International Startup Day: a closer look at 6 business projects that began life at the Inria centre in Paris

The creation of companies by researchers or engineers is a route towards innovation and development for both the economy and society as a whole. Although scientific research is very much Inria’s raison d’être, the Institute also supports careers in business: more than 160 companies have been set up in the past 34 years, and September 2019 saw the launch of the Institute’s very own support programme aimed at encouraging researchers and engineers to continue down this path.

The Inria Startup Studio programme

Headed up by its two directors, Sophie Pellat and Hervé Lebret, as well as by the innovation teams from the institute’s eight research centres, Inria Startup Studio provides tailored support to those in charge of deep tech projects.

Project managers who participate in the programme receive financial assistance, accommodation, access to specialist tools and logistical and technological support through research teams, in addition to advice and moral support.

In a year and a half, the programme has taken close to 30 start-ups under its wing, and has its sights set on 100 a year by 2023.

• The Inria Startup Studio web page

Entrepreneurship at the Inria Paris research centre

19 digital deep tech start-ups have been set up at the Inria Paris research centre since it was launched. Their main areas of focus - machine learning, natural language processing, transport and quantum computing - reflect the centre’s key priorities, but it doesn't stop there.

The Inria Paris research centre is committed to providing end-to-end support for the creation of deep-tech start-ups with their roots in research, in addition to raising awareness of the issue among researchers through events such as the DAY One conferences.

• Do you have an idea for a project? Why not talk it over with the Transfer, Innovation and Partnerships Department at the Inria Paris research centre?