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Seven talents from Montpellier's University Innovation Hub honored at the i-Lab competitions, including two grand prizes and an i-PhD 2025

[] - Published on in Press Room, University Innovation Hub (PUI)

The University of Montpellier and SATT AxLR, founding members of the University Innovation Cluster (PUI), once again distinguished themselves on the national stage this year at the i-Lab and i-PhD 2025 competition ceremony, held in Paris on Tuesday, October 14. Seven winners of the i-Lab competition and one winner of the i-PhD competition, all from Montpellier's PUI, were honored, with two receiving grand prizes. This illustrates the collective momentum driven by the Initium incubator at the University of Montpellier and SATT AxLR. These results demonstrate the effectiveness of the joint support provided within the PUI, dedicated to the maturation and promotion of research and the creation of innovative companies with high potential, for a total investment of more than €3.7 million.

Seven winning i-Lab projects bringing innovation and impact

The i-Lab innovation competition, part of the France 2030 plan and run by Bpifrance, aims to identify and support the best projects for creating innovative technology companies. Each winner is eligible for support and financial assistance of up to €600,000. This year, projects from Montpellier's PUI stand out for the diversity of their fields of application, ranging from health and agriculture to ecological transition and artificial intelligence:

i-Lab Grand Prizes:

  • Dolinnov: biotech company developing innovative solutions to combat chronic neuropathic and inflammatory pain without creating dependency. Laboratory: Montpellier Institute of Neuroscience (INM).
  • Terratis: a company using the sterile insect technique (SIT) to reduce the population of tiger mosquitoes and other insect pests. Laboratory: MIVEGEC.

Winners of the i-Lab competition:

  • Deep Pulse Neuro: a minimally invasive, endovascular device for deep brain exploration, intended for patients with epilepsy. Laboratory: Montpellier University Hospital.
  • Nomos: process for refining organic effluents (digestate, slurry, urine) to produce a stable, odorless liquid fertilizer suitable for fertigation and organic farming. Laboratory: European Institute for Membranes (IEM).
  • SPIMA Therapeutics: a company leveraging peptide science to target new therapeutic pathways in inflammatory and neoplastic diseases. Laboratories: Institute of Regenerative Medicine and Biotherapy (IRMB), Max Mousseron Biomolecules Institute (IBMM).
  • Tellus AI (Celest Science): predictive artificial intelligence solution for assessing climate risks and flood-prone conditions, designed for the finance and insurance sectors. Laboratory of Climate and Environmental Sciences (LSCE)
  • Sitera Pharmaceuticals: development of an innovative therapeutic strategy targeting Wolfram syndrome and other associated conditions. Laboratory: UMR Molecular Mechanisms in Neurodegenerative Dementias (MMDN).

At the same time, David Sanchez, an IES researcher, also distinguished himself in the i-PhD competition, dedicated to entrepreneurship among doctoral students and young doctors, with his QVD (Quartz for Virus Detection) project aimed at creating a portable, ultra-sensitive, and multi-selective early virus detection device. This program, which precedes i-Lab and i-Nov, aims to promote the creation of start-ups from research laboratories and to support the transition from academic research to industrial development.

The Montpellier University Innovation Hub: a network of stakeholders united to transform research into innovation

The Montpellier University Innovation Cluster (PUI) plays a key role in shaping the region's innovation ecosystem. It brings together the main players in commercialization and incubation: Initium, SATT AxLR, Montpellier BIC, Agrovallée, Extracteur des CHU, Inserm Transfer, and CNRS Innovation. This networked organization provides consistent and continuous support, from ideation to technological maturation through to business creation.

For the 2025 edition of the i-Lab and i-PhD competitions, project leaders supported by local incubators received enhanced support:

  • thorough review of application files,
  • oral exam preparation sessions,
  • individualized support provided by a specialized firm (10 projects).

These coordinated actions, funded by Montpellier's PUI (Public University Innovation), helped refine the projects' strategy and maximize their impact on the national jury. A dozen promising projects were identified by a tripartite committee (Initium, BIC Montpellier, SATT AxLR) to receive specific support.

A model of territorial cooperation and a lever for attracting research to Montpellier

In 2025, the collaborative dynamic between the PUI structures was consolidated with the signing of a tripartite agreement between the University of Montpellier, SATT AxLR, and Montpellier Méditerranée Métropole.

This agreement aims to streamline the support process for innovative projects through:

  • the pooling of support mechanisms for business creation,
  • the implementation of shared portfolio reviews between incubators,
  • enhanced coordination focused on the needs of project leaders.

The common goal: to accelerate technology transfer to the market, support the creation of innovative start-ups, and enhance the attractiveness of Montpellier as a location both nationally and internationally. The success of the 2025 winners fully illustrates the complementary nature of the PUI's stakeholders and the relevance of its support model, combining scientific expertise, support for commercialization, and entrepreneurial guidance.

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