About Wisamo

The inflatable wingsail was the innovative idea of two dedicated inventors. First created in 2016, it was then developed on the shores of Lake Neuchâtel in Switzerland for pleasure yachting.

In 2020, MICHELIN bought the concept for a maritime transport application and entrusted it to the R&D team at MRT (MICHELIN Research and Technique centre) in Switzerland.

The concept evolved into the innovation of a 100m² automated and inflatable wingsail on a telescopic mast and additional new patents were registered.

Beginning March 2020, a team formed to work on the innovation's development within the Michelin incubation programme.

In June 2021, the WISAMO wingsail was officially presented by Florent Menegaux, CEO of the Michelin Group, at Movin'On: it is fully in line with the Group's "All Sustainable" strategy and represents the value of innovation.

A 100m² prototype wingsail was installed on the French sailor Michel Desjoyeaux's boat, to be tested in Switzerland and then on the Atlantic.

Since January 2022, Michelin has continued to develop WISAMO and entered into a partnership with the Compagnie Maritime Nantaise - MN - a key player in industrial maritime transport.

In July 2022, the team left Clermont-Ferrand to set up in Nantes; WISAMO became fully focused on the maritime transport ecosystem.

Tests of the prototype continued on Michel Desjoyeaux's boat to improve and perfect the technical development of the solution.

In January 2023, the wingsail was approved by DNV with an AIP (Approval In Principle), and a 100m² prototype was installed on the roll-on/roll-off vessel, MN Pelican, for testing in real maritime conditions, and for use by the crew. 

Meanwhile, the other prototype installed on Michel Desjoyeaux's boat is sailing along Atlantic coast in order to test the solution's long-term implementation.

The WISAMO team continues to grow in Nantes (Business, Communication, Finance, Marketing) and in Vannes (Technical Management) and making progesse in the wind propulsion industry