Hélène Labaume leads Carrefour’s unique approach to innovation by merging its venture capital and innovation teams. She emphasizes that while corporate venture capital (CVC) is common, Carrefour’s partnership with the French VC firm daphni sets them apart. "We bring expertise in retail while daphni excels in VC investments," Hélène explains, highlighting the seamless collaboration. This model allows Carrefour to align startup investments with operational goals, ensuring mutual growth and innovation.

One standout initiative discussed by Hélène focuses on reducing energy consumption in Carrefour stores. A recent pilot with Axiom Cloud optimizes energy use for refrigeration systems. "This pilot could scale to over 10,000 stores globally, becoming one of our biggest achievements in innovation," she shares. Sustainability extends to tackling food waste, where Carrefour collaborates with startups like Ida to enhance forecasting and reduce waste in fruit and vegetable supply chains.

Carrefour’s adoption of AI has been a game-changer, especially in personalization and operational efficiency. Hélène outlines the use of AI for tasks like analyzing procurement data and enabling dynamic customer feedback through generative AI. "With over 10 billion transactions in our data lake, we’re creating ultra-personalized customer experiences," she says. This approach positions Carrefour as a leader in digital retail, integrating advanced technologies to meet evolving customer needs.

Carrefour doesn’t limit its startup collaborations to investments alone. Hélène emphasizes the flexibility of working with startups through pilots, even when they don’t secure funding. She highlights the importance of cross-fertilization, stating, "We connect startups with the right internal and external networks, creating opportunities beyond Carrefour." This ecosystem-driven approach fosters agility and innovation for both parties.

Hélène Labaume’s dual role at Carrefour exemplifies how large corporations can integrate innovation with venture capital to drive impactful change. From sustainability pilots to AI-powered customer experiences, Carrefour’s strategies offer valuable lessons for startups and industry leaders alike.

Find Hélène on:

LinkedIn: Hélène Labaume

Twitter/X: @CarrefourGroup

Find Ben on:

LinkedIn: Ben Costantini

Twitter/X: @bencostantini

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