[Takeoff #2] Toward Starting a Business

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

David Andreu, a researcher at Lirmm, has been a co-founder since 2018 of the startup Neurinnov, which specializes in the design, development, and commercialization of implantable medical devices. He shares his journey toward starting a business with us as part of the video series “ Décollage ” produced by the University of Montpellier’s Office 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 research conducted 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 start our own company, because we’re operating in niche markets that hold very little interest for major manufacturers,” Andreu explains.

A path toward starting a business that few researchers in the public sector dare to take. Filing patents, protecting software, and being seconded or assigned from public service—these are all steps during which David Andreu benefited from the support and guidance of the DIPA.

Keywords: Takeoff, Innovation, Partnerships, Research