nir-vana innovation network

The French start-up is a decision support software company that industrialises cutting-edge technologies in mathematical optimization. As a spinoff of a National Institute for Research in Digital Science and Technology, it combines experts in Operations Research with more than 25 years of experience in combinatorial optimization with a multidisciplinary team with strong skills in mathematical modelling, business intelligence, expert systems and web interfaces.

This technological transfer aims to tackle the most complex operations planning problems, for instance:

• Vehicule routing optimization: pick-up-and-delivery planning, transport pooling, waste collection, maintenance optimization, on-site interventions, shared mobility

• Tasks scheduling: scarce resources planning, timetabling of Human Resources, production planning, network design (Transport, Supply Chain, Telecom), operational hazards management.

The French company offers tailored SaaS (Software as a Service) prescriptive solutions for the partner's specific needs. The integration of the advanced cloud-based solvers in the information system is done seamlessly via APIs (Application Programming Interface) with refined communication protocols. The solution is scalable and can be provided with a User Interface to display the solution (map, timeline, and list) and to compare various scenarios.

Use case example:
A large Energy group in Brazil was facing issues in planning on-site maintenance operations (2500 addresses). In less than 4 weeks, the French company was able to propose a solution optimizing simultaneously which client to visit and how to route the teams. As a result, team managers noticed a 37% increase in profits in the first year following the solver implementation (worth 5 million euros).

The collaboration process is as follow:
First, the French company will work hand in hand with the partner to set up a tailored cloud-based application solver that will later be embedded in the partner's system. Refined communication protocols will be then provided to implement the solution via Application Programming Interfaces (APIs).
The implemented application solver will be subject to exploitation rights to cover the use of the technology, maintenance and support.

Cooperation with the identified partners will be based on a commercial agreement with technical assistance.

Advantages & innovations

Dealing with resource assignment decisions, the number of possible solutions rapidly explodes according to the size and complexity of the problem being addressed. The French company relies on several state-of-the-art in-house optimization techniques and advanced software library, to overcome such barriers, in relatively short deadlines (2 to 6 weeks). It differentiates itself through: - A systemic approach, handling simultaneously several levels of decision and considering their mutual dependences, in order to achieve significant improvement in operational performance. - No constraints left out, as the optimization models implemented can handle any kind of constraints, in order to solve the real business problem. - Robustness to random events, as the solver is able to take unexpected events and to re-optimize to find the best back-up solution. The start-up won a famous French annual competition in 2021, that supports the best value-creating technologies arising from DeepTech startups.

Stage of development

Already on the market

Partner sought

The French company is looking for public and private partners interested in automating and optimizing their decision-making process within their existing software product or information system. Partners could be either software editors, digital platforms, industrial and business partners, SMEs and groups, with in-house software products dealing with complex tasks scheduling, vehicle routing or resource assignment. Operations planning is a transversal issue that can be applied to many sectors such as Supply Chain, Logistics, Field Services, Healthcare and Manufacturing. A commercial agreement with technical cooperation is sought whereby the French company will share its know-how to implement specific tailored software solutions.