Montpellier's PUI showcases its startups at VivaTech 2025
The University Innovation Cluster was present for the first time at the VivaTechnology trade show, known as " Vivatech ", held in Paris from June 11 to 14, 2025. This was an opportunity to highlight four startups supported or incubated by the PUI on the stand of the Occitanie region.
"The aim of the PUI is to encourage partnership research, technology transfer and the creation of start-ups in Montpellier. With this in mind, we offer, for example, a support program specifically dedicated to innovative deeptech projects. It was therefore obvious for us to take part in the show," explains Kate Rivière, head of the University of Montpellier's incubator, Initium. She was present alongside Philippe Combette, Vice-President in charge of partnerships and innovation at the University of Montpellier, and the 4 startups mobilized for the occasion: Scanorhize, Terratis, Kervalion and Ai-Stroke.
Emerging technologies
Established in 2016, the show has become one of Europe's largest gatherings dedicated to startups and emerging technologies. "This show enables us to keep abreast of the latest trends, and exchange views with key players to understand their issues. Our ambition is to bring our technologies out of the laboratory, so that they correspond to precise needs at the service of society", argues Kate Rivière.
Alongside her, four startups boosted or born in the various structures of Montpellier's Pôle Universitaire d'Innovation took turns on the stand over the four days. "These companies illustrate the key themes we wish to focus on, according to our motto 'Nourish, Care, Protect' with a certain level of maturity and products or services to show," Kate Rivière details.
Sterile mosquitoes
On the first day, startup Terratis shed light on its project to implant sterile mosquitoes to limit their spread across the territory. Incubated at Initium, then at Montpellier's Business Innovation Center(BIC), the company has just moved into a pilot plant, the only one of its kind in Europe, before previewing the deployment of its technology in two local authorities and a campsite.
Observing soil life
The result of a SATT AxLR project, co-incubated at Initium and Le Bic, startup Humeos unveiled on the second day the outlines of a new technology entitled Scanorhize, enabling the observation of soil life via buried sensors, coupled with an AI-based analysis software solution. A crucial issue for sustainable agriculture...
Dental implants
On the third day, it was the turn of Kervalion, which is developing a technology dedicated to the manufacture of dental implants using 3D-printed bone grafts. In 2022, 703,420 dental bone grafting procedures were performed in major European countries, underlining substantial demand on the continent, according to Global Data.
Detecting strokes
On the fourth day, Ai-Stroke took over to present its application for detecting the first signs of stroke. Around 1.1 million strokes occur in Europe every year, making it the leading cause of neurological disability, according to the Stroke Alliance for Europe.
"The show enabled them to have ultra-qualitative exchanges. They didn't all have the same objective: some were looking for future customers, others for suppliers, product feedback, investors, or institutional support to set up their system", continues Kate Rivière, who also led a round table discussion on the role of PUI incubators in the development of these startups. At the same time, the Initium team has also established fruitful contacts with the University of São Paulo, as well as Canadian institutions, with whom new cooperation projects could emerge in the years to come. For the time being, it's difficult to assess the precise impact of the project, but the balance sheet looks positive. "We can't wait to repeat the experience!
