R/GA Ventures, Cannes Lions and Kinship Launch R/GA Innovation Exchange

Today, R/GA Ventures, Cannes Lions and Kinship have announced the R/GA Innovation Exchange in partnership with Kinship. The programme will take place during the 2019 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, and will connect female-led startups that are building consumer brands of the future with the global brand, marketing and innovation leaders who attend the festival.

Since its inception in 2014 as the Cannes Lions Startup Academy, the program has given early-stage and growth-stage companies the opportunity to engage with and learn from thought leaders in media, marketing, advertising, technology, and innovation. It also provides industry leaders with an opportunity to discover products, services, and technologies with the potential to enable strategic business growth.

This year the program will include leadership and support from Kinship, the newly launched ventures, technology and business innovation arm of Mars Petcare, and will extend its marketing and advertising focus to tech startups in the growing sphere of purpose-driven companies.

“The relentless energy and imagination of business can make a real positive difference to our world. That’s why with this partnership, we are seeking to build a coalition of brightest minds and biggest ideas coming from a variety of fields, but united by passionate sense of purpose,” said Leonid Sudakov, president, Kinship. “We believe in success built on difference - and are proud to support the growing community of female founders and executives in adding their unique contribution to shaping our tomorrow.”

Startups from anywhere in the world with at least 51% ownership by female founder(s), and/or female CEOs and/or CTOs, are encouraged to apply. Applications are open until May 15th, 2019. The program specifically seeks applications from global, tech-enabled startups that can offer truly innovative products and services to consumers, brands and advertisers. The founders should be prepared to take full advantage of the unique access to support resources this program can provide.

Areas of interest for the R/GA Innovation Exchange with Kinship include but are not limited to:

● Social Good & Purpose/impact driven solutions

● Advertising, Marketing, Communications, and New Media Solutions

● Connected Retail and Future of Commerce Technologies

● CRM, Customer Database and Engagement Platforms

● Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Technologies

● Health, Wellness, and Nutrition

● PeopleTech (i.e. employee engagement, talent discovery, performance development)

● Sustainability

By providing the selected startups with hands-on support from some of the world’s best communicators and R/GA creative resources, the Innovation Exchange helps founders sharpen their brand identity, focus their business proposition, and more effectively align their products and services to the needs of global brands and markets.

“The Innovation Exchange will provide leaders across industry verticals a first glimpse into emerging technologies and market opportunities, while also enabling startups to accelerate their own development,” said Stephen Plumlee, vice chairman of R/GA and managing partner of R/GA Ventures. “Purpose-driven companies can create positive change on a large scale, building on values that lead to tangible benefits such as product differentiation, customer loyalty, and motivated employees.”

Selected founders will receive two complimentary passes to the Cannes Lions Festival in France, as well as Festival accommodations. For more information, full eligibility criteria, and to apply for the R/GA Innovation Exchange with Kinship, please click here.