Maik Lankau, Capgemini Engineering Client Executive
Capgemini Engineering combines, under one brand, a unique set of strengths from Altran, one of the world’s leading engineering and R&D services companies (acquired by Capgemini in 2020) – and Capgemini’s digital manufacturing expertise. With broad industry knowledge and cutting-edge technologies in digital and software, Capgemini Engineering supports the convergence of the physical and digital worlds. Combined with the capabilities of the rest of the Capgemini Group, the company is enabling its clients to accelerate their journey towards the Intelligent Industry. The Intelligent industry refers to companies digitizing key industrial parts of their businesses through the use of embedded software, data and new-generation wireless connectivity solutions. Capgemini Engineering has more than 52,000 engineer and scientist team members in over 30 countries across sectors including aeronautics, automotive, railways, communications, energy, life sciences, semiconductors, software and internet, space and defense, and consumer products. The Capgemini Group has 270,000 employees.
The high-altitude platform station (HAPS) sector is a fast-growing market for wireless communication solutions. The market is expected to reach USD 4 billion in 2029 with a sustainable CAGR of 8.7% for the next 10 years according to NSR’s High Altitude Platforms, 4th Edition report. HAPS will enable the delivery of high-speed broadband data services or IoT connectivity to cover cities and under-served areas, and it will be able to provide immediate disaster recovery support, if ground communication is hampered or if the disaster zone is in a remote location.
Our desire as Capgemini Engineering is to enable that capability: designing customized communication systems is in our DNA. Our clients include more than 50 major communications service providers worldwide, and we have the expertise to support the communications ecosystem globally. Adding Capgemini’s experience to the HAPS alliance will be mutually beneficial and enrich the HAPS vendor and provider ecosystems with Capgemini’s vast partner network and engineering and integration capabilities.
Capgemini has been working with leading network communications providers, hardware and software providers, ASIC, SOC, system design, product design, systems integration, and consulting services. We have been instrumental in driving over 100 5G projects globally, delivering on cloud infrastructure deployments, security projects, satellite projects, building ground stations, applying our expertise in the aviation and space industries and delivering on edge computing projects. In short, Capgemini is at the forefront of cutting-edge technologies and is delivering new and revolutionary breakthroughs almost every month – from inception to maturity and deployments. The company owns 125+ licensable software frameworks helping its clients accelerate customer development cycles, essentially riding the development curve from the lab to the network.
Because of our broad experience and capabilities, Capgemini Engineering is uniquely positioned to add value to all the working groups presently collaborating in the HAPS Alliance. Capgemini will provide expertise enabling the acceleration of product development lifecycles, helping drive new standards to enable the accelerated deployment of new connectivity solutions in the stratosphere. What differentiates Capgemini Engineering from other Global engineering groups is its deep understanding and domain knowledge in the aeronautics and space business, which, when converged with its core expertise developing communications systems and frameworks, presents a powerful and unique combination that can significantly contribute to the Alliance and its partner ecosystem.
The HAPS Alliance is bringing together a unique set of companies from different sectors like aviation, aerospace and telecommunication to drive collaboration in the digital domain. By providing mission-critical connectivity to places where most people may not be able to receive a broadband connection, or assisting in the provision of services for disaster zones from a place in the stratosphere with the introduction of 5G technologies, HAPS may become a real contender to the low-earth-orbit (LEO) satellite constellations. HAPS is dynamic and can be deployed at a moment’s notice.
The collaboration of the individual working groups in the HAPS Alliance will help develop a common solution and enable interoperability-promoting standards for the HAPS network implementations. The HAPS Alliance is a great opportunity for organizations that are interested in collaborating with other industry leaders to drive innovation in myriad domains and mutually benefit from the ecosystem. Organizations can help shape the future of communication by joining the Alliance early in the innovation cycle. Capgemini Engineering looks forward to bringing to the group our unique expertise and talent base.