Innovation After-Work Event: “An industry with a bright future—and the future of all industries”
The 5th edition of the Innovation Afterwork event took place on Monday, July 8, at the Jardin des Plantes in Montpellier. It was an opportunity to highlight the role and involvement of the Montpellier University Innovation Hub in Montpellier, which was one of five pilot institutions in this field in 2021. Following two insightful roundtable discussions on public-private partnerships, six researchers received an innovation award from President Philippe Augé.
On the temporary stage at the Jardin des Plantes on Monday, July 8, the University of Montpellier celebrated the union of two worlds. At the 5th edition of the Innovation Afterwork event, research and business said “I do.” Launched in 2021 at the University of Montpellier, the University Innovation Hub (PUI), which organized the event, aims to “bring together the entire innovation ecosystem without creating new structures,” President Philippe Augé noted from the podium.
In just one year, the University has welcomed 62 startup projects, supported 12 deep tech startups, and hosted numerous companies on campus. This vibrant and fruitful activity was praised by all those present on Monday evening, including representatives from the national and regional governments, as well as figures from the business world such as Anne-Lise Melki, CEO of the Hérault-based engineering firm Biotope, Europe’s leading ecological engineering firm, and Alexandra Prieux, president of the Montpellier-based company Alcediag, a specialist in innovative diagnostics.
Raise awareness
“When people talk to me about innovation, I truly understand their hopes, their plans, and what they need,” said Jalil Benabdillah, the regional council vice president in charge of economic affairs. Completely in his element, this trained engineer has followed a path similar to that of many young startup founders supported through the PUI program.“Innovation is cross-cutting; it touches on every issue. It has become a sector of the future—and the future of all sectors,” said the elected official, who would like to increase the number of new innovative startups (JEIs) from around fifty per year to about a hundred across the Occitanie region. But in his view, it must now address several major issues, such as the “climate emergency, ” “technological and digital transformation,” and “social and societal transformation.”
The same enthusiasm was expressed by Khaled Bouabdallah, the rector in charge of higher education, research, and innovation, who praised the“significant increase in the impact of innovation on the economy and society” since the creation of the PUI. In short, unwavering institutional support, corroborated by Hind Emad, Vice President of the Montpellier Metropolitan Area in charge of digital affairs, who also highlighted the local government’s initiatives—citing the example of MedVallée in the health sector—as well as the importance of shared governance alongside the University “to raise the profile of innovative companies” in the region.
Reaching the market
Two panel discussions brought together researchers, entrepreneurs, and staff from public agencies dedicated to innovation to share practical advice, backed by real-world examples, for successful partnerships. One such discussion centered on Claude Grison, a research director at the CNRS, who spoke alongside Pierre Le Blainvaux of Technofounders and Sandrine Guerreiro, a licensing manager at the CNRS. The first two co-founded the startup Laboratoires Bioprotection, which produces the innovative mosquito repellent Crusoé. “I’ve always wanted my work to be useful to society, ” said Claude Grison, holder of some thirty patents and recipient of numerous awards.
The second roundtable discussion took place with Vincent Abello, a representative of SpyGen, a company specializing in environmental DNA; Léa Mazel, head of the Contracts and Commercialization Department within the University of Marseille’s Innovation and Partnerships Division; and David Mouilot, a researcher at the Marbec Laboratory. This was an opportunity for Mouilot to emphasize that the relationship with the company allows scientists “to conduct research with less mental burden.” “It’s a great opportunity to work alongside people from the private sector, in terms of context, realism, and understanding the market…, ”said the marine ecology expert, who is currently studying the potential of coastal resources for poverty reduction in East Africa.
While relations between the two worlds can sometimes be complex, by the end of the event, the various stakeholders nevertheless seemed determined to overcome these obstacles one by one. “We need to speak the same language, be on the same page, and share the same vision,” emphasized Philippe Combette, the university’s vice president for partnerships and innovation.“It’s not easy to work with public research,” added Biotope’s Executive Director Anne-Lise Melki, “but it’s very important and useful to do so by starting with small collaborations to get to know each other better.” An ambition openly shared by President Philippe Augé: “Let’s break down barriers! To create wealth together across the region…”
Six standout winners
Late in the evening, six rising stars of Montpellier-based research took the stage to receive one of the six innovation awards. One by one, Sarah Colombani (from the PhyMedExp laboratory) was recognized for developing a treatment capable of preventing a recurrent complication associated with mechanical ventilation; Isabelle Bourdon (MRM) was honored for a project aimed at improving the traceability of patient consent in clinical trials; Damien Voiry (IEM) for his project on the recovery and conversion of CO2 into ethylene; Philippe Rondard (IGF) for an innovative treatment of brain diseases using immunotherapy; Frédérique Aberlenc (Diade) for her device for early sex determination in palm trees; and finally Bijan Mohammadi (IMAG) for his artificial intelligence system capable of learning from humans… All of these are innovative—even revolutionary—projects poised to conquer the market.