On May 28, 2024, Lille's University Innovation Cluster (PUI) will launch the first edition of its "Innovation Competition" to coincide with the Deeptech Tour's visit to Lille! Its goal? To spark entrepreneurial spirit and promote the development of deeptech projects in five priority areas, in close collaboration with private and public socio-economic partners in the region. This initiative by PUI Lille is coordinated by Eurasanté and supported by the University of Lille Foundation and MGEN, in partnership with BPI France and HDFID. The deadline for applications is September 16, 2024.
Apply by September 16: https://www.eurasante.com/appel-a-projet/concours-pui-pole-universitaire-dinnovation/
Challenges, targets, and themes of the competition
Designed to inspire and support entrepreneurial spirit, the PUI Lille Innovation Competition is part of a collective approach aimed at raising awareness of partnership culture among selected project leaders.
The PUI Lille Innovation Competition is an essential component of the regional and national strategy aimed at promoting the development of Deep Tech in France! Its ambition is to stimulate entrepreneurial spirit and intensify the flow of deep tech projects within the scope of PUI Lille, in line with five priority issues for the region:
- Energy solutions,
- Chemistry, materials, and production systems for a world in transition,
- Cultural and creative economy,
- Digital, robotics, and electronics,
- Health and wellness technologies and innovations.
This competition is open to students, doctoral candidates, engineers, researchers, and healthcare professionals affiliated with one of the founding members of the PUI, inviting them to challenge their deep tech project ideas.
It will be launched as part of the third edition of the Deeptech Tour, returning to the LILLIAD Learning Center at the University of Lille, putting Deep Tech in the spotlight! This tour showcases the driving forces behind Deep Tech within our innovation ecosystem, organized to bring about high-impact disruptive technologies.
What's in it for the winners?
Prizes worth between €5,000 and €50,000, giving them access to technological expertise, networking opportunities, a fast track to joining the support programs run by the founding members and partners of PUI Lille, training tailored to their needs, and/or visibility at regional and national level.
What support is available for winners?
Following the selection of three winners and the pre-selection of five candidates in December 2024, tailored support will be offered between January and June 2025. This program will include personalized monitoring throughout the progress of the projects, with the ultimate goal of entering incubation and developing the entrepreneurial spirit of the project leaders.
In addition, threemasterclass-style highlights will be organized to bring the eight project leaders together in an inspiring and stimulating environment conducive to innovation.
Contest schedule:
- Applications open: May 28, 2024
- Application deadline: September 16
- Information relay via five webinars organized between June and September
- Pre-selection of 8 projects: September 30
- Creativity day with local businesses to challenge projects: November 15
- Award ceremony for the three finalists: December 4 at Lille Grand Palais
Support for winners and shortlisted candidates: January to June 2025
A competition that is part of the development of the Lille University Innovation Hub
Led by the ANR and Bpifrance, the call for projects "University Innovation Clusters (PUI)" led, in the summer of 2023, to the selection of 29 PUIs across France, each bringing together different research and innovation stakeholders around a university.
The Lille University Innovation Cluster brings together 10 founding members around the University – Centrale Lille Institut, Lille University Hospital, CNRS, GIE Eurasanté, IMT Nord Europe, INRIA, INRAE, INSERM, INSERM Transfert, and SATT Nord – in conjunction with 25 partners. The Lille PUI aims to implement and coordinate a joint innovation strategy based on three main areas:
– Promote R&D partnerships with companies, drawing in particular on the coordination of networks of commercialization correspondents in laboratories and business developers.
– Encourage the creation of deep tech start-ups originating in research laboratories, supported by a series of measures designed to foster an entrepreneurial mindset among doctoral students, as well as enhanced support for preliminary start-up projects from the outset.
– Stimulate the development of disruptive technologies resulting from research, which will not only serve to promote collaborative research, but also accelerate the creation of deep tech companies.
This certified project reinforces the excellence of the University of Lille and its partners, while strengthening its appeal to local and international socio-economic stakeholders.
Partners of the PUI Lille Innovation Competition:
Co-founders of PUI Lille:
PUI Lille funders:
This project is funded by the French government as part of France 2030.
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Contest sponsors:
Partners and advisors for the competition:
[1] *Deeptech: This term refers to "Deep Tech" startups that offer products or services based on disruptive innovations. Their ambition? To tackle the major challenges of the 21st century: a new technique to fight cancer or climate change, for example. And all fields are concerned. (Source: BPIFrance)