17/03/2021
Press

Prix de l’économie Néo Aquitains en Gironde: a debate between crisis and transition. With its paint that lights up the night, Pessac-based OliKrom wins the “Start-up Prize” at the Prix de l’économie Néo Aquitains 2020.

Based in Pessac, France, OliKrom has invented LuminoKrom, a photoluminescent paint. Like the little star in a child’s bedroom, it captures sunlight during the day and reflects it throughout the night. The first applications were on bicycle paths. The luminous marking reassures users and alerts them to dangerous points: intersections, chicanes, bends, crosswalks… It makes the invisible visible over a distance of 80 meters.

Jean-François Létard emphasizes the eco-sustainable and economical nature of his product. “Electrifying a kilometer of bike path costs between 200,000 and 400,000 euros. With our paint, it’s less than 5,000 euros”, he points out. Faster to deploy than networks, it effectively combats light pollution. Its lifespan fluctuates from 5 to 10 years, depending on the severity of weather conditions.

Since the inaugural test in Pessac, in 2018, this paint has won over more than thirty communes in France. Buoyed by the growth in cycling, OliKrom (17 employees) is looking further ahead. Its first freeway service area has just benefited from this type of marking.

 

Eleven candidates for the Prix de l’économie Néo Aquitains

For this 2020 edition, 11 Gironde companies had been nominated. The jury, which met in September, included representatives from Banque Populaire, the Region, Kedge BS, Pouey International and “Sud Ouest”. Three prizes were awarded to Bistro Régent, OliKrom and ADP Enseignes. Base Innovation won the “Sud Ouest” Readers’ and Internet Users’ Prize.

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