The University of Montpellier celebrates its innovative talents and signs a strategic agreement to boost scientific entrepreneurship

[Press release] - Published on July 9, 2025 in Pôle Universitaire d'Innovation (PUI), Press room

The University of Montpellier's Innovation 2025 Afterwork was held on Tuesday July 8 at the Jardin des Plantes orangery, in the presence of Michaël Delafosse, Mayor of Montpellier and President of Montpellier Méditerranée Métropole, Philippe Augé, President of the University of Montpellier, and Philippe Combette, UM Vice President for Partnerships and Innovation.
This flagship event once again showcased innovation players from the university community, with a particular focus on students, PhD students and young researchers, the driving force behind the region's entrepreneurial dynamic.

Seven awards for high-impact projects

The evening was marked by the presentation of seven innovation awards recognizing promising scientific and technological initiatives by up-and-coming researchers, Professors, teacher-researchers and entrepreneurs:

Innovation Award - Chemicals Sector: Gilles Subra

For the ANR Sicle.e industrial chair, which is developing a method for tanning leather with silicic acid, enabling innovative recovery of leather waste for the benefit of the agricultural sector in particular. Project supported by IBMM, ICGM and the BioWooEB unit.
➤ Read the article

Innovation Award - Agriculture, Environment, Biodiversity Division: William Arditi

For Scanorhize, a revolutionary underground sensor for visualizing root dynamics in the soil, without excavation, for sustainable agriculture. Startup Humeos will market the product.
➤ Read the article

Innovation Award - Health Biology: Eric Kremer

For the CAVisca project, an innovative gene-based approach to Dravet syndrome, a severe form of childhood epilepsy. A start-up company is currently being developed.

Innovation Award - Mathematics, Computer Science, Physics, Systems: Kévin Yauy

For DocSimulator, a platform using generative AI to train healthcare students via simulated virtual patients, promoting the learning of medical and interpersonal skills.

Innovation Award - Social Sciences: Sandrine Grenier

For the Droit dans l'objectif YouTube channel, which offers a playful, scripted reading of the law through short and medium-length films, providing a new educational approach to justice.
➤ See the channel

Coup de cœur award: Magali Taulan-Cadars

For treatment of cystic fibrosis via an innovative inhaled dual therapy combining DNA and peptides, currently being developed by the future startup Aceso Therapeutics, a spin-off from the PhyMedExp laboratory.

Montpellier Méditerranée Métropole Coup de cœur award: Aurélie Perrin

For a solution to encapsulate biological active ingredients in natural polymers, designed to replace pesticides in agriculture, via a biological strategy of targeted predatory worms. A start-up is due to be launched by the end of 2025.

During the evening, Philippe Combette, vice-president in charge of innovation and partnerships at the University of Montpellier, together with Agnès Fichard-Carroll, vice-president of training and university life, presented the programs run by the University of Montpellier - leader of the Pôle Universitaire d'Innovation (PUI) - for students wishing to embark on an innovation initiative: PhD Innovation Week, national student-entrepreneur status, junior consultant training, among others.

The round table, moderated by Logan Chevret (PhD student at ICGM and former participant in PhD Innovation Week), Yannig Lepecq (Master 2 student, currently pre-incubated at Initium), Kate Rivière (manager of the Initium incubator) and Pascal Giat (head of the CIFRE department at the Association Nationale Research Technologie - ANRT), provided an opportunity to cross-reference experiences and shed light on the support mechanisms available at each stage of the innovation process.

A strategic agreement to strengthen the innovation ecosystem

The evening concluded with a highlight: the official signing of a partnership agreement between the University of Montpellier, SATT AxLR and Montpellier Méditerranée Métropole. This partnership marks a new stage in the structuring of a coherent, high-performance ecosystem around scientific innovation. The three signatories are joining forces to support project leaders, promote the results of public research and encourage the emergence of high-impact startups.

The aim of this agreement is to offer a clear, transparent and coordinated pathway, synergizing the expertise of the various players in the service of the region's economic development. It is fully in line with the ambitions of the Pôle Universitaire d'Innovation de Montpellier, spearheading the UM's innovation strategy.

Key words : Innovation