Who are you? Can you briefly tell us the story of your startup?
My name is Olivier de Kerimel, and I founded Berny in 2020, a month before the first lockdown. Originally, Berny aimed to provide food industry manufacturers with healthier packaging, for example, to replace traditional ham trays with alternatives that reduce the use of plastic. Subsequently, we reoriented our activity towards returnable packaging solutions for mass distribution, before addressing our offer to manufacturers.
How did you end up working with a large group or a start-up on an Open Innovation project?
Collaboration with large groups is essential for us. It has allowed us to better understand the needs of our future customers and adapt our product accordingly.
What were the main challenges you encountered when working with a third party (major groups, start-ups, universities, labs) and how did you overcome them?
Working with a large group requires a lot of patience. Their processes are often very structured and take longer than a startup's. However, we have proven that it is possible to bring projects to fruition with limited resources and demonstrate results, without necessarily going through all the validation stages customary in large organizations.
Large agri-food groups often prioritize confidentiality by collaborating with each other rather than with startups. Have you encountered this challenge, and if so, how did you overcome it?
Indeed, you have to know how to juggle between the need for confidentiality of a large group and the need for a startup to show its credibility through this type of collaboration. Our approach is to highlight our partnership without disclosing sensitive details. Most of the time, large groups are also keen to promote their collaborations with small structures.
To know more :
Nantes start-up Berny wants to design the packaging of tomorrow
According to you, what are the major advantages of Open Innovation for a start-up?
In my opinion, 99 % of startups that evolved in a closed and confidential environment no longer exist today. The key lies in communication and collaboration with all the actors in the chain, to quickly optimize your product.
How did this collaboration influence the development of your product/service?
This collaboration was a key element in generating revenue quickly. Once the first revenues are generated, it means that we have validated both the product and the market. In fact, 85 % of the work of creating a startup is already done at this stage.
What advice would you give to other start-ups that are thinking of getting involved in an Open Innovation project?
For me, it's obvious. Open Innovation is essential, there's no question about it...
What are the future prospects for your startup after this collaboration?
Once the turnover is generated, it is possible to work on the continuous improvement of the product in real situations. This step allows to take into account parameters that are often unexpected. Then comes the scaling up.
Do you have any projects in progress with other actors?
Always! It is crucial to continue collaborating to constantly challenge yourself and stay open to new business opportunities.
Read all the « Expert Opinion » articles on the SprintProject blog
