Midterm Review: Driven by a collective effort, the University Innovation Hub is charting its course for 2026–2028
To translate research findings into innovations that benefit as many people as possible: that is the goal of the Montpellier PUI , launched as part of the France 2030 and accredited in 2023, is now taking stock of its initial progress. Having laid the groundwork for a central hub dedicated to Montpellier’s entire innovation ecosystem, it now aims to take the next step by expanding its activities and strengthening its regional impact.
Following its launch phase, the University Innovation Hub (PUI) is moving into its acceleration phase. Led by the University of Montpellier, the PUI set out to build connections among various innovation stakeholders, foster public-private partnerships, and ultimately address the challenges of today’s society through innovative solutions. At the halfway point, the goal is clear: to transform an already high-performing scientific ecosystem into a true integrated innovation hub that is accessible to businesses and attractive on both the national and international stages.
In Montpellier, the PUI draws on a scientific community of exceptional depth and diversity. With its 14 founding members—key players in the region’s research and innovation ecosystem—the PUI brings together a community of nearly 5,000 scientists dedicated in particular to the three pillars—feeding, healing, and protecting—which over the years have become the site’s “hallmark.” Agriculture, environment, and biodiversity; biology and health; chemistry; mathematics; computer science; physics and systems; and the social sciences constitute the five major scientific clusters of a site characterized by its interdisciplinary approach and its ability to produce high-impact innovations.
In this context, the PUI serves as a single point of entry for innovation, making it possible to coordinate existing initiatives and increase their visibility among socio-economic partners.
Each year, nearly 350 partnership agreements are signed between the site’s stakeholders and their socioeconomic partners. Additionally, since 2023, the PUI has achieved several key milestones. The PUI’s Innovation and Investment Committee (COMIN) has reviewed 260 projects, 118 of which received funding, mobilizing more than 7 million euros. This pace reflects the program’s growing operational capacity and its ability to identify and support high-potential projects.
Initiatives to Foster Innovation
Over the years, numerous tools have been deployed to transform ideas conceived within the labs themselves into economically viable projects. Among the flagship initiatives, the Montpellier Innovation Booster (BIM) has established itself as a true springboard for emerging innovations. Between October 2022 and December 2025, through four annual sessions, the BIM and its team of about fifteen coaches identified and supported nearly 71 participants in bringing their ideas to fruition. As a result, 33 projects were the lucky recipients of grants ranging from 20,000 to 30,000 euros, representing a total investment of 1.03 million euros. To date, 11 startups have been launched thanks to this much-needed boost; three more are expected to launch in 2026; and 19 projects are currently in the pre-maturation or maturation phase within SATT AxLR (a technology transfer accelerator).
Designed to foster collaboration between public research and the socio-economic sector, the Companies and Campus initiative reflects this same sense of dynamism. Over the period, this program funded 35 partnerships between scientists and companies. With a 48% success rate, Companies and Campus invested a total of 1.1 million euros and generated a remarkable return, as partner companies contributed 1.1 million euros in cash to the laboratories. On average, each project received 43,000 euros in funding. These collaborations led to the creation of 12 funded positions within the projects (postdocs, engineers, and work-study students), mobilized 85 private-sector jobs, and supported 9 CIFRE contracts.
Designed to strengthen skills in innovation and research commercialization, the Capacity Building program trains staff involved in supporting and developing innovative projects. Since 2023, more than 400 participants have already benefited from these training sessions to develop their expertise in this field.
Pooling Our Strengths
In April 2025, the PUI took another step toward strengthening ties between the academic and business communities by signing partnership agreements with seven regional competitiveness clusters, with two more currently in the works.
Since July 2025, PUI stakeholders have strengthened the coherence of their programs and the pooling of resources through a partnership signed between the Montpellier Metropolitan Area, the University of Montpellier, and Satt AxLR. By establishing a one-stop shop for pre-maturation and shared project reviews, the region’s incubators (Initium, AgroVallée, the Innovation Accelerator at the Montpellier and Nîmes University Hospitals, and TTM Factory) now offer a collective perspective on projects starting from the ideation phase. The goal is simple: to give the entire ecosystem insight into each project as early as the ideation stage.
In recent months, the PUI has also launched new initiatives to help its partners expand their international reach while addressing critical societal challenges. Entirely focused on Africa and led by CIRAD andIRD, the “Idéation Sud” initiative set up shop in Dakar last year. Its goal: to harness collective intelligence and co-create innovative solutions through partnerships between researchers and African and French socio-economic stakeholders. In the Senegalese capital, this approach has led to the emergence of the first five projects focused on agroecology and soil health. Two more workshops are planned over the next two years: one in 2026 in Côte d’Ivoire and another in 2027 in East Africa. Building on this momentum, the PUI has already launched its European counterpart—called “Idéation Nord”—with the goal of bringing together expertise on the topic of water.
Outlook
A solid track record and operational tools that are fully fulfilling their role as catalysts. But the Montpellier PUI does not intend to stop there and is expected to roll out its 2026–2028 roadmap soon. The next phase of the PUI now aims to scale up its efforts: raising awareness of innovation among the younger generation, identifying projects at an earlier stage, providing greater support to deep-tech startups, and opening up scientific platforms more widely to businesses.
To achieve this, several initiatives have been launched in recent months. First among them is the “student-entrepreneur-innovator” status, available between the third year of a bachelor’s degree and the second year of a master’s degree, which provides specific training on topics such as management and entrepreneurship.
The Junior Consultant program shares this same vision, offering master’s and doctoral students the opportunity to apply their skills to help incubating startups solve problems. After four months of participation—at a rate of two hours per week—the university will award them an institutional certificate alongside their main degree program.
Managed by the Initium incubator, the Pepite Deeptech program is aimed at doctoral students and early-career researchers, offering them personalized support to bring a project to fruition, coaching on how to apply for various innovation competitions, and an introduction to the business world. In each case, the goal is the same: to lower the average age of researchers engaged in innovation and to expand their ranks.
But while this focus on early detection primarily concerns researchers, it now also applies to ideas. Each year, more than a hundred invention disclosures are recorded. Some of them, though promising, have not yet found a path to commercialization. The new committee for reviewing invention disclosures is specifically designed to turn these ideas into concrete projects. No more leaving good ideas on the shelf: the committee promises a decision within 15 to 30 days, with follow-ups at 30, 60, and 90 days.
In terms of funding mechanisms, the PUI is also set to expand its range of options. With grants of up to 23,000 euros and co-financed by the Occitanie Region, the new BRL grants aim to support entrepreneurial projects mentored by an incubator in raising their Business Readiness Level by funding services such as market exploration and validation, business model and commercial strategy development, and legal and/or regulatory support.
Also overseen by Bpifrance, the BFT Lab grant program offers between 40,000 and 60,000 euros in funding to help recruit a startup co-founder or strengthen the skills of a researcher-entrepreneur, thereby opening up new funding avenues necessary for the creation of deep-tech startups.
A true annual highlight for the entire ecosystem, the upcoming Innovation Afterwork event will also reflect this growing ambition. The 7th edition, scheduled for July1, 2026, will once again bring together all the key players in innovation. It will be an opportunity to showcase the vitality of the PUI and highlight the many talented individuals it is home to.
Toward an integrated innovation hub with national and international reach
By coordinating existing initiatives and strengthening collaboration among academic, business, and local stakeholders, the PUI helps make Montpellier an integrated innovation hub, serving as a single point of entry for innovation in the region.
Through the University Innovation Hub, Montpellier is taking a decisive step forward in shaping its innovation ecosystem. The goal is not only to support more projects, but also to make the entire site more transparent, more accessible, and more attractive to economic and institutional partners.