The first "Tremplin Recherche" organized by the Senate on February 8, 2005
INRIA and company foundation: a proven model

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Paris, January 26, 2005

The National Institute for Research in Computer Science and Automatic Control (INRIA) is the origin of close to eighty innovative technology companies. The Institute will participate in the first “Tremplin Recherche” organized by the Senate on February 8, 2005. INRIA is an expert in technology transfer and research development in computing. It will present its company foundation model, a vector for exchanges and collaborations between researchers and industry.

- Scientific excellence and technology transfer

INRIA has placed innovation at the heart of its strategic priorities and develops a unique expertise in technology transfer. Following its "Scientific excellence and technology transfer" motto, the Institute has been conducting a practical, dynamic policy in favor of company foundations for twenty years. This policy is considered as an efficient means of transforming research into a source of innovation. The Institute is thus the origin of close to eighty innovative technology companies since it acquired the status of Public Establishment of Scientific and Technological Character in 1985. Operating under the dual authority of the Ministries in charge of research and of industry, INRIA is at the heart of continuous exchanges between the scientific world and the economic world.

To strenghten the foundation and development of innovative technology companies, INRIA set up INRIA-Transfert in 1998. This subsiduary developed a continuing process of selection, accompaniment, qualification and assessment for new companies-whether or not stemming from INRIA-likely to develop INRIA technology. INRIA Transfert created I-Source Gestion with AXA Private Equity and CDC Entreprises, which is the first French venture capital outfit specializing in innovative company startup funding. The company manages four risk funds: I-Source 1 & 2, C-Source and T-Source.

INRIA's development model and its success in company foundation, with such success stories as Ilog and Kelkoo, are proof that public research can generate value and instill dynamism into the French socio-economic fabric.

- Promoting collaborations between research and the market

By participating in Tremplin Recherche, a day of exchanges and meeting between the world of research and business, INRIA intends to support this momentum by showing all participants, researchers, academics, companies, investors and political and administrative representatives, that its development model is significant.

Laurent Kott, INRIA’s General Delegate for Technology Transfert and INRIA-Transfert CEO will participate in the round table entitled "Detection, prospection, economic strategic watch, inventory."

Tremplin Recherche will also be an opportunity to discuss proposals made to improve administrative, legal and regulation provisions in matters of research development. According to Laurent Kott : "All the measures taken, including the creation of risk funds for innovation, company foundation competitions, calls for projects on startup funds and incubators, have shown their usefulness and efficiency. It is also clear that these measures do not meet all situations and that other measures must be found in order to significantly increase the creation of innovative and durable companies stemming from research. In the framework of the discussions on the law on research orientation and programming, the measures proposed during the Tremplin Recherche contribute to this effort in favor on the foundation of innovative companies."

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