BIM: a springboard for your ideas

You have a potentially innovative idea in the fields of agronomy, environment and chemistry? You don't know how to get your project off the ground? On January 11 and 12, the Montpellier Innovation Booster (BIM) is organizing its third session for researchers, agents and students of the Muse I-Site. Workshops, meetings, conferences, get the ball rolling and take the path of innovation with BIM.

" In France, we certainly don't lack ideas, but we often lack the structures to believe in them and give ourselves the means to develop our innovations. BIM really meets this need," explains Sophie Brouillet. Last June, this in vitro fertilization specialist at Montpellier University Hospital attended two days of workshops on the theme of "biology and health" organized by the Montpellier Innovation Booster.

Its goal: to develop embryonic organoids in order to improve knowledge about human embryos and to improve the chances of pregnancy for infertile couples. " We lack basic and medical knowledge about human embryos. The organoids we want to develop are not capable of producing a baby, but they mimic the early stages of embryonic development very well and could therefore teach us what embryos need to develop properly.

Open to all agents

When she received an email at the beginning of the year informing her of these workshops, Sophie Brouillet initially thought that her project was not sufficiently developed. " I was under the impression that it was for very advanced projects, with investors, but in the end it was very useful, it allowed me to avoid certain pitfalls and to better understand how the network works. Open to all I-Site Muse agents, the BIM's mission is to support project leaders at a very early stage. "All you need is an idea with innovative potential to participate," explains Manon Chittaro, who is in charge of skills development at Muse.

The starting point for this support is precisely these two days during which project leaders will be familiarized with tools and concepts that they are not necessarily familiar with, such as the business model. " Participants will learn how to work on the action plan and pitch their project to a jury composed of scientists and players from the socio-economic world. The aim is for project leaders to get live feedback so they can evaluate themselves, all in a very friendly atmosphere ," explains Amine Mokri, incubation business manager at the Muse I-Site. Satt AxLr, BIC and AD'OCC also take part in these days and offer coaching sessions.

Thinking in terms of the market

Our objective during these days is also to get them to think in terms of the market," says Amine Mokri. Is there anything equivalent on the market? Is there a need? Etc ". Habib Belaïd is a post-doc researcher at the European Membrane Institute. He participated in the very first BIM session in 2020 with his project on biomaterials for dental implants. " For me, it was a real springboard to go to commercialization and better understand the business world. Thanks to BIM, I also benefited from six months of financial support to work on my prototype.

This support enabled him to join the student and young alumni incubator of the University of Montpellier and to become the winner of the I-PhD innovation competition organized by Bpifrance. " Thanks to this competition, I benefit from a 12-month support with several consulting firms. I should soon file my first patent and bootstrap the start-up during 2022."

The first two sessions of the BIM allowed about twenty project leaders to refine their presentation and to confront the jury. It was also an opportunity for the University of Montpellier and its I-SITE MUSE partners to detect good projects and support them as soon as possible. " All BIM participants then receive personalized support from either the entrepreneurship team or the MUSE partnership team, or from their own organization when it has a development department. "Whether they want to create a company to add value to their technology or more simply transfer it to an existing company, there is a favorable innovation ecosystem to do so," adds Amine Mokri.

Next BIM on January 11 and 12

Finally, by creating themed sessions, the BIM allows project leaders from the same field to meet and exchange ideas about their innovation. " In the biology and health workshops, there were many who were working on organoids and who did not know each other. These two days were an opportunity for them to discuss and identify points on which they could work together and do interdisciplinarity " concludes Manon Chittaro. The next BIM meeting will be held on January 11 and 12. Are you in the fields of agronomy, environment or chemistry? You have an innovative idea? Don't hesitate, register, the BIM is waiting for you to develop your projects!

Practical : to register, please fill in the registration form. Do you have any questions? Contact us by email.