Transforming smart environments and cities—powered by AI and connected through the IoT—into drivers of citizen well-being, sustainable societies, and business impact, by redefining the customer–brand relationship.

What is SMUXWELL?

SMUXWELL – Smart Urban Experience for Well-Being is an international corporate chair that transforms smart cities, mobility, and connected environments into engines of citizen well-being and value creation for companies.

We conduct pioneering research on user acceptance and appropriation of emerging smart-city technologies powered by AI, ensuring that innovation is not only adopted but genuinely integrated into people’s daily lives.

Our scope covers the full spectrum of intelligent environments:
smart cities and connected homes, autonomous transport (cars, shuttles, delivery drones), conversational AI (chatbots), social robots, brain–machine interfaces (e.g., Neuralink), and generative AI as recommendation systems in retail and connected lifestyles.

Thanks to unique living labs (experimental smart apartment, autonomous driving simulator, immersive retail lab) that allow real-life UX observation, SMUXWELL combines applied research, cutting-edge innovation, and international talent (Europe, China, Thailand, Germany).

At SMUXWELL, we study how smart-city technologies—from autonomous vehicles and drones to social robots, brain–machine interfaces, and AI-driven personalisation—transform the customer–brand relationship. These innovations strengthen CRM through deeper personalisation, varying degrees of human-AI interaction, and new forms of co-creation of value.

They also raise challenges related to privacy, hyper-personalisation, and large-scale data collection. We address the ethical dimensions of digital transformation—from privacy protection to the human dimension of AI interactions—as well as sustainability issues.

Our approach is fully aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 3 (Good Health & Well-Being), SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities & Communities), and SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption & Production).

Our research explores how these technologies and dynamics influence customer loyalty and retention, focusing on trust and long-term user well-being as key levers in customer–brand relationships.

SMUXWELL: where innovation meets people — and creates competitive advantage.

Where is the SMUXWELL Chair hosted?

The SMUXWELL Chair is part of the Institut Louis Bachelier (ILB) in Paris — a leading applied research institute combining scientific excellence with real-world impact.

Founded in 2008 in Paris, ILB brings together high-level academic research and operational relevance. It unites 400+ researchers, nearly 90 companies, and over 60 research chairs to address complex issues in finance, innovation, risk, public policy, and sustainable transitions.

ILB structures interdisciplinary laboratories and programmes (Data Lab, ESG Lab, etc.) to address societal, economic, and environmental challenges.

Why become a partner?

As a partner, you benefit from:

• Insights, co-creation, risk-reduction and experimentation in real living labs (AI, IoT, multisensory UX).
• Brand leadership, CSR positioning and thought leadership on ethical, human-centred smart cities.
• Actionable outputs: prototypes, strategic guidelines, and ROI indicators.
• A global academic–corporate network with cross-market learning and access to international talent from partner universities across Europe, China, Thailand, and Germany (International Marketing of Innovation — IMI Master’s and PhDs).

The International Marketing of Innovation Master (IMI), led by Prof. Lars Meyer-Waarden, is a flagship international programme bringing together students from Europe, Asia, and beyond. With dual-degree partnerships in Bangkok, Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Germany, it forms a unique pool of future high-potential managers specialising in AI, IoT, customer experience, and innovation management.

For partners, supporting the Chair also means privileged access to this talent pipeline: internships, collaborative projects, and recruitment of graduates already trained to think globally, work across cultures, and design breakthrough customer–brand strategies.

This ensures that the partnership with SMUXWELL brings not only research impact but also direct business value via next-generation talent acquisition.

SMUXWELL’s academic excellence and legitimacy

• Direction: Prof. Lars Meyer-Waarden, international expert in AI/IoT smart environments and CRM.
• Infrastructure: Advanced living labs supporting applied research with highly qualified academic partners.
• Quality: EQUIS-accredited institution; publications in leading international journals.
• Impact: From prototypes and experimental devices to KPIs, recruitment pipelines and near-market use cases.

Current partners

The SMUXWELL project “Citizen Trust in AI” is funded at HS Heilbronn, DHBW Stuttgart and Toulouse School of Management, with the support of the Dieter-Schwarz-Stiftung, a German foundation committed to education, science, and sustainable development.

• Germany — HS Heilbronn (University of Applied Sciences) and DHBW Stuttgart (Corporate State University) host advanced living labs, including the Smart Living Lab, Level-5 autonomous driving simulator, and autonomous campus shuttle.
• China — Tongji University School of Economics & Management and Hong Kong Metropolitan University – Lee Shau Kee School of Business co-develop dual-degree programmes in smart living and mobility.
• Thailand — Assumption University (Bangkok) offers dual degrees at Master and DBA levels on smart living and mobility, enabling cross-cultural research.
• Thailand — The real-estate group SC Asset supports DBA projects involving real smart homes in Bangkok.

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