[Takeoff #2] Towards starting a business

[Article, Video] - Published on March 16, 2022 in Major Programs, University Innovation Hub (PUI), Commercialization

David Andreu, a researcher at Lirmm, co-founded the start-up Neurinnov in 2018, which specializes in the design, development, and marketing of implantable medical devices. He shares his journey toward entrepreneurship with us in the video series " Takeoff " offered by the University of Montpellier's Department of Innovation and Partnerships (DIPA).

Restoring sensation in amputees or grip control in quadriplegics: these are the kinds of small miracles that Neurinnov offers to patients suffering from severe functional impairments. This therapeutic solution is now available thanks to the work carried out since the early 2000s by David Guiraud (Inria) and David Andreu (Lirmm) in the field of functional electrical stimulation. "The only way to bring this therapeutic solution to patients was to create our own company, because we are in niche markets that are of very little interest to large manufacturers," says Andreu.

A path toward entrepreneurship that few public researchers dare to take. Patent filings, software protection, delegation or secondment from public service... David Andreu benefited from the support and advice of the DIPA throughout these stages.

Keywords: Takeoff, Innovation, Partnerships, Research