Montpellier's Pôle Universitaire d'Innovation (PUI) signs partnership agreement with 7 competitiveness clusters

[Press release] - Published on April 8, 2025 in Pôle Universitaire d'Innovation (PUI), Scientific Attractiveness, Press room

On Monday, April 7 at 6pm, at the University of Montpellier's Botanical Institute, the first partnerships were signed between the Montpellier University Innovation Cluster and seven local competitive clusters (Aerospace Valley, Agri Sud-Ouest Innovation, Aqua-Valley, DERBI, Eurobiomed, Pôle Mer Méditerranée and Innov'Alliance). By strengthening synergies between all the key players in the local ecosystem, this first structuring collaboration aims to accelerate innovation and encourage the emergence of high-impact solutions.

The University of Montpellier: a pivotal point for innovation

Backed by its scientific expertise and strong local roots, the University of Montpellier, leader of the Pôle universitaire d'innovation (PUI), is embarking on a new dynamic by collaborating with competitiveness clusters. The aim of this alliance is to catalyze synergies between research and industry to drive innovation in Occitanie.

The Montpellier PUl embodies the ambition of innovation at the service of society and the region. Structured around the "Nourish Care Protect" triptych of the I-SITE program, it federates higher education and research establishments. Thanks to a dynamic ecosystem comprising one third of Occitanie's researchers and 70,000 students, Montpellier is positioned as a major hub for innovation. PUl also relies on key players such as SATT AxLR, the Montpellier BIC incubator and the regional economic development agency AD'OCC to stimulate startup creation, support SME innovation and attract strategic investment.

Competitive clusters: catalysts for growth

Competitive clusters play an essential role in the innovation ecosystem. By bringing together companies, research laboratories and institutions, they encourage the emergence of high-potential collaborative projects. Their mission is to accelerate the time-to-market for new technologies, products and services resulting from research, by supporting companies in their ramp-up.

A partnership to transform innovation into economic impact

This agreement establishes a structuring framework to intensify the valorization of scientific innovations within the Montpellier Metropolis and the Occitanie region. It aims to strengthen connections between research, the socio-economic world as a whole (companies, associations, consultancies) and key players in local innovation. Through the support mechanisms of the Montpellier PUI and dedicated strategic events, this signature aims to: transform scientific advances into high value-added industrial innovations, structure ambitious collaborative projects and strengthen cooperation between researchers and industry, supported by the industry analysis of competitiveness clusters.

This collective commitment will contribute to enhancing the attractiveness of the Montpellier region, promoting local expertise on the national and international scene and raising awareness of innovation. It is also based on concrete commitments: a framework agreement formalizes the actions and commitments of the parties involved, the PUl steering committee ensures rigorous monitoring, and strategic meetings facilitate the coordination of initiatives. An evaluation system will measure the impact of the actions undertaken, so that strategies can be adjusted on an ongoing basis.

This agreement marks a key stage in the development of a more fluid, efficient innovation process, connected to economic and social issues. It also paves the way for the creation and support of deep-tech startups from research laboratories, by providing them with privileged access to the PUl's resources and expertise. Montpellier is thus positioned as a driving force for technological and entrepreneurial innovation in Occitanie, reinforcing its attractiveness and international influence.