Supporting innovation
Supporting innovation
We have established the New Business Models and Innovations Department. It supports the development of products, innovation and technological advancement. The main tasks of the department include:
- Identifying new business models
- Assessment of their potential and possibility of implementation
- Initiating projects related to new products
The New Business Models and Innovations Department cooperates with the Transformation and Integration Area and the Bank’s central units. Together, they develop new products and promote innovation. The department searches for interesting solutions, monitors market trends, and proposes interesting new processes and products to the Bank.
To ensure that new products and services respond to sustainability challenges, both environmental and social, the New Business Models and Innovations Department closely cooperates with the Sustainability Council.
There is also a „Code of Cooperation with Startups” in place at the Bank. It simplifies internal procedures and increases the Bank’s chances to acquire modern technological solutions. Each startup receives a supervisor at the Bank. We have also streamlined the purchasing processes for new technical solutions and we have prepared document templates for the testing stages. The Bank is constantly striving to develop and establish business relationships with innovative, young companies.
To learn more, visit this website.
Office Hours – meetings with startups
The Office Hours are an element of the „Code of Cooperation with Startups”. It is a series of meetings with startup representatives. During the meetings, the Bank’s employees and the representatives of new, innovative companies discuss ideas and solutions that may enrich the Bank’s offer. Thus, the Bank cooperates with an increasing number of startups, builds a strong network of contacts and implements innovative customer solutions.
In 2021, two editions of Office Hours were organised. During the 19th edition, the Bank was looking for an unconventional communications channel with BNP Paribas Wealth Management Customers. The 20th edition of the initiative was devoted to searching for startups and experienced companies that specialise in remote identity identification.
Startups with a positive impact in 2021
Cooperation with the nuDelta startup
In cooperation with nuDelta, we have implemented a solution that allows one to read and edit text obtained from photos and document scans. The software significantly facilitates verifying key data in leasing contracts sent by intermediaries. The manual process has been replaced by OCR technology and machine learning: the user indicates an agreement containing the correct data and the system checks all accompanying documents, confirming the compliance or non-compliance of data.
This automation saved seven minutes on each contract during the pilot stage. It is a perfect example of automation helping to carry out repetitive tasks in everyday work. The results indicate that the tool can also successfully be implemented in other areas.
Initiatives promoting innovation
The Bank has been co-organising the „Positive Impact Ecosystem” conferences in cooperation with Kozminski Business Hub for many years. In 2021, Kozminski Business Hub published the third report for the „Startups of Positive Impact. Radical Social Innovation” project, which the Bank is a partner of.
In the course of the project, 21 of the most innovative startups that work towards implementing the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals were selected. These companies and organisations respond to social and environmental challenges and display a high level of reliability and efficiency.
In 2021, we became a corporate partner of Warsaw Booster, i.e. the city’s acceleration programme for innovative projects and startups.
The programme supports teams that develop ambitious technological solutions and improve their business competencies. It helps entrepreneurs obtain financing, expand their business and build unique relationships with other programme participants.
We provide substantive support to young companies that participate in the programme – the Bank offers assistance in financing, business model development and the practical application of technology. Warsaw Booster is also an opportunity for us to find new partners who can help us develop new products and services related to open banking and sustainability.
We are a business partner of FinTech postgraduate studies at the Faculty of Management of the University of Warsaw. The one-year course is intended for people who wish to broaden their knowledge about modern technologies and their impact on the financial sector. It is also valuable for those who want to develop their own FinTech projects. The fourth edition began in 2021.
The expert partner of the initiative is the PwC Legal law office, and the technological partner is IBM Polska. We are one of the initiative’s business partners, others include Alior Bank and Raiffeisen Bank International.