When Marty McFly, aka Michael J. Fox, of the Back to the Future trilogy, arrives in the future – October 21, 2015 –, the world imagined by the screenwriters of the time is packed with amazing objects, some still fantastic to our modern-day eyes, others that have since become realities. Yet these emerging products are part of the daily routine in a small department at TF1:  Innovation. Cutting-edge inventions like Oculus Rift, Google Glass, and 4K TV are all in a day’s work for the techies responsible for dreaming up the television of tomorrow.

Name: TF1 Group Innovation Division

Year founded: 2004

Average staff age: 30

Commonalities: A true passion for new technologies and substantial expertise in the SME and start-up market.

Distinguishing features: Quick-thinking and flexible!

Background: No particular requirements – business schools, engineering institutions, universities. Eclecticism is essential.

Ambition: To become THE gateway for startups, working with them to develop new products and services in open innovation.

Expertise: Supporting startups from the moment they emerge, fast-tracking their innovations.

Latest developments: Exciting things are always happening for these thirty-somethings, who live and breathe collaborative co-creation. Most recent launch: the September 2015 introduction of a preparatory school in partnership with Epitech, supporting the entrepreneurial projects of fifth-year students.