table at the Techshow for Construction in Paris, as the French representative of the international Women in Construction Tech community.

Around the theme “Innovation isn't just technical”, 4 representatives of French companies in the construction and tech industries exchanged views. The audience was able to discover the profiles of Valérie Bernhardt, Director in charge of structuring at Groupe setec, Blandine Calcio-Gaudino, Director of the Ecosystems & Innovation Division at Banque des Territoires, Viviana Contreras, Co-founder & CEO of Akanthas, and Alexandra Legendre, Innovation Manager at Eiffage Infrastructures.

Moderated by Julie Nicolas, Head of Technical Services at Le Moniteur, and introduced by Stéphanie Bigeon-Bienvenu, Partner at Impulse Partners in charge of the construction and infrastructure sectors, this round table aimed to highlight how these women with diverse backgrounds are supporting the deployment of innovation and shaping the future of the industry by integrating diversity, inclusion and sustainability into their initiatives.

CAREER PATHS

There is no such thing as a predefined career when you are a woman in the Construction Tech sector. And this is demonstrated by the diversity of the speakers' backgrounds.

Alexandra Legendre, an ESCP graduate, quickly climbed the ladder at Eiffage. After a first position of 4 and a half years at Eiffage Génie Civil, followed by 18 months at Eiffage Construction, she returned to Eiffage Génie Civil to focus on data and artificial intelligence issues, always with a focus on innovation. Alexandra played a key role in structuring and raising the profile of innovation within the company, particularly in connection with the Grand Paris Express contracts. She set up a network of contacts in the field and organized events dedicated to innovation. Her humble, hands-on approach and the support of her team quickly bore fruit, with a notable increase in innovative projects and patents.

Valérie Bernhardt, a civil engineering and geotechnical engineer by training, started out at Soletanche Bachy, where she distinguished herself by her interest in IT and software development, a novelty in 1994. In 2000, she joined Terrasol, part of the setec Group, and quickly took charge of the “software division”, which eventually accounted for 15% of the Group's sales. In 2013, she became Managing Director of Terrasol, actively participating in various working groups on innovation, AI, data and human resources. She was recently appointed Director of Structuring at setec. Full of initiative, Valérie launched the “café des femmes”, a support and career development space for women, tackling topics such as imposter syndrome, good student syndrome and action plans for career advancement. As a pioneer, Valérie introduced at setec a one day of remote working per week in 2019, well before it became the norm during the Covid-19 pandemic. This measure contributes to gender equality and the rapid adoption of innovation within the Group. Valérie combines technical expertise with a human approach in her management functions, aided by setec's organization, which favors general technical and watchful profiles.

Blandine Calcio-Gaudino, an HEC graduate, began her career in the agri-food sector before going on assignment to New York and working at the French Ministry of Finance on the valorization of the State's intangible heritage. It was there that she discovered her passion for innovation and technology, which would become the common thread running through her career. She then joined the Caisse des Dépôts et des Consignations and, later, the Banque des Territoires. Today, she is involved in lending to local authorities, a major lever for action. A notable example of her work is an initiative prior to the heatwave of 2022: she created a collective of partners to ensure water supply in networks, going beyond the simple management of leaks. This collaboration led to the creation of the aquagir.fr website, which federates local elected representatives and basin associations to improve water management.

Finally, Viviana Contreras, a process and environmental engineer from Colombia, began her career with Veolia in France. There, she observed that only 20% of waste is recycled worldwide, in all sectors, and particularly in the construction and public works sector, which lacks digitalization. To remedy this, she created an application to evaluate waste deposits: Akanthas. Her startup uses optical sensors near skips, and AI to analyze images, optimizing waste collection, especially hazardous waste. She has been adopting a progressive roll-out of her solution in the field, first, meeting basic needs, then, adding functionalities co-constructed with user companies.

WHERE DOES THE INTEREST IN INNOVATION COME FROM?

Determination, humility and a spirit of initiative are common to all the participants, and they have all seized the opportunities offered to them. Where does this attraction for innovation come from, and how can the panelists bring it to life in their careers?

For Alexandra Legendre, her inspiration lies in technology and American startups and scaleups; drawn in her youth by the transformative impact of new inventions like the iPhone. For her, innovation must respond to emerging needs and improve collective life, particularly in the crucial construction sector, where every project contributes to the public good by tackling major societal challenges such as energy and mobility. This vision is embodied in the “why” approach, which seeks to give deep meaning to every initiative and innovation.

Blandine Calcio-Gaudino's interest in innovation is first and foremost rooted in her father's experience at Kodak, a company that missed the turn of the digital revolution. This experience left a deep impression on her, prompting her to constantly seek out transformative pivots to foster the necessary mutation. At the same time, her concern for natural resources guides her approach to innovation, emphasizing that it is not limited to technology. For her, digital technology must serve real uses and needs, and not be an end in itself.

In the same way, Viviana Contreras also shares a background marked by a strong concern for the environment, originally motivated by the desire to put an end to waste. It was this deep-seated conviction that led her to create Akanthas.

Valérie Bernhardt emphasizes that her interest in innovation stems from her growing concern about climate change, reinforced by a striking realization five years ago that motivated her to become actively involved, notably through initiatives such as “Ingénieurs & Citoyens” within her group. She recently took part in the first in-house competition on low-carbon construction, aimed at encouraging innovative ideas. She also contributes to the development of tools to assess the carbon impact of structures, illustrating her commitment to innovation in response to environmental challenges.

WHAT'S YOUR GREATEST SUCCESS STORY?

Overall, it is human, ethical and environmental issues that drive the desire to innovate. So, innovation is never the only driver; it is always at the service of more important and universal causes, constituting major engines of action.

Viviana Contreras stands out with the creation of Akanthas, illustrating an exemplary trajectory marked by tenacity. Coming from Colombia with no network, she overcame considerable challenges to become an engineer and doctor, proving that determination and perseverance are essential for success.

For her greatest success, Blandine Calcio-Gaudino evokes the creation of the Hub des Territoires, a space for meetings and exchanges that fosters trust and encounters between diverse personalities, while building a close-knit, loyal team aligned on shared values.

Alexandra Legendre highlights her three successive positions and her rapid evolution, managing to create solid relationships between teams that were previously lacking communication, and to establish a large-scale dynamic.

Finally, Valérie Bernhardt, beyond her ten years at Terrasol’s Director, expresses her pride at being the first woman president of the French Soil Mechanics Committee (CFMS). She innovated by creating a youth committee to attract new generations and diversify the organization, encouraging active participation and modernizing traditional practices.

CONCLUSION

The round table organized by Impulse Partners at Techshow for Construction highlighted the significant impact of innovation in the construction sector, with some inspiring presentations. Each of the professionals demonstrated how their initiatives, though diverse, share a common thread: innovation at the service of broader, universal causes.

Impulse Partners is the new relay in France for the international Women in Construction Tech community, an exciting initiative uniting remarkable women in the construction and new technology sectors.

At Impulse, as specialists in innovation in the sustainable city sectors (construction, real estate, industry and energy), we are proud to support and promote this approach, which is perfectly in line with our raison d'être: “Driving sustainable transformations in territories and industries”.

We firmly believe in the importance of diversity and inclusion in our sectors, and this collaboration with Women in Construction Tech will enable us to reinforce this commitment. Together, we will work to drive innovation, support female talent, and shape a sustainable future for the construction and technology industry.

Join us on this exciting journey to continue creating a positive impact on our communities and industries. Follow Women in Construction Tech to keep up to date with the latest news and exciting opportunities!