FIRMENICH LAUNCHES DIGITAL LAB AT EPFL TO AUGMENT ITS CREATION WITH ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

Geneva, Switzerland, August 2nd, 2018 – Firmenich is proud to announce the inauguration of its Digital Lab – D-Lab – in partnership with the Ecole polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), a world-leading institution for science and technology. A key milestone of Firmenich’s digital strategy, D-Lab is dedicated to harnessing Artificial Intelligence (A.I.), to augment the Group’s innovation across fragrance and taste creation. Expanding Firmenich’s footprint to the EPFL Innovation Park, the digital hub brings together Firmenich creators and experts with key members of the Campus’s dynamic ecosystem.

“Ever since our creation as a start-up 123 years ago, pushing the boundaries of science and technology has always been our engine of growth,” said Gilbert Ghostine, CEO Firmenich. “Fueled by EPFL’s unique innovation ecosystem, D-Lab puts Firmenich at the forefront of A.I., to augment our creativity for even greater speed and personalized solutions.”

“While digitalization is disrupting business models across every industry, it is also generating exciting new business opportunities,” said Martin Vetterli, President of EPFL. “By combining the dynamic start-up ecosystem based at the EPFL, with Firmenich’s industry-leading innovation, together we will be able to apply breakthrough science to create bespoke sensorial experiences faster than ever before.”

Gilbert Ghostine, CEO Firmenich and Prof. Martin Vetterli, President EPFL

“D-Lab is all about converging human creativity with digital technologies to augment our creation capabilities,” explained Eric Saracchi, CIO, Firmenich. “It’s exciting to be stepping into unchartered territory with our creators to accelerate our industry’s next technology frontier.”

Recognized among the world’s top 10 Engineering and Technology institutions, EPFL is renowned for its leading innovation ecosystem, bringing together startups, forward thinking companies and leading academics. EPFL is one of Firmenich’s most long-standing academic partners, where the Group recently created the Firmenich Chair in Neurosciences. As active members of Western Switzerland’s innovation network, EPFL’s proximity with Firmenich’s main Research & Development Center in Geneva accelerates the region’s thriving ecosystem.

Click here to see this short video of the inauguration complete with virtual ribbon cutting.

About Firmenich

Firmenich is the world’s largest privately-owned company in the fragrance and flavor business. Founded in Geneva, Switzerland, in 1895, it has created many of the world’s best-known perfumes and flavors that billions of consumers enjoy each day. Its passion for smell and taste is at the heart of its success. It is renowned for its world-class research and creativity, as well as its thought leadership in sustainability and exceptional understanding of consumer trends. Each year, it invests 10% of its turnover in R&D, reflecting its continuous desire to understand, share and sublimate the best that nature has to offer. Firmenich had an annual turnover of 3.34 billion Swiss Francs at end June 2017.

About EPFL

EPFL is Europe’s most cosmopolitan technical university with students, professors and staff from over 120 nations. A dynamic environment, open to Switzerland and the world, EPFL is centered on three missions: teaching, research and innovation. EPFL works together with an extensive network of academic and industry partners and is involved in several international projects, some of which are conducted in developing countries. www.epfl.ch .