Innovation After-Work Event 2026: The Region at the Heart of the National Strategy
The University of Montpellier’s “Innovation Afterwork 2026” event was held on Wednesday, July1, at the Orangery in the Jardin des Plantes, attended by Philippe Augé, President of the University of Montpellier, and Philippe Combette, Vice President for Partnerships and Innovation atUM. This flagship event once again celebrated the innovators from our region, with a particular focus on the role of the Montpellier University Innovation Cluster in a national strategy to promote public research.
Seven awards to recognize high-impact projects
Created to strengthen ties between public research, innovation, and the socio-economic sector, the Montpellier University Innovation Hub supports the emergence and development of projects that address major societal challenges: Feeding, Healing, and Protecting. This7th edition featured the presentation of seven Innovation Awards, recognizing projects led by the University of Montpellier’s laboratories and partners of the I-SITE Program of Excellence. One of these awards was presented by Montpellier Méditerranée Métropole, highlighting the importance of synergies between research, innovation, and regional development.
Innovation Award – Agriculture, Environment, and Biodiversity Division
The BioSanThé project is developing an innovative aeroponic method for growing tea plants that enables the sustainable production of high-value-added bioactive compounds, while making full use of the entire plant and recycling 95% of the water used. Intended for the cosmetics, nutraceuticals, and pharmaceutical sectors, this line of teas enriched with bioactives is already on the market, meeting a growing demand for local, ethical, and sustainable products. The company BioSanThé will be established by the end of the year.
Innovation Award – Health and Biology
The FlowGraft project is developing a secure digital platform designed to optimize the logistics, traceability, and quality of organs, from procurement through transplantation. This solution facilitates the organization of procedures, organ transport, and access to operating rooms. It strengthens interprofessional collaboration. The project is generating economic and scientific impact, including the creation of a dedicated startup, Graft Smart.
Innovation Award – Chemistry
The NovaSorb project aims to develop an innovative adsorbent material capable of effectively capturing all PFAS, including short-chain compounds, to address the public health challenges associated with these “forever chemicals.” The project has a positive impact by facilitating regulatory compliance, reducing costs and waste volumes, and helping to preserve water resources. A startup is scheduled to be launched in early 2027.
Innovation Award – Mathematics, Computer Science, Physics, Systems
The DeepPulseNeuro project is developing a minimally invasive technology for deep brain exploration via endovascular access to improve the diagnosis and monitoring of patients with epilepsy. It provides precise access to deep brain regions without the need for major surgery and paves the way for new methods of neurological monitoring and stimulation. DeepPulseNeuro, the company spun off from the project, was founded in October 2025.
Innovation Award – Social Sciences
The JurisDoR project is developing an open-access platform designed to organize and make research data law more accessible to the general public. The platform is structured around the data lifecycle model, enabling users to search by topic and providing open access to organized and reliable resources on research data law.
Favorite Award
The WOLSIT project is developing an innovative therapeutic strategy targeting Mitochondria-Associated Membranes (MAMs) to treat Wolfram syndrome and other neurodegenerative diseases. Our strategy is based on the development of new agonists for the Sigma-1 receptor, a key protein in the structure and function of MAMs. This project led to the founding of SITERA Pharmaceuticals.
Montpellier Méditerranée Métropole "Coup de Coeur" Award
The I3M2P project, led by its academic and hospital teams, is revolutionizing the production of personalized medicines through 3D printing, offering treatments tailored to children and patients with rare diseases. It led to the creation of the company MB Therapeutics.
The event highlighted the initiatives undertaken by the Montpellier University Innovation Hub (PUI) in line with major national priorities for innovation. A roundtable discussion on the role of the region in the national innovation strategy brought together Gaspard Lépine, project manager for “University Innovation Hubs” at INRAE, Franck Mouthon, executive director of the Agency for Research Programs at INSERM, and Christian Assaf, regional councilor and vice president in charge of economic development and attractiveness for Montpellier Méditerranée Métropole.
Practical Information:
- Date of the event: Wednesday, July 1, 2026, at 6:00 p.m.
- Location: Jardin des Plantes at the University of Montpellier
