French-American Chamber of Commerce Texas - Magazine SS2020

FRENCH-AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

RICE UNIVERSITY'S CARBON HUB

ACCELERATING THE ENERGY TRANSITION THROUGH GREEN HYDROCARBONS

MARIE-NATHALIE CONTOU-CARRERE Executive Director for the Carbon Hub Research Advisor for Industry Partners at Rice University FACC Houston Board Member

PRODUCED BY THE FRENCH-AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE HOUSTON

Dear Members,

The world is going through a devastating crisis. Hopefully, it will come soon to an end

In the recovery, innovation and entrepreneurship will remain the engines of economic growth and job creation. One example of this innovation and entrepreneurship is being made in Houston’s energy sector where there is an ambition to turn Houston into the low carbon energy capital of the world. Another example is in the healthcare industry where digitalization plays a greater role.

The French-American business community is fully engaged to help the Greater Houston ecosystem in its effort towards more diversity. This issue FACC Magazine #4 showcases many examples of remarkable entrepreneurs' initiatives, successful innovations, and the unique expertise that French companies are developing in Texas in energy, chemicals, utilities, fashion, and art-de-vivre.

The return to normal will make it possible to launch many new initiatives that have been suspended The FACC's team is ready to back and foster them to strengthen the links between France and the Gulf Coast.

Franck Avice President, FACC Houston

200 members

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MEMBERS OF OUR FRENCH-AMERICAN BUSINESS COMMUNITY

ENERGY & INNOVATION

CARBON HUB LED BY RICE UNIVERSITY

ACCELERATING THE ENERGY TRANSITION TO ZERO-EMISSION HYDROCARBONS

BY MARIE-NATHALIE CONTOU CARRERE

Rice University research initiative aims to fundamentally change how the world uses fossil fuels

TheCOVID-19pandemicperfectlyhighlightedboththe progress we can achieve with global action and the massive impact of humanity's activities on carbon emissions The International Energy Agency projects thatglobalcarbondioxideemissionswilldeclineby8% in 2020 compared to 2019, owing to the worldwide measuresputinplacetoslowthespreadofCOVID-19in March-April 2020 This dramatic reduction in carbon dioxide emissions showcases the power of acting as one Unfortunately,italsocamehandinhandwithdire economicconsequences

Aseconomiesrestart,humanitywillhavetoaddressthe nextconundrumwithaglobalimpact:howtoprovide sustainable energy to the world while fostering prosperityandensuringequitablestandardsofliving?

This dual challenge presents a set of interconnected problems:creatingnewsourcesofcleanenergybeyond solar and wind; improving the energy efficiency of our air, land and sea transportation systems with lighter and fully electrified vehicles; decarbonizing the manufacturing and construction sectors; and the potential obliteration of the fossil hydrocarbon industry, which represents about 8% of the world economy

Are there potential technological solutions that could impact most or all the areas above, and do so simultaneously?Yes!

Inaugurated with a $10 million commitment from Shell, the Carbon Hub brings together industry, academic and non-profit organizations with similar goalstoworkinunisonasnon-competitivepartners in order to accelerate the transition to reliable and affordable clean energy generation through the sustainableuseofhydrocarbons

Don’tburnhydrocarbons!Splitthem!

Instead of burning hydrocarbons and releasing carbon dioxide, split them into clean-burning hydrogen fuel and solid carbon materials Hydrogen isazero-emissionfuel,andthecarbonfractionfrom hydrocarbons can be used in everything from cars and clothing to buildings and soil additives for farmers

The concept of using hydrocarbons as a source of hydrogen and valuable carbon materials is a new one Forthisconcepttobeusefulonamassivescale typicalofenergysystems,wemustfind ways to turn gigatons of carbon into useful and marketablesolidproducts

Fortunately, research and technological advances in the past two decades have unlocked a portfolio of technologies for making carbon materials that can compete with metals and other emissions-intensive materialsusedinconstructionandmanufacturing

MARIE-NATHALIE COUTOU-CARRERE

Dr Marie Contou-Carrere currently serves as the Interim Executive Director for the Carbon HubIn this role, she oversees the initial deployment of the Carbon Hub structure She develops, initiates and monitorsbusinessdevelopmentactivities Andsheistheprimarypointofcontactfor non-technical inquiries about the Carbon Hub

InherroleasResearchAdvisorforIndustry Partners at Rice University, Dr. Marie Contou-Carrere combines business experience and in-depth knowledge of Rice University’s research across all the differentschoolsanddepartmentstohelp companies map their interests and needs to the Rice research portfolio and establishcollaborativeresearchprograms.

Workingwithacompany’sresearchandbusinessleaders, Dr Contou-Carrere develops and implements a strategic plan to align Rice’s research capabilities with the company’s interest and needs Prior to joining Rice University in 2014, Dr Contou-Carrere worked at INEOS Olefins&PolymersUSAwheresheheldvarioustechnical and commercial positions over a decade She received a PhD inChemicalEngineeringandMaterialsSciencefrom theUniversityofMinnesotaandaM.SfromEcoleCentrale Paris,France.

MyambitionsfortheCarbonHub

Addressingclimatechangechallengesrequiresaportfolio ofsolutions TheCarbonHubissettingthefoundationsfor apathwaytoacceleratethedevelopmentandadoptionof long-term sustainable technologies by engaging with decision makers, industry and community leaders Our ambition is to grow the Carbon Hub to fund and direct $100 million of basic science and engineering Will you joinus?

Matteo Pasquali, Carbon Hub Director

TheCarbonHub,thecollaborativechampion

Theparadigmshifttoaworldwherehydrocarbons supply zero-emission fuel and marketable solid products requiresafocalpoint,aplacewhereresearch,developmentand policy-making come together to help establish new value, manufacturingandsupplychains.

With world experts in carbon materials among its faculty and the presence of one of the top university-affiliated energy thinktanksintheworld,RiceUniversityisuniquelypositioned tobridge,enlist andcoordinatetheeffortsofthesemanypartners.

Inadditiontocreatingaresearchecosystemwithmorethan70 researchersacross20universities,federallabsandresearch institutes, the Carbon Hub is establishing the framework to quickly triage solutions to identify scalable technologies by bringing the supply chain together from the energy companies totheendusersofcarbonmaterials.

Rather than replicating the existing organizations and infrastructure that are addressing the hydrogen value and distributionchains,theCarbonHubfocusesonthecarbonside of the puzzle and interfaces with the hydrogen-focused organizations so as to ensure the two components of the hydrocarbonutilizationbenefitfromeachother'sadvances.

Pavingthepathtoscalabletechnologies

TheCarbonHubwillfundanddirect research to develop scalable applications that are adaptive to the range of available solid carbon forms The Carbon Hub alignsitspartners'businessperformancewithacommitmentto environmental,socialandcommunitystewardship

ThefirstwaveofresearchprojectswillbeannouncedintheFall

InformedbyIndustryNeeds

TheCarbonHubmaintainsitsfocusonindustry needs by creating a true technology push / market pull environment to ensure that resources are spent only on scalable solutions that match the needs of partners on the upstream and downstream portions of envisioned supply chains, and of the public simultaneously. This continued focus is ensured by the engagement of industrial members asintellectual,technological,andgovernanceleaders.

Marie- Nathalie Contou -Carrere, Executive Director for the Carbon Hub Dr Alan Windle, Emeritus Professor of Materials Science from the University of Cambridge

ThePiazzaisthecommunitybuildingarmthat draws in the scientific and engineering communities

The Scuola is the educational and workforce development arm that informs the public on the new materials and applications, while disseminatingthenewapplicationsdeveloped bytheBottega.

A Holistic Approach

The Carbon Hub integrates four key activity areas in order to achieve its ambitious mission.

The Foro is the policy arm that ensures that technology development, societal needs and perceptionremaininsync.

TheBottegaistheresearcharmwherescience andtechnologyproblemsareinvestigated.

TheCarbonHubandSustainability

Asaresponsiblestewardofvaluableresources,theCarbonHubmission andactivitiesarealignedwithseveraloftheSustainabilityDevelopment GoalsestablishedbytheUnitedNationsin2015.

The Carbon Hub enables the development of economically viable and environmentally sustainable pathways for valuable hydrocarbon resourcesandcleanenergygeneration.

The Carbon Hub leads the way to a more efficientemission-freeuseofavailableresources through constant technological progress and innovation.

The Carbon Hub supports sustainable consumption and production by researching and promoting resource- and energy-efficiency andsustainableinfrastructure.

The Carbon Hub will create a new source of cleanenergybeyondsolarandwind.TheCarbon Hub’s mission allows to decarbonize the industrial sector and improve the energy efficiencyofthetransportationsector.

The Carbon Hub is creating partnerships with the private sector, academia, the government andthecivilsociety.

The Carbon Hub will enable a zero-emissions future where clean energyandadvancedcarbonmaterialsareco-producedefficiently and sustainably from natural gas and oil. Fossil hydrocarbons are nolongerburnedforenergyandlarge-scaletechnologyisdeployed to provide carbon materials that house, move, clothe and feed people.

Formoreinformation,contactusatcarbonhub@rice.eduandvisit ourwebsiteatcarbonhub.rice.edu

SUNPOWER

POWERFUL HOME, COMMERCIAL & UTILITY SCALE SOLAR PANELS

SunPowerhasjoinedtheFACC networklastyear. HeadquarteredinSiliconValley, SunPowerhasemployeesacrossthe UnitedStates,andastrongpresence worldwide,withofficesinAfrica,Asia, Australia,EuropeandSouthAmerica. SunPowerismajority-ownedbyTotal.

35 YEARS OF INNOVATING

BUSINESS CASE SUNPOWER POWERING THE TOYOTA PLANO HEADQUARTERS

Toshowhowinnovationhashelpedtotransitionthe energysector,looknofurtherthanSunPower.Asone oftheworld'smostinnovativeandsustainableenergy companies, the publicly-listed company provides a diverse group of customers with complete solar solutions and services Residential customers, businesses,governments,schoolsandutilitiesaround thegloberelyonSunPower'sprovenexperience.

Thecompanyrecentlymarkedits35thanniversaryin businessandwiththatcamesomeremindersofhow far solar has come and the role that SunPower has played,todate:

Installed 13.2 gigawatts of solar power– the equivalent of powering nearly 7.5 million homes foroneyear;

Manufactured 315 billion cells – enough to circle theearthninetimesiftheywerelinedup;

Achievednearly2,000patentsandpatentspending worldwide;

Helpedtopowerplanes,trains(stationsatleast), boatsandracecarsaroundtheworld–andhasan impressive list of well-known brands, that is secondtonone.

One of the brands that SunPower is proud to call a repeatcustomerisToyotaMotorNorthAmerica. Inlate2017,onlythreemonthsaftertheopeningofits headquarters in Plano, Texas, the company immediately made a significant addition to the campus – an 8.8-megawatt (MW) solar system installed by SunPower across Toyota’s four rooftop parkinggarages.TheprojectpushedToyotacloserto its renewable energy goal of making all its facilities GHG-emission free by 2050 and helped the Plano headquarters gain LEED® Platinum green building certification–thehighestontheLEEDratingsystem.

For more than 16 years, Toyota has been entrusting its renewable energy missions to SunPower, completing more than 15 MW of solar projects for Toyota:

536kilowattsinTorrance,California(2002)

2.3MWinOntario,California(2008)

1.5MWinWestCaldwell,NewJersey(2009)

8.8MWinPlano,Texas(2017)

3.2MWinSanAntonio,Texas(2018)

Toyota Plano headquarters campus

PoweredbySunPower’sproprietaryhigh-efficiency modules, the solar systems are expected to help Toyota save millions of dollars in electricity expensesovertheir25 yearlifetime

For the Plano headquarters, SunPower designed the solar systems and the installation was completed on the 100-acre campus in under six months The four carport systems use more than 20,000 of SunPower’s E-Series solar modules, with up to 21% efficiency, to produce approximately 33%oftheelectricityneededtopowerthesite The project became the largest commercial solar installation among non-utility companies in Texas atthetimeofitsactivation

Toyota’s Plano office was able to earn enough pointstobecomea“greenbuilding”Atthetimeof the solar project, SunPower® E-Series solar modules were Cradle to Cradle Certified™ Silver, a status recognized and rewarded by the US Green BuildingCouncil TheCouncilisthegoverningbody of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®),themostwidelyusedgreenbuildingrating system in the world Toyota is not the only enterprise making a major renewable energy investment today. Sustainability goal-setting has beenanincreasingtrendamonglargecorporations, as companies become more conscious about reducingtheirenvironmentalimpact.

VisitSunPower

Cradle to Cradle Certified™ is a certification mark licensed by the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute Cradle to Cradle Certified™ is a multi-attribute certification program that assesses products and materials for safety to human and environmental health, design for future use cycles, and sustainable manufacturing

"Allspaceprojects pushthefrontiers oftechnologyand aredriversof innovation.”

Martin Rees Cosmologist

CROSSOVER TECHNOLOGIES BETWEEN SPACE & ENERGY

SPOTLIGHT INNOVATION FORUM EVENT SPACE & ENERGY

"Space technology is awesome and there are many crossovers with the energy industry" summed up Dr Vincent Saubestre, moderating a great evening of exchange on February 27th, organized by the French American Chamber of Commerce, with support from Rice University and Total The panel featured Steven Gonzalez, Technology Transfer Strategist Nasa Johnson Space Center,SudhirPai,aformerexecutivewith SchlumbergerandcurrentChairman

of the Technology Collaboration Center that brokers technologies across various industries and, Pr David Alexander OBE Director of the Rice Space Institute andanexpertinthescienceofthesunand exoplanets With 70+ researchers, Vincent leadstheresearchanddevelopmenteffort of Total in the US in the areas of computational engineering, High Power Computers, seismic imaging, Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage and deep offshoreandreservoirtechnology.

Dr DavidAlexander Director&Professor Dept.Physics&Astronomy RiceSpaceInstitute

StevenA González TechnologyTransfer Strategist NASA/JohnsonSpaceCenter

SudhirPai Chairman&BoardofDirectors TechnologyCollaboration Center

VincentSaubestre President&CEO TotalEP Research&TechnologyUSA

“I always use a gimmick when I present Total” he said in his introduction.

“I say that our pioneer spirit has enabled us to corner the energy market in space; that gets people’s attention”.

VincentSaubestre President & CEO Total EP Research & Technology USA

Indeed: Hutchinson builds compositepartsthatarecrucialto the liftoff of the Ariane rockets; Saft has more batteries in space than anyone else, batteries that reboottheF35Lightningfighterin the air if it hits (expected) turbulence; Saft batteries will powertheExoMarsrover;thesame Sunpowercellsthatequiproofsor residences around the US, propelled Solar Impulse around the world. These three high tech companies are majority-owned by Total.

I was keen to promote this dialogue for two main reasons

Firstly, there are numerous areas of overlap between the space and theenergyindustry:

We are motivated by a pioneer spirit (one of Total’s core values), that are an inherent part of our staff’sDNA

We are not afraid to explore new frontiers in remote and extremely hostileenvironments

Our industries can only expand their horizons by actively pushing the limits of existing technologies andinventingtheonesthatdonot exist

Ourprojectsspanmultiyears,their development cost billions but we have developed the know how to identify and mitigate the safety andfinancialrisksofthesemassive projects

Finally, you need for numerous experts to stand together and support each other with no reservation to achieve a success thatcanonlybeobtainedthrough activecollaborationandaflawless alignment to a shared vision and values.

Secondly, great innovation comes from confronting ideas from different trades. Biotech was bred by biologists and computer science engineers coming together.Thesameshouldhappen between space and energy in numerousareassuchasmaterials, processing of material, control systems, human design, unmanned installations, remote sensing, seismic acquisition and modeling, energy generation and, data transfer, data analysis, drilling and transportation (of water on the moon for advanced bases), robotics, and the list goes on.

It was fitting that this event happened on the same grounds that witnessed John F Kennedy pledge to send to the moon and safely return man to earth on the year of the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11.The 100+ participants in attendance got to travel from the depthsoftheoceantothestarsin a little over an hour and then sample succulent French cateringfromFloParisBakery.

Whataride!Andwhosaysthereis nosuchthingasafreelunch!"

Totalwebsite

SPACE &

Steven A Gonzalez

Technology Transfer Strategist NASA/Johnson Space Center

"When you look for innovations for your company, NASAencouragesyoutolookup.UnlikeVegas,what happens in space does not need to stay in space. NASAwascreatedwithatwofoldmission.Thefirstis to explore space and the second is to benefit humanity. Technologies that enable the exploration of space have and continue to impact the energy industry. Shell’sGameChangerteampartneredwith NASA to create the Sonar Sphere probe to inspect pipesinanunderwaterexplorationfacility.

NASA also partnered with Astro Houston, Inc. to develop a system that detects subtle changes in tension due to the tides, wave activity, storms and routine boat docking operations. This technology was installed in two platformsinthe

AkeyreasonforthesuccessofNASA’stechnologyin the energy industry is due to the match in culture between the two industries and our collective approachtodeployingnewtechnology.

Overtheyearsthisrecognitionhasledtoanumberof Houston events aimed at bringing together energy and aerospace including Rockets and Rigs, Pumps and Pipes and SpaceCom If you are interested in exploring the NASA technology catalog for potential licensingopportunities,pleasegotoNASAwebsite

Atlantic Ocean and uses a fiber-optic strain gauge system to measure the tension on subsea risers and pipelines.

ENERGY

Dr. David Alexander

Director & Professor Dept Physics & Astronomy at Rice Space Institute

"Withrespecttothetechnicalcrossoverbetween space and energy there are two broad approachesonecouldtake:

1) synergistic technology development such as autonomous systems, sensors, robotics, safety systemsetc or

2)applicationdevelopmentusingspace-derived datatosolveenergyrelatedproblems

At the FACC event, I focused on the latter, identifying a number of areas in which space resources could be beneficial to the energy industry.

Earth remote sensing, communications and other commercial satellite-based services drive the space applications market with industrial, governmentandprivateusersallbenefittingina varietyofways.

In the energy industry, space-based highresolution imaging systems, hyperspectral and multispectral detectors, hi-fidelity communications, LIDAR and SAR all provide valuable information in seeking out new resources for exploration, near- and real-time situational awareness for operational management,andenvironmentalmonitoringfor betterstewardshipandregulatorycompliance.

Space is not just a destination, it is a valuable resource, one that provides unique vantage points for observing, monitoring, and exploring with an array of powerful tools generating knowledge, intelligence and awareness for successfuloperations."

RiceSpaceInstituteWebsite

Sudhir Pai Chairman & Board of Directors Technology Collaboration Center

"Thereisapopularsaying.Theanswertoyourproblem maybe in your neighbor’s toolkit. The same holds good for technology. A lot of technology is developed by various industries siloed; with very little effort undertaken across the crossovers to see the similar needsandeffectsacrosstheindustries.Letmeillustrate withafewcasestudies.

More than $2.5Bn has been spent, in recent times, in research and development in the field of Imaging betweenEnergy,SpaceandMedicine.Yetwhatisshared isalmostzero.

Personally, I have been using imaging particularly magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) techniques since I entered the Energy industry; the same MRI techniques are used Energy to identify safe hydrocarbon exploitation capabilities as are used in Space Medicine to clear humans going into space. Similar physiological and quantification of fatigue techniques (cause and effect)areusedinextendedisolationconfinementareas inenergy(rigs)asareusedbeinginspace(capsules).

Similarly Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) techniquesareusedtoestimateVs(slippagevelocity)be itinEnergy(wellwithoilandgasflowmediums),Space Medicine (blood particles flow through arteries and veins) and even Formula 1, two cars on a race track in theDRS(dragreductionsystem)zoneastheflowofair

goes between laminar to turbulent during safe overtakingoftworacecars.

Another area gaining rapid acceptance in a rather conservativeindustryasEnergy,fortherightreasons,is remote operating unmanned systems (ROUS). The idea is, when possible, to remove humans out of hazardous areas and let robotics technology do the work of inspection maintenance and repair (IMR). The value becomes more significant as you move away from the human manned stations be it Mission Control Stations (Space) or Operations Support Centers (OSC- Energy). Similar techniques are followed to improve the quality oflifeandHSSEforhumans.

Dataacquisition,processingandanalysisisanotherkey area of cross-over between energy and space. Particularly in the current era of digital transition. Acquiring the right amount of data, just in time so realtimeanalysiscanbedonetomakechangesorkeep operations the same has wide relevance across the variousindustries.Amoveto5Gandblockchainshould seestrongcrossoversasindustriestakeagripoverdata security & communications and decide to manage it betweentheEDGEandtheCLOUD."

TechnologyCollaborationCenterWebsite

NASA INNOVATIONS IN OUR DAILY LIVES

FOCUS ON ENERGY, RENEWABLES & PETROLEUM INDUSTRIES

BY GERMAIN HURTADO

ENGIE and Advisor at DEMETA SAS

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) sent two astronauts to the International Space Station from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida aboard a Space-X rocket end of May This was the first launch since the last flight of the last Atlantis spaceshuttlein2011

Since 1958, NASA was created during the Cold War to organize all the American special activities with 10 large research and development centers as well as to work on innovations Forsixdecades,spaceexploration hascreatednewtechnologiesusedinourdaily lives,particularlyintheenergy,renewablesand petroleumindustries

NASA maintains a patent portfolio for manufacturerswishingtodevelopatechnology orsimplyuseexistingtechnologyin15areas

Aeronautic

PowerGeneration

&Storage

Materials& Coatings

IT&Software

Electricals/Electronics

Robotics,Automation &Control

Instrumentations

Manufacturing

HealthMedicine &Biotechnologies

Optics

Propulsion

Mechanical &FluidSystems

Communication

Environment

Sensors

Technological advances in space energy and energy storage offer significant benefits to spacecraft, launch, vehicles, landers, rovers, spacesuits, tools, habitats, communicationnetworksandallthatisneededinspace exploration Therearebridgesbetweenaerospaceandthe transfer of these technologies to renewable energy and petroleum

Contrary to the mythical phrase "Houston, we have a problemhere"pronouncedduringtheApollo13mission byastronautJohnLeonardSwigert.SinceNASA’screation, it has offered technical solutions that have been industrializedsuchasAeronauticalresearch,includingthe aerodynamicsoftheairflowoverturbines,isoneofNASA's researchandresearchfields NASAmaintainsseveralwind tunnelsofdifferentsizesusedtopredicttheperformance ofnewrotorcraftprototypesandotherequipmentwhere aerodynamicsisessential.NASAappliesitsexpertiseand facilitiestowindapplicationstocreatemoreefficientwind systems.

Aquanaut,aremotelyoperatedvehicles(ROV)

NASA through its research and exchange programs such as X-Factors andiTechhasproventobeasuccessful public-private partnership model to stimulate the development of revolutionarytechnologies,withoutthe governmentbeingthefirstin:

• Technologies for space applications alsoofferearth-basedbenefits,helping toreducethecostofsolarpowerwith more efficient systems NASA helped promote the development of unmannedplanestoflyremotelyata high altitude for several consecutive days, requiring advanced solar energy sourcesthatdidnotaddweight.Asa result, SunPower Corporation created the most advanced silicon-based cells available for ground or airborne applications.

NASA had been a pioneer in the development of technologies, particularly for remotely operated vehicles"ROV"asweknowthemtoday. Giventhatmanyofthesetechnologies are similar to those that astronauts could use in space, encouraging significantadvancementinourindustry duringtheinstallation,operabilityand inspectionofoffshoreinstallations

Intermsofdepollution,NASAthrough oneoftheseprogramshasdevelopeda system for the purification of water allowing a degradation of toxic chemicals that astronauts could meet whilelivingontheInternationalSpace Station.Thecommercialversionisused forthesanitationofwastewaterandthe depollutionandcleaningofoilspills

• The performance of fuel cells and regenerative fuel cells as well as high density batteries and supercapacitors

Each year, NASA hosts a working meetingonbatteriesandstoragewith public and private partners to discuss thelatestinnovations.

•Smallfissionreactorsarealsoanarea of development for NASA, particularly forMars.

• Innovative energy management and distribution(includingsmartgridsand wirelessenergytransfer)

Whathappensinspacedoesnotstayin space! Some examples of Spin-Off transfersfor2020inenergyinclude:

•Sincethereisanabundanceofcoal, coalisacheapresourceforgenerating electricity Itisalsoamajorsourceof toxicpollution Thereisanalternative to burning coal for electricitygasification - benefits from NASA's rocket expertise developed by companiesworkingwiththeMarshall

Space Flight Center with the R-Gas Gasifier to help countries with low to medium incomes This system is smallerandlessexpensivetobuildwith asignificantreductioninCO2emissions compared to conventional gasification plants

Several developments have made it possible under a contract agreement with NASA to market Flarecatcher and Vaporcatcher systems which transform waste and greenhouse gas emissions intofuel

The NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory research center taught two California Institute of Technology students how they could make a fuel cell using a crystal that drives protons at record speeds These students started a business offering fuel cells with their teacherandarenowusedatoildrilling sitestooperateequipment

Other programs funded by NASA will further impact our daily lives in the futuresuchas:

Attheforefrontofdata:

InspiredbytheAERCamtofloataround the space shuttle in order to inspect it without having to go out into space NASA engineer Darby Magruder helped adapt the AERcam for the Brent digitization project This transfer allowed on the Brent oil field stopping itsproduction,todiscoverthenatureof the sediments at the bottom of 64 storage tanks in the three concrete superstructures of Brent Bravo, Brent CharlieandBrentDelta Thissonarwas abletodiscoverwhatwashiddeninthe sediments Each of these super structures weighs more than 300,000 tons and measures the height of the EiffelTower

A monitoring system for NASA risers derivedfromNASAtechnologytracks

the pressure on subsea risers This system consists of optical fibers which determines the tension in the submarinerisersandprovidesreal-time dataforthestabilityoftheplatform

A Global Energy Forecast Project (POWER)hasbeenlaunchedtoimprove the current renewable energy dataset and create new datasets from new satellite systems The POWER project, includes renewable energies, and sustainablebuildings

This transfer of space technologies brings us real advantages in our industry, which also improves the lives and well-being of ordinary citizens whileallowingthecreationofstart-ups, comforting certain industrialists and allowingnewjobsandgrowth

GREEN CHEMISTRY

BY GERMAIN HURTADO

Thecoatingplaysthelowcarbon

The sustainable chemistry called also green chemistry focuses on the environmental impact of chemistry, including reducing consumption of nonrenewable resources and technological approaches for preventing pollution Green chemistry addresses our future challenges in working with chemical processes and products by inventing novel reactions, preventing chemicalpollutionandmanageresourcesdepletion.

On both sides of the Atlantic, two start-ups, Materia Inc. (Pasadena,CA)andDEMETASAS(Rennes,France)hadthe idea of using this discovery by formulating cylco-olefins, includingDCPD(dicyclopentadiene),withadditivesanda catalyticsystem.Bysimplemixing,thereactionisstarted and leads to a polymer with unique mechanical and thermal characteristics. Note that these catalysts are extremely robust, not sensitive to oxygen or water, and therefore do not require complex molds or injection systems. The two start-ups have patented their slightly different systems and market them under the Proxima® andNexTene™brands,respectively.

In 2005, Prof. Robert GRUBBS (US), Dr. Richard SCHROCK (US) and Dr. Yves CHAUVIN (FR) collectively received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry thanks to their development of the metathesis method in organic synthesis. While this technology has been widely used in industry, for the manufactureofdrugsandchemicalintermediates,usinga ruthenium catalyst for the Ring Opening Metathesis Polymerization(ROMP)ofolefinshasallowedthelaunchof novel high performance polymers. ROMP key advantages aresavingatoms,verylowconsumptionofactivationand process energy, as well as very low production of byproducts and hazardous waste. It ticks 5 key boxes of the GreenChemistryprinciples.

The classic coating families

Polyurethaneswhichare generallysensitivetohigh temperatures(>80°C)

Epoxieshavelimited moistureresistanceandare brittle.Inaddition,some formulationscanbevery expensive.

Thewidespread polypropyleneisnot resistanttotemperature (highandlow)andthe injectionequipmentand toolsareratherexpensive.

Siliconeshavegood thermalpropertiesbutare expensiveformost applications

OthertechnicalpolymerslikePEEKorPVDFareappearinginourindustriesbut arenotveryavailableandareveryexpensivebothintermsofimplementation andCO₂balance.

Unlike these materials, Proxima® and NexTene ™ resins combine excellent resistance to corrosion, hydrolysis, temperature, with very good thermal insulationandadensitycloseto1.

Inadditiontocoatings,likethoseusedontheAppomattoxprojectintheGulfofMexico,thetypeofresinsdeveloped by Demeta and Materia also finds applications in the fields of buoyancy modules, custom coatings (combining protectionagainstcorrosionandexcellentthermalinsulation)butalsointhefieldofcompositematerials,allowing, thankstoadensityof103,tofurtherreducetheweightofsubseainstalledsystems

"DEMETA is fully involved in efforts to reduce the carbon footprint of the industries. NexTene's carbon footprint is reduced by half compared to that of epoxy resins, polyurethane, polypropylene, etc and this without concession, neither on the mechanical properties, nor on the thermal properties, nor on its implementation” indicates PatrickPIOT,CEOofDEMETA.

Demetawebsite

#facc MEMBERS MEET O U R

PHILIPPE FARIA, BRANCH MANAGER BOLLORÉ LOGISTICS

A WORLDWIDE NETWORK

Bolloré Logistics is a global leader in international transport & logistics with 609 offices in 107 countries. The companyhasenricheditsexpertisetobecomeatier‐onesupplychainpartnerandoneofthetop10transportand logisticscompaniesintheworld ThecomprehensiveBolloréLogisticsserviceoffer(FreightForwarding,Customs& regulatory Compliance, Express, Industrial Projects, Logistics & Supply chain) is growing thanks to its focus on providingmorevalue‐addedservices.

BolloréintheU.S.

AsamajorcenterfortheAmericasregion,BolloréLogisticsUSA has a coast to coast network of 17 US offices and has been presentatallmajorUS airandoceanportssince1969 Bolloré LogisticsUSAhasabroadrangeofcapabilitiesandexperienced staff to handle both general cargo and project cargo with specificexpertiseinanumberofverticalsectorssuchasOil& Gas, Aerospace, Cosmetics & Perfumes, Healthcare, Flavors & Fragrances, Chemicals, Fashion & Retail, Food & Beverages, Perishablesandmanyothers.

Philippe Faria, is French and he is the Head of Bolloré Logitics in Houston, Texas. His internationalexperiencesshapedhiscareerthat sent him at a key distribution center in the US Bolloré Logistics joined the FACC Houston in 2019.

BolloréinHouston

Located within 2 miles of Bush Intercontinental Airport and 20 milesfromthePortofHouston,ourhubinHouston,hasbeenthe GlobalDistributionCenterforOil&GasactivitiesinNorthAmerica and the Control Tower for Global Freight flows and Project Management, offering a complete one‐stop shop door to door logisticspackage

Currentfacilityincludes:50,000Ft2CoveredWarehouse,3,500Ft2

Packing Area, 5,000 Ft2 Hazmat Containment Area, 1,767 Ft2 CFS BondedArea,7AcresStabilizedYard,17LoadingDockDoors&3

Ramp Doors, over 1,600 Pallet Rack Positions, 342 Bins for Receiving,24HourSurveillance&FullyFencedinyard,11Forklifts

From5to45,000lb incapacityandanIn‐HouseCustomsBroker A newstate‐of‐the‐artfacilityisindevelopment.

Bolloréwebsite

A world reference company in training and engineering dynamic simulators - Made in France.

CHARLES ROSMORDUC, CEO CORYS

SIMULATION FULL THROTTLE!

In2017CORYSandRSISIMCON–bothsubsidiariesofFrenchcorporations-decidedtomergetheiractivitiestocreate a world leader in training and engineering simulation across the process, rail transportation and nuclear power sectors RSISIMCONhasbeenpresentinHoustonsince2006providingdynamicsimulationsolutionsfortheOiland Gasindustry.

CORYShasbeenpresentintheUSwithanofficein

Jacksonville FL for more than 10 years with 2 main businessunits:

Nuclearpowerplantoperatortrainingsimulators

Railway cab operator simulators for both freight and passenger trains (including subways and light railLRV)

Theintegratedcompany,headquarteredinGrenoble, France, is a subsidiary of EDF, FRAMATOME and IFP Training The North American organization now consists of over 70 employees in Houston, TX and Jacksonville, FL CORYS Inc can claim over 1000 simulatorsdeliveredandinoperationformajorclients suchasDowChemical,BP,AMTRAK,BSNF,Dominion orExelonPower.

2019wasabusyyearfortheHoustonofficedrivenby strongdemandforOTSandnewsimulationproducts suchascloud-basedsimulators.

The market demand for innovative training products remains strong principally due to the considerable turnoverofoperationspersonnelandretirements

CORYSisplanningonenhancingou simulatorswithnewAItechnologies andwirelesssensorstoenrichtheir capabilitiestoassistoperational decisionmakingandprocess optimization.

Servingthepetroleumindustryforover40years

CORYSoffersOperatorTrainingSimulators(OTS)forthe training of the plant operations staff and DCS code validation The use of a high-fidelity dynamic process simulator allows for more efficient and safer commissioningofnewprocesses

In this sector, CORYS clients are among the largest refiningandpetrochemicalcompaniessuchasDow,BP, NovaChemicals,orCPChem

Thanks to the new capabilities offered by cloud computingplatforms,CORYSrecentlydevelopedanoffer for cloud-based simulators Our clients can now access their applications from almost anywhere through a secure internet connection allowing much more flexibilityfortraining

Coryswebsite

Charles Rosmorduc (CEO) & Peter Herbert (COO)

A high-end Parisian brand inspired by Rugby

FRANCK MESNEL, CEO & ALICE LAULAN, BRAND AMBASSADOR EDEN PARK

THE AMERICAN DREAMS COMES TRUE

Ahigh-endParisianbrandinspiredbyRugby…

The Eden Park story began in 1987 when two international rugby players from Racing Club de France decided to create a high-end fashion brand. Franck Mesnel and Eric Blanc, both students at the time,puttheircreativeandoffbeattalentstogether, inventing a brand whose inspiration and codes are based on authentic and amazing true-life events. Following the tradition of other athletes with an unconventional approach to their sport, they cultivated a slightly eccentric look while still remainingelegantatalltimes.

Driven by their quirky humor and their attention to detail, they created a genuine Eden Park style, the icon of which is the Rugby jersey in all its multiple variations.

Distinguishable either by the symbolic Pink bow tie logo,orsimplybytheirdistinctivecolorschemes,the designsareworkedonwithgreatcareandattention, ensuringthebrandmaintainitsrightfulplaceinthe market.

Driven by his taste for paradox and attention to detail, Franck Mesnel subsequently created a genuine Eden Park style, with the Rugby jersey and clubblazerbecomingiconsofthebrand.Availablein a wide variety of colors, the Rugby jersey is perfect for weekend wear, while for more formal occasions theclubblazerretainsallitselegantauthenticity.

EdenParkintheUSA

After33yearsofcontinuedgrowthinEurope,AfricaandAsia,EdenParkissettoexpanditsinternationalactivity toincludetheUSA “WeknowthespecialattractionthatFrenchcultureholdsforAmericans,andwewantedthemto shareallthetrademarkParisianknow-howwhichmakesourbrandsounique,”saidFranckMesnel

The iconic French brand will launch its American activity with a multi-pronged presence in 2020. Firstly, a new internet site, totally redesigned and dedicated to the United States market will go on line in April, allowing the AmericanpublictopurchaseaspeciallycuratedselectionofEdenPark’sfinestproducts.

EdenParkwillthencementitsAmericanpresencewiththeopeninginNewYorkofanown-nameboutiqueinthe AmericanDreamMall,accompaniedbycontinuedexpansionthroughmulti-brandretailstores

So,getreadytodiscovertheuniqueParisianstyleofEdenPark,withitsoff-beatandirreverentchic,atlastinthe UnitedStates!

Alice Laulan, V.I.E at the FACC Houston, representing the famous French brand, Eden Park.

Tellusaboutyourselfandwhereyouarefrom:

Alice Laulan:My name is Alice, I am 25 years old and from the South West of France near Bordeaux In January 2020, I moved to Houston and I really enjoy being here. I am hosted and supervised by the FACC Houston for my mission which is to develop Eden Park intheUSA.

HowlonghaveyoubeenworkingforEdenPark?

AL:Ijoinedtheadventure3yearsagowhereIstartedas a Sales Coordinator for the French market. I had the chance to complete many different tasks which helped me understand the core activities of Eden Park and learnaboutitsretailstrategiesandstakes.

WhatisyourmissiontodayintheUSA?

AL: GROW. We are already present in 35 countries as diverse as Great Britain, Senegal, Canada, Italy, China and Turkey. We are partnering with nearly 200 worldwide retailers and now are aiming for the American Dream. We are opening our brand’s new websiteintheUS thisweekwhichwillbefollowedby theopeningofabrickandmortarstoreintheAmerican DreamMallinNewJerseynearNewYorkCity

WhathasmadeEdenParksuchasuccessfulbrand?

AL: Its quality, which is our top priority, its legitimacy linked to its founder, Franck Mesnel who is always relyingonhisrigorandstyleatthesametime

Whatdoesthepinkbowtierepresent?

AL: Legend says the bowtie has been invented to opposetheformaltie.Thebowtiecameasafantasy.All the story about Eden Park is a mixture of rigor and fantasy;thisparadoxtoputpinkbowtiesonthesebig rugbyplayers.Inthecurrentconstructionofwhatwe’re doingwiththebrand,wehavefantasylininginsidethe jacket,weuseoval,rugby-shapedbuttons,checksand stripes,etc.

#LeFrenchFlair is now in the USA!

Howisitdifferentfromothersportswearbrands?

AL:ThedifferenceisthatEdenParkhasafantastic true story inspired by the French flair. It is something intrinsically tied with rugby, its history, and a lot of dedication.

How would you describe the company Eden Park in threewords?

AL:Home,united,andfun.

How would you describe the brand Eden Park in threewords?

AL:Sportswear,casualchic,andelegant

Eden Park is reaching for the stars with its U.S. online store

TheParisianfashionbrandEdenPark,renownedforits famousPinkBowTielogo,isabouttotackletheUnited Stateswiththeopeningofadedicatede-boutique.

EdenParkistheworld’sleadinghigh-endfashionbrand inspiredbythegameofRugby Foundedbytwoformer Frenchinternationalrugbyplayers,FranckMesnelandEric Blanc, its inspiration is both legitimately and deeply rootedinthesport.Forthepast33years,thebrandhas remained faithful to this authentic DNA. Every season neverthelessbringsanewtouchofaudacityandoff-beat chic,epitomizingtheuniqueFrenchFlairwhichhasmade EdenParkanevermoresought-afterbrandaroundthe world

Withmorethan350domesticpointsofsale,EdenParkis alreadyamajorplayerinFrance.Whileinternationally,the concepthasalsobeenexportedto37othercountries, addinganother217pointsofsaleacrosstheglobe

“We would be so proud to touch the hearts of this great nationwithahigh-endproductthatalsocapturesthespiritof the times. The challenge, like the United States itself, is massive. But it is up to us to meet that challenge with collectionsthatarebothoriginalandveryFrench”saidEden ParkfoundingCEOFranckMesnel.

EdenPark’spresenceintheUSAkickedoffinApril2020with the opening of its dedicated on-line shop, allowing the U.S public nationwide to purchase a specially curated selection of the brand’s finest menswear products. These include the iconic Rugby jerseys à la Eden Park, color-block polo shirts from the Spring-Summer collection, and embroidered teeshirts. Naturally, every item carries the signature Pink Bow Tie logo, occasionally featured in tone-on-tone or monochrome.

This,however,willonlybethestartofEdenPark’sAmerican Dream.Hardontheheelsoftheon-linestore,theParisbrand willhighlightitsU.S.presencewiththeopeningofabrickand mortarboutiqueinNewYorkCity,accompaniedbycontinued expansionthroughmulti-brandretailstores.

So, get ready to discover the unique Parisian style of Eden Park,withitsoff-beatandirreverentchic,atlastintheUnited States!

wwweden-parkus

"We want to offer the American public a hint of French inspiration."

Franck Mesnel Founder & CEO

Franck Mesnel

Emmanuel Saint-Martin &

TRUST: THE KEYSTONE OF DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION

BY PHILIPPE FLICHY INDEPENDENT DIRECTOR & DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION ADVISOR

Certaintopicstendtobetrendyforawhileandthen are written off Digital Transformation has recently beenovershadowedbytheonsetoftheCovid-19virus but may actually regain the spotlight as we weather thestorm,wearebusyfacing.

Satya Nadella, Microsoft CEO says “Digital transformation is about reimagining how you bring together people, data, and processes to create value and maintain a competitive advantage in a digital-first world ” Whatheisproposingwedoistocreateashift in our corporate culture Bringing together people, data and processes is a fundamental evolution from thewaymostcompaniesare

working today Data is central to this new approach

The generalization of artificial intelligence and data processing which have been around for over three decades recently benefited from the advent of massivelow-costprocessing.

Transforming this data into insights requires many steps,theyaretheprocessesSatyaNadellaisreferring to.

First off, data should be collected; this means identifying the data points which can be reliably collected at a reasonable cost. They then need to be aggregated and normalized so they can be validated. Transferringthisdatareliablyandsecurelyattheright frequency is also a considerable challenge. Only then canthedatabeanalyzedandcorrelatedtobeshared and transformed into actionable information or better,reliableinsight

For these processes to be efficient, people have to evolveandbewillingtocooperateandsharedataand methodologies.Thismeanscrossingtheboundariesof thetypicaldepartmentalsiloswecanobserveinmany companies.Aculture of trust needs to emerge so we can comfortably rely ondataanditsanalysisfromothergroups.

Fordatatobeshareditrequireseffortstonormalizeit and access it from various data bases. This exercise requires cooperation across disciplines and across companies Sharing is much more natural among Millennials and GenZ than the older generations for whom knowledge retention is a synonym of power Each generation would greatly benefit from learning from each other. The Modern Elders can bring the wisdomtheyhaveaccumulatedovertheyearstothe table,andtheyoungergenerationssharetheirdigital acumen.

Trustisbasedonempathyandgettingtounderstand others, what they feel and think. Empathy leads to kindness and respect. A culture built on trust is also dependent on clarity Knowing how to clearly communicate with one another on the expected results

As well as, discussing priorities with their managers. This in turn will allow managers to give clear and precise feedback with which everyone will be able to set their daily tasks and improve efficiency. Finally, claritywillunifyteamsandimprovemotivationacross all of its members. Trust is also based on humility, beinghumblemeans,wearewillingtolistentoothers and recognize we can be wrong without much fuss Leadersshouldshowtheway Leadershipiswhatwill foster a culture of trust and the steps into adopting datadriventoolstomakemoresuitableandefficient decisions Leadership isn't a "me" thing, it's a "we" thing. Great leaders should have empathy and perspective. A leader’s real role is not about being in charge, it is about taking care of those in our charge. When everything goes right the credit is awarded to theentireteam.Wheneverythinggoeswrongyoutake onalloftheresponsibility.

Youdon’tneedatitletobealeader,justshowtheway tobuildempathyandrespectaroundyou!

Philippe Flichy is a digital transformation strategist and advisor to tech companies with deepknowledgeoftheenergyindustry.Heisalso an independent director and held senior positions at Schlumberger, Baker Hughes and Weatherford. He also an entrepreneur who startedhisfirstcompanywhenhewasstillin college.HejoinedtheO&Gindustryfromthe2002 Salt Lake Olympics delivering all the games results. He initiated the Digital Transformation Study Group at the Society of Petroleum Engineers. Philippe graduated from Boston UniversityinManagementInformationSystem.

Philippe Flichy, Independent Director & Digital TransformationAdvisor

LEON ARKI Business Developer, introducing Febus Optics to the Texan market

WhoisLeon?

LeonArki:Iam24yearsold,Igrewupinthesouth suburbofParisinFrance Igraduatedin2019witha master of Science in Engineering through a workstudyprogrambetweenSafranAircraftEnginesand theCESIEngineeringSchoolinParis With3yearsof apprenticeship and other internships, I gained experience in measurement technologies for industrialR&Dpurposes.

I have always been interested in the American cultureandIhavetraveledalotintheUnitedStates. Together with my experience and communication skills,IthinkIamagreatassetforFEBUSOPTICSto expanditsactivitiesinNorthAmerica.

YouarrivedafewmonthsagoinHouston,howdo youlikeit?Why?

LA:IknewalittlebitaboutHoustonfromprevious trips Ilovethiscitybecauseitisalwaysfascinating, especially the people and the connections this city allows All the industries blooming in Houston are making it an incredible melting pot for people like mecomingfromallovertheworldtoworktogether Exploring and getting along with locals is not as simple as it was before the covid-19, but the city is stillamazing

Why did FEBUS OPTICS decide to introduce itself into the U.S. market?WhatisyourmissionasaV.I.E?

LA:FEBUSOPTICSisafast-growinginnovativecompanybringingstateof-the-art Fiber Optic Sensing technology to the market and we think that our products and services can serve companies, universities and organizationsaroundtheworld Developingpartnershipsandbusiness in the US Market is part of FEBUS OPTICS’ long-term strategy, especially given the range of markets that we address (Oil & Gas, PerimeterSecurity,Geophysics,Geothermics,PowerCableMonitoring, andCivilEngineering) Moreover,wealreadyhadcustomersintheUSA and seeing the business developing, it became obvious to FEBUS OPTICS management that they needed to be present in the USA I am happy to be a part of it and I am eager to drive the business forward withenthusiasmontheAmericanmarket

FEBUSOPTICSisnowpermanentlypresentinHouston to address the North American as well as the Central andSouthAmericanmarket

YourmaincontactinHouston,TX: LeonARKI,BusinessDeveloper leonarki@febus-opticscom

+13463037238

New generation optic fiber

WhatisFebus'sambitionintheU.Smarket?

LA: FEBUS OPTICS's ambitions is to become a reference when people think about distributed fiber optic sensing technologies and solutions The US marketisclearlyofinteresttoFEBUSbecausethereis ahighpotentialforseveralofourkeymarketswhere we proposed high added value solutions such as Perimeter Intrusion Detection System, pipeline and powercablemonitoringorseismicacquisition.

The intention for our presence in the USA is to best serveoutcustomersfromthebusinesspointofview butalsofromthetechnicalpointofview.Wewantto answerquicklytheirissuesandbereactiveininstalling oursolutionsandinprovidinglocalsupport.

Our presence in the USA intends to best serve our customers from the business point of view but also fromthetechnicalpointofview.Wewanttoanswer quickly their issues and be reactive in installing our solutionsandinprovidinglocalsupport.

Inafewwords,whatarethemainattributesofyour fibersensingsolutions?

LA: Our value proposition is that we are an expert in distributed fiber optic sensing technologies and solutions,wedesignandmanufactureDAS(Distributed Acoustic Sensing), DSS (Distributed Strain Sensing) and DTS (Distributed Temperature sensing, Brillouin and Raman based systems) Our technologies can be deployed and used on standard optical fiber and provide measurement every meter over a very long distance(morethan50kmperequipment)

Measuringtemperatures,strainsandvibrationsallows integrity monitoring of infrastructures such as pipelines, wells, umbilicals, power cables, civil engineeringstructures(bridges,dams,tunnels )

Our solutions are made for different applications, mostly for structural integrity monitoring of infrastructures, seismic activity monitoring and perimeterintrusiondetections

FEBUS OPTIC

THE MANUFACTURER OF ALL YOUR DISTRIBUTED FIBER SENSING SOLUTIONS

FEBUSOPTICSistheonlymanufacturerthatproducesallthedistributedopticalfibersensingsystemstomonitor temperatures, strains, and vibrations: Distributed Temperature Sensing (Brillouin and Raman based DTS), DistributedStrainSensing(DSS)andDistributedAcousticSensing(DAS)systems

FEBUSOPTICSisagrowinginnovatingcompanybringinganewgenerationoffiber-opticsensingsolutionstothe market.FEBUSOPTICSallowsthemonitoringoftheintegrityofinfrastructuressuchaspipelines,wells,umbilical, powercables,civilengineeringstructuresortransportationinfrastructuresaswellasperimeterintrusiondetection. Inadditiontoinfrastructuremonitoring,FEBUSOPTICSprovidessubsurfaceseismicdataandcharacterizenatural eventslikeearthquakesorlandslides.

Headquartered in Pau, South-West of France, FEBUS OPTICS brings robustness, performance, flexibility and cost effectivenessinallitsmonitoringsolutionsforareal-timeinfrastructuresurveillance.

A strong team of experts in optical sciencesandsoftwaredevelopment

With more than 20 employees with strong backgroundinoptics,electronics,HPCand software development, the FEBUS OPTICS team develops and manufactures equipment exceeding customer expectationsandprovidesthemarketwith state-of-the-art products and customized services

FEBUS OPTICS is not only providing a complete solution on an entire project from early study to installation and commissioning, but also working as an OriginalEquipmentManufacturerwiththe possibilitytoprovideadaptableandeasily integrated solutions to answer specific customerrequests.

FebusOpticsWebsite

OLIVIER PISTIAUX, CEO SOYOOZ

REVOLUTIONIZES RECOMMENDATIONS

Soyoozwasfoundedin2013.After3yearsofR&D,SoyoozcommercializeditsfirstversionofaSaaSsolution.Soyooz has 20 customers in Europe (Samsung, BNP Paribas, MACIF, Fujifilm,..) and has already generated millions of recommendations Olivier PISTIAUX (founder and CEO) has recently moved to Houston to expand the business in theUS

In the digital era, the number of products or services available is virtually limitless and consumers are rapidlyoverwhelmedwithtoomanyalternatives.

The current tools available are often based on simple and basic decision trees (chatbots, filters, etc) or, for certain applications, predictive recommendations basedonhistoricaldataandsimilaritiesbetweenusers (videoandaudiostreaming,e-commerce).Thesetools are too basic to provide effective recommendation. A recent Gartner study revealed that 77% of buyers reporthighpurchasedifficulties.

Using artificial intelligence, Soyooz reveals the customer’s needs to offer them a personalized recommendation and (probably the most important element), a personalized justification to understand whytheproduct/servicefitstheirneeds

Soyooz solution can be integrated on its client websites or as a sales tool to better present products...andsellmore.

Soyooz dramatically changes the purchasing journey byfocusingoncustomers’realexpectations.

Led by French entrepreneur, Olivier Pistaux, Soyooz is part of the French Tech ecosystem Becoming now a very promising startup in the local Texan scene.

"Helping our clients managing their offer"

Byansweringashortandsimplequestionnaire(6/8questions),theuserobtainsapersonalizedrecommendationin lessthanaminute

ThecurrentCOVID-19crisishasgeneratedboth a reduction of business and new opportunities. While some projects have been postponed by Soyooz customers who have been harshly affected by the crisis, the lockdown has accelerated the ongoing digital transformation. Someindustriesunderstandthatithasbecome urgent to provide their customers with a highlevel of recommendation and guidance and, at thesametime,savetime(andmoney)fortheir teamsthroughautomatizationofthecustomers discoveryprocess

Anticipating the coming slowdown, Soyooz is workingonstreamliningitsofferbyfocusingon afewerlinesofhigh-valueproducts/servicesas wellasfasterdeliveryusinganincreasedlevelof artificialintelligence.

Soyoozwebsite

Figure 1: Example of a question on Samsung website

Figure 2: Example of a recommendation on Samsung website

Audrey-Laure Bergenthal

CEO & Founder of Euveka

DISRUPTING THE FASHION INDUSTRY

Founded by Audrey-Laure Bergenthal, Euveka is specialized in robotic technologies linked to morphology and biomimicry. Euveka has developed scalable and connected robot-mannequin, capable of reproducing the human body’sdiversity:abiometricsolutiondedicatedtoalltextileprofessionals.Anewdisruptingtechnologythatwillnot onlyforceplayerstoreinventstoreandclientexperiencesbutalsowillenableclientstotryonclothesdirectlyonthe robot-mannequinwithoutlongandcomplicatedfitting.

10yearsago,afterrepeatedcomplaintsfrommyfamilyandfriendswhowere havingdifficultiestofindgarmentsmatchingwiththeirsize,thatIbeganto be interested in making garments ten years ago after hearing repeated complaints from my family and friends who were having difficulties finding garmentstomatchtheresize Ihadtheideaofdesigningarobotmannequin thatcouldadapttodifferentmorphologiesafterobservingthatthewooden mannequins being used are unrealistic to the human body and haven’t changedforcenturies

It seemed important to me that the textile industry take account the differencesthatcanexistbetweenabodyof16yearsandanotherof60years even if they are both of 38, while integrating the different bodies types dependingontheareasgeographic Myambitionwastoprovideahigh-performanceequipmentthatwouldallow professionals to be accompanied precisely in their creative process, from designtoproductionuntilthesaleofproducts

So after studying law and art history in order to become a lawyer, specializing in intellectual property, that I decided to renounced to do my thirdcycleatHarvardandundertookaBTSinfashiondesign -modeling,in ordertolearnthetradeofmyfutureusers After5yearsasproductmanager for major brands, I was able to learn the production of clothes, a rigorous professionwhichshowsthatwealwaysneedtherightmeasurementssothat thegarmentsfitwell

Emineo,thedesignsoftware

Thisground-breakingtechnologyenablesEuvekatooptimizethe productionuntilthesaleoftheproductswithacustomizationat eachstageofclothingmanufacturingandanoptimalqualityof controlonanewmodelofgrowth,notonthevolumebutonthe reductionofunsoldproductsThisrobot-mannequincanreproduce clothingatthesizeofeachcustomeroreachtargetedmarketand improvetheproductionphasewithfaster,better,saferandgreener processes.

Euveka'ssolutionfacilitatesmanufacturingprocessesbysavingtime andcuttingprototypingcostsbytwo,whichisoneofthemost expensivestepsforthecompanyThisinnovativeand100%madein Francetechnologyconsistsonacustomizationateachstageof clothingmanufacturing.

Euvekawebsite

EuvekaisaFrenchFashionTechExpertonthepersonalizationoftheprocessesinthetextileandclothingindustry.

ECONOMIC PROSPECTIVE

TEXAS ECONOMY OVERVIEW

WHAT TO EXPECT?

BY ADRIAN CASILLAS, KAN CHEN, NATHANIEL KARP & MARCIAL NAVAL ECONOMISTS AT BBVA

TEXASANDTHEU.S.

Since the Texas Department of State Health Services confirmed the first positive test case for COVID-19 on March4th,thenumberofpatientshasbeensteadilyincreasing,andthestateandcitygovernmentshavebeen escalating preventive measures. Strict restrictions, such as "stay-at-home" or "essential services and activitiesonly"orders,inevitablyincurhighcostsonthelocaleconomy.

Thecurrenteconomiccrisisdistinguishesitself from previous ones by simultaneous supplyand demand-side shocks, coupled with financial markets dislocations and a global recession. Given the nature of the pandemic, thenegativeimpactontheeconomyismostly mechanical.

In essence, many businesses have to shut down for an extended period no matter how well they are managed, and their closure happenssimultaneouslyacrossregions

Such an all-in attack on people, not balancesheets, partially paralyzes the national economy. Thus, the effect of economic stimulus is limited before all community outbreaksarecontained

Suchahighsynchronizationofadverseshocks is illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, where we compareTexaswithtworepresentativestates inthecurrentpandemic Asoftoday,NewYork has the highest number of COVID-19 patients whileKansasrepresentsthosewitharelatively smallnumberofcases.Althoughtheseverityof coronavirus outbreaks varies significantly, all three states started to lose a record-breaking number of jobs in the week of March 21st , followedbyabruptlabormarketdeteriorations intheweekofMarch28th.

)

Such simultaneity shows that collective measures aimedtoflattenthecurve,suchasthe"stay-at-home" orders,aredamaginglocaleconomiesinawayshared amongallregions Therefore,forTexas,alargestate with asophisticated economic structure, the coronavirus will damage its economy in the short terminawaycomparabletotheUS economy

Already,theeconomiccontractioninTexasisseverely impacting accommodation and food services, transportation and warehousing, health care and social assistance, administrative, support, waste management,andremediationservices,mining,retail trade, manufacturing, real estate rental and leasing, andconstructionindustries

OILANDGASINDUSTRY

Relative to other states, a distinctive feature of the Texas economy is the high concentration of energy companies As a share of GDP, the mining sector in Texasaccountsforaround15%ofthetotal,whereas for the U.S., this share is 1.4%. In terms of nonfarm payroll,miningaccountsfor18%inTexasand05% intheU.S.

Asaresult,theongoingpricewarbetweenRussiaand Saudi Arabia is dealing a massive blow to the state economyontopofthecoronavirusoutbreak.Withthe WTI trading between $20 and $30/b (some Texas blendshavetradedbelow$10/b),manycompaniesin theoilandgasindustrywillsuffernegativecashflows atatimewhencreditandfundingconditionsremain impaired.Ifthisenvironmentextendsforaprolonged period,thedamagecouldbedevastating

)

Arecentsurveyoftheenergysectorconductedbythe DallasFed1illustratesableakoutlookfortheoiland gasindustry.Accordingtothissurvey,morethanhalf oftheoilproducersplantoreducetheiremployment in2020.

Moreover,15%ofthefirmscouldgobankruptwithina year if WTI continues to stay under $40/b, and this ratiocouldincreaseto40%ifthecrudeoilpricefails togoupwithintwoyears

Duringpreviousoilandgasdownturns,firmsmanagedto overcome the turmoil through cost reductions and productivity improvements. Critical technological advances often originated during stressed times Also, many firms increased their leverage or took the opportunity to increase M&A activity. However, this time around,itisnotclearhowmuchprivateequityfundingwill beavailableorhowquicklyfirmswillbeabletodevelop newandeffectivedefensivestrategies

In principle, emergency responses from the Federal Reserve, the White House and Congress will help ease someofthefinancialpressures.However,unlessallmajor oil producers swiftly implement significant cuts, it is uncertainhowpoliciescouldeffectivelycountertheonetwo blow from the collapse in energy demand and the excesssupplyinthemarket.

15% of the firms could go bankrupt within a year if WTI continues to stay under $40/b, and this ratio could increase to 40% if the crude oil price fails to goupwithintwoyears.

VULNERABLEMSAs

The concentration of industries in large urban Texas cities is fairly diverse, save for downstream oil production in Houston, and compares to cities on both the east and west coast. However, West Texas and the border region, which are known as "oil towns," will likely feel more pressure from declining oilpricesandcontractionindemand Industries that will be most affected include mining and natural resource extraction, travel, and transportation services, and leisure and hospitality This leaves metropolitan areas around the Permian Basinassomeofthemostvulnerableanywhereinthe country.

The 2015-2016 energy crisis created economic stress on Texas metropolitan areas in proportion to their exposure to mining and natural resource extraction. OdessaandHoustonwerehitthehardest,giventheir reliance on upstream and downstream activities, respectively Regardless, few MSAs saw aboveaveragegrowthinGDPin2016,whichshouldhighlight theresidualimpactofoilandgastoberealizedagain inthecurrentcrisis

BOTTOMLINE

The headwinds from declining oil demand and increasingsupplywilldelaytherecoveryoftheTexas economy

Consequently, we expect Texas GDP to decline between-3.7%and-6.9%in2020,thatis,worsethan theU.S.average.Thiswouldmarktheworstrecession sinceatleast1978

BBVAwebsite

B2C TRENDS

A NEW CRITICAL MASS

POST-CORONAVIRUS

BY LAUREANO MON & MAURIZIO RIVER SERENA

The social, cultural, psychological and economic impact of the global health crisis, triggered by the coronavirus, will be massive. The general consensus is that when this crisis is over, a new normal will be constructed, redefining society and the market. Some new trends will emerge while others will be accentuated encouraging a greater number of people around the world to adopt new sets of values, social behaviors,fearsandconsumptionhabits.

FACTORSTHATAREENCOURAGINGCHANGES

Therearefourchangefactorsoperatingsimultaneously that are instigating actions and reactions in people, thateventuallycouldturnintotolastinghabits

Thefirstisisolation.Humanbeingsareessentiallysocial beings,andwhentheyfearbeingisolatedfromtherestof the group, they can’t help but react. While technologymediatedinteractionisuseful,itdoesnotentirelyreplace the social effect of live face-to-face connection, where non-verbalcommunicationplaysadecisiverole.Insome cases,isolationcanleadtoconflictandevenescalateinto domesticviolenceor–asshownbycertainstudies- tothe riseofmentalillnessandhealthproblems

Thesecondfactorthatinfluencespeople’sactionsduring apandemicsituationisfearofillnessanddeath.Thefact thatwearedealingwithan“invisible”dangerthatcannot beconcretelydefinedaddstothedrama

The third factor is large-scale social uncertainty. The pandemic has completely disorganized our lives, immersing us in the feeling that everything is out of our control Thephenomenonoftoiletpaperhoardingcanbe interpretedasadesiretotakecontroloftheuncertaintyin the only way we know how: through excessive consumptionandaccumulation.

The fourth factor is related to the negative economic impact that the pandemic will have on families In the U.S.,thenumberofunemployedhasincreasedbymillions inahandfulofdays.Simultaneouslywearestillinakind of stand-by mode that prevents us from actually implementinganyeffectivestrategies

TRENDS THAT WILL CONSOLIDATE A NEW CRITICALMASS

Theseabovefourfactorswillcausebroadswaths of the population to react and make some extraordinary decisions to overcome the crisis. Thehealth,socialandeconomiccrisescouldbe thedefinitiveboostthatacceleratesanalready emergingcriticalmassintegratingnewpatterns, perceptions and ideas around the following topics:

THE RECOGNITION OF INIQUITY AND INEQUALITY

As all people are vulnerable to the same biological threat, a human condition of equality has been revealed in a deeply unequal society Thissituationmakesprivilegesmoretangible An exampleisthecontroversyunleashedintheUSA over the privileged access that some celebrities havehad,withoutreportingserioussymptoms,to theCovid19test Thedesireformoreequitycould be reinforced in the future, giving rise to new formsofmicro-activism.

THEBREAKINGOFINDIVIDUALISM

Inasocietywhereindividualismisacult,itisnow becoming clear that survival largely depends on coordinatedactionwithothers Paradoxically,the strategyofsurvivalconsistsinsocialdistancingas defense,butalsoinsolidaritywiththecollective. The desire to create micro and macro communities (online-offline) will be greatly stimulated

THESEARCHFORNEWMEANINGS

Thegrowingdissatisfactionofmanypeoplewithdifferentaspectsoftheirlives(work,socialroles,cityinwhichthey live,etc)couldincreaseinthesemomentsofforcedisolation Farfromthepreviousdailydistractions,inthesolitude oftheirhomes,manypeoplearefindingtimetoreflectandevaluatewhatbringstruemeaningtotheirlives.

VALUESFIRST

In times of survival, the magnitude of compulsive consumption of superfluous products and services is greatly exposed.Also,luxurygoodswillbegintobenewlyjudgedbythevaluestheycarryandthebenefitsthattheyoffer. Brandsthatunderstandtheemotionalshocktheirconsumersaregoingthroughwillenjoygreaterpositioningina post-pandemicscenario

RECONNECTINGWITHSIMPLE,DAILYCOMFORTS

Confinementhasbroughtaboutagreaterawarenessofourimmediateenvironment:ourhomes,andtheirabilityto provide us with physical and emotional comfort. The desire to feel comfortable at home could lead to designing objectsandclothingforindoorlifewithafocusonfun,intimacyandfunctionality.

THEREVALUATIONOFPROXIMITY

Staying at home and only moving a few meters away to do necessary shopping, has forced people to pay more attention to their immediate environment, taking more notice of their neighbors but, also, re-discovering local businesses Thiscouldtriggeragreaterfrequencyofpurchasesinlocalstoresaswellasthegrowthofhealthyfood homedeliveryservices.

THEENHANCEMENTOFCOLLECTIVEEFFERVESCENCE

The concept of collective effervescence coined by sociologist Émile Durkheim describes the social mechanism by which people need massive events in a single place (concert, demonstration, religious act, sportingevent)inordertoachievecollectiveexcitement. Faced with the impossibility of meeting in person, peoplearelookingfornewwaystoconnectvirtuallyin largeevents(hundredsofpeopleconnectedindancing, singing,andtraining,forexample)orthroughcollective actionsfromtheirwindowandbalconies.

THE STRENGTHENING OF PHYSICAL AND EMOTIONAL IMMUNITY

Faced with a biological threat and a stressful and uncertain economic and social situation, people are rapidly adopting strategies to strengthen their bodies andminds.Inour2023TrendReportonBetterness,we had already identified the growing demand for strengtheningtheimmunesystem,aswellasacquiring personal tools to develop cognitive alertness and emotional health. In a post-coronavirus scenario, this desirewillincreaseandwillencouragetheconsumption of healthy foods, regenerative therapies, medicinal cosmetics, garments with antiseptic textiles, among other things The traceability of products will have to guaranteestrictsanitationrequirements.

THEREDEFINITIONOFTHEDIGITALSPACE

Many people are testing, for the first time, at least one new online tool: virtual fitness, remote work, e-learning education, and online shopping,amongothers Butpeoplearealsobeginningtousetheir creativitytoformsocialinteractionsondigitalplatformsandservices such as online concerts by orchestras that assemble musicians playingtheirinstrumentsfromhome.

BACKTOHUMANCONTACT

During social distancing, people are spending many hours making video calls to chat with friends or sharing moments with dispersed familymembers.Willthesocialgatheringsbe100%onlineafterthe pandemic? We can affirm, with a high degree of certainty, that the desire to reconnect analogically with others will intensify after this period.

THEURGINGOFACTIONSONAGLOBALSCALE

The rapid reactions of countries around the globe and the extreme measuresthathavebeentakenrevealthatotherurgentissues-such as climate change, for example - could be tackled with the same determination and speed. Some ecosystems are beginning to regenerateduetolesshumanpresence(turtlesarereturningtothe now deserted tourist beaches of Brazil while fish proliferate in the cleanandcalmwatersofadesertedVenice) Activismwillreceivea boostalongwiththeemergingdesiretocreatecommunitiesarounda common interest and cause. The most profound changes will take placeonlywhenpeoplecometotherealizationthatthisexceptional situationcouldberepeatedinthecomingyearsandaskthemselves: How do I want to face the next pandemic? The answers to that questionwilldrivetheactionsthatwillredefineourfuture.

Notes:Anextendedversionofthisarticlecanbefoundon wwwthesproutstudionet as well The Betterness Trend Report 2023 mentionedinthearticle.

ART DE VIVRE

REAL APPLES. REAL CIDER

INTERVIEW OF PATRICK KWIATKOWSKI, CO-FOUNDER OF CITY ORCHARD

Howdidtheadventurebegin?

PatrickKwiatkowski:CityOrchardbeganasanideaover4 yearsago-anideathatwasseparatelysharedbymeand Mat Smith Mat and I met through a serendipitous introduction, and realizing that we had similargoals,wedecidedtostartaciderbusiness Matand

I both come from the Great Lakes Region of the United States; I hail from Michigan and Mat from New York We both grew up in a region where apples are part of the culture For me the appreciation for apples was indirect but for Mat it was a way of life; he grew up in an apple farmingfamily WebothhavelivedinHoustonsince2000, sowecallTexasourhomenow

Making cider in Houston was a choice not only made by our physical location but also because we feel that Houston is a market that holds much potential for cider

Lastsummerourthirdpartner,ClayWatson,joinedusand heads our brewing operations All three of us are very hands-onownersandweworkintimatelyonallaspectsof thebusiness

Couldyouexplaintheprocessofciderproduction?

PK:CityOrchardisfirstandforemostacidery-anurban cidery in the heart of Houston It is a production facility with a large tasting room and restaurant. We also make our own beer and important wines - so City Orchard is bothacideryandabrewery

Our decision to make beer and import and sell wine is basedontheconceptoftryingtoattractabroadaudience to our tasting room and use this space as a way to introduce cider to and educate Houstonians on cider culture Thismakesourconceptunique-weareoneofthe few production facilities in Texas making both cider and beer and we are an urban location designed to provide easy access to the art and culture of cider making to millionsofpeople.

How much do you produce and where do you distribute?

PK: Cider is technically apple wine so making cider isveryeasy! Wesendfresh-pressedapplejuicefrom the Smith Brother's Farms in New York and we put this along with yeast in tanks in Houston and let mother nature do the rest Well it is really not that simple - the complicated part is to select the best apples and blend them in ways to make refreshing anddiverseciders Wearealsouniqueforanurban cidery in that we have direct access to the apples thatweuse-wearetrulyafarm-to-glassoperation WearelikeanOrchardintheCity

Let me know if I am wrong, but there is only 2 cideriesinHouston.Whydidyoudecidetocreate acideryandnotabrewery?

P.K:WearenotthefirstcideryinHouston,weshare the space with three other local producers, but we considerallofustobepioneersinaregionthatdoes not have a native cider culture. There is still much room for cider to grow in Houston, in Texas, and in theSouthernUnitedStates. Wearenewsowedon't have good numbers for the size of our production butwedohavelargeproductioncapacityandweare expanding beyond our Houston tasting room and distributing across the greater Houston region in stores and in bars and restaurants. The recent eventscausedbytheviruspandemichasshiftedour focus to broader packaged goods distribution in TexasandyoucannowfindourproductsinAustin, SanAntonio,andDallas-FortWorth

What'smakeyourconceptunique?

P.K:NowisanexcitingtimeintheUnitedStatesfor cider. Americans are not as locked into traditions surroundingcider,wine,andbeerasyoumayfindin France this allows us to experiment and grow in unpredictable and exciting ways But we also like traditiontoo-wearehopingtoestablishsomenew traditionsinTexasforcider!

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