CaixaBank, Global Payments, Samsung, Visa and BNP Paribas-owned Arval are to jointly invest EUR5 million in a Barcelona-based Payment Innovation Hub to confront new frontiers for payments in e-commerce and the Internet of Things.
A dedicated and multidisciplinary R&D team will operate at the Payment Innovation Hub, combining purely tech professionals with specialists in market analysis, business development and marketing.
Three areas of research have been identified:
- Automobiles: Research into solutions for connected cars
- Home: Innovation for domestic applications, particularly regarding the Internet of Things (IoT)
- Commerce: Projects aimed at driving the shopping experience, both online and at brick-and-mortar stores.
The hub will have its own custom designed offices, comprised of brainstorming meeting rooms and workspaces clustered around an innovation lab where projects will be put through their paces in conditions that simulate real life situations.
The facility will also feature a space for outreach and training, which will include conference rooms and host regular masterclasses, as well as an area dedicated to showcasing and testing the latest technological developments.