And the winners of the Innovation Awards are…
A must-attend annual event since 2019, the“Innovation After-WorkEvent” brought together representatives from the world of university research and their partners from the socio-economic sector on Wednesday, June 28, at the Jardin des Plantes. On the agenda for this summer evening: advice, group networking, and the highly anticipated Innovation Awards ceremony. And for this fourth edition, six researchers were honored.
Wednesday, June 28, 5:00 p.m. Small groups make their way through the Jardin des Plantes toward the plaza in front of the Institute of Botany. In this tree-lined setting, the University of Montpellier is hosting its “Afterwork Innovation” event—an evening of discussion and networking to which researchers and their partners from the socio-economic sector have been invited. For the approximately 100 guests, the evening begins with a time for discussion and networking to explore ways to promote a project, learn about potential avenues for collaboration, or receive guidance on starting a business. This friendly interlude precedes the launch, by President Philippe Augé, of the fourth Innovation Awards ceremony. Six awards are being presented this year: one for each of the five research clusters corresponding to theUM major scientific communities,UM one interdisciplinary “favorite” award.
Before announcing today’s winners, Hind Hemad, Vice President of Montpellier Méditerranée Métropole in charge of economic development, and Philippe Combette, Vice President for Partnerships and Innovation at the University of Montpellier, took the stage one after the other to highlight the major achievements ofUM researchersUM the field of innovation. Among them is Terratis, a deep-tech company dedicated to combating the tiger mosquito, which Celia Oliva, the company’s CEO, came to present in orderto “inspire others to embark on an entrepreneurial journey.”Another success story highlighted was that of Microphyt, presented by its CEO, Vincent Usache, who emphasized that “apartnership between a laboratory and a private company helps boost competitiveness.”
Dolphinfree: Protecting Dolphins from Overfishing
For it is indeed the value that research adds to the entrepreneurial process that unites all the participants that evening, whether their projects are still just ideas or already in the development phase. And to encourage everyone to believe in their projects, the University, once again this year, recognized researchers involved in innovative projects. In the agriculture-environment-biodiversity category, Bastien Mérigot, Professor Marbec, received an award for Dolphinfree. This is a next-generation acoustic beacon system designed to protect dolphins from accidental entanglement in fishing nets—the leading direct cause of marine mammal mortality—using a bio-inspired ultrasonic signal that deters them from approaching the nets. The device is set to be tested nationwide in the near future. Bastien Mérigot is already seeking new funding to adapt his beacon system to other endangered species.
CarboZym: A More Environmentally Friendly Industrial Chemical Process
In the chemistry category, Jullien Drone, Professor the École Nationale Supérieure de Chimie (ENSCM) in Montpellier, took home the top prize with CarboZym. He plans to take the helm of the startup, which is currently being established, in the coming months. This project is the culmination of work conducted with Nicolas Brun, a researcher at the Charles Gerhardt Institute of Montpellier (ICGM). Together, they developed a unique process for immobilizing enzymes, which involves attaching them to a porous, bio-based support, thereby enabling efficient and environmentally friendly biocatalysis.“Two patents were filed in early 2023, we’ve surpassed the one-million-euro mark in funding, and we’ve just launched a funding round to raise 3 million euros, which will enable us to scale this innovation to an industrial level,” says Jullien Drone.
EPITRANSDIAG: RNA Against Cancer
Another award-winning mature project, this time in the bio-health category, is EpiTransDiag. This innovation is the result of a consortium co-led by Alexandre David, a researcher at the Institute of Functional Genomics (IGH); Christophe Hirtz, Professor of the Montpellier Clinical Proteomics Platform; and Eric Rivals, a researcher at the Laboratory of Computer Science, Robotics, and Microelectronics (LIRMM). By studying chemical modifications of RNA through epitranscriptome analysis, the project aims to develop innovative tools in conjunction with machine learning and, ultimately, to open up new therapeutic avenues in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. While a patent has already been filed, Alexandre David explains that the goal is to develop cutting-edge“RNA chemistry” in Montpellier. The project has already led to the creation of France’s first clinical mass spectrometry platform for analyzing chemical modifications of RNA.
- Check it out: UM atUM " with Alexandre David and Eric Rivals
Thor Eyes: A Closer Look at the Impact of Thoracic Implants
Other projects, while promising, still need support as they move forward with their entrepreneurial endeavors. This is the case with Thor Eyes, an innovation that won an award in the MIPS (Mathematics, Computer Science, Physics, Systems) category. Born out of a collaboration between Laurence Solovei, a surgeon in the Thoracic and Vascular Surgery Department at Montpellier University Hospital, and the biomechanics team at the Laboratory of Mechanics and Civil Engineering (LMGC), Thor Eyes is now a technology transfer project led by Jimmy Teixeira, a mechanical engineer. A 360° stereo-correlation video technology makes it possible to measure deformation movements on the surface of living beings—such as chest movement during breathing—in an efficient and non-invasive manner. Further studies are needed to develop the project and explore its potential applications.
JeudeCompta: Breaking Down Stereotypes About Accountants
Following an initial version in the form of a board game, JeudeCompta is a digital app project currently under development led by Guillaume Dumas, Professor Montpellier Management. Dumas asked himself,“How can we break the stereotypes of accountants sitting behind their desks and make students’ first encounter with the discipline fun?” while also appealing more broadly to those“who want to acquire basic knowledge to communicate with their accountant.”
Inseparable: Humanizing Hospital Care
Finally, the evening concluded with the“Interdisciplinary Favorite”award. This prize was awarded to Dorian Grégoire, an anesthesiologist and intensive care physician, for his project“Inseparable”—an app designed to facilitate communication between the loved ones of patients in the ICU and the healthcare staff. For Dorian Grégoire, this project has the potential to be a“vehicle for humanizing hospital care,”despite the constraints and psychological impact of emergency hospitalization. A clinical study is currently underway at Montpellier University Hospital.
Once again this year, “Afterwork Innovation” provided an opportunity for researchers who have not yet taken the plunge to discover the support services offered by the University of Montpellier. As for the Innovation Awards, they demonstrate once again this year that the entrepreneurship of tomorrow is, above all, people-centered. When science is driven by a commitment to society, everyone wins: the academic world, the socio-economic sector, and society as a whole.