La recherche à la source de l’innovation

De nombreuses découvertes à la source d’innovations majeures sont issues de la recherche fondamentale, et ce dans tous les domaines – biologie moléculaire informatique, physique des particules, sociologie, etc. Inscrites dans un temps long, ces recherches aux frontières de la connaissance favorisent des changements importants dans nos sociétés. Ces découvertes, vecteurs d’innovations, transforment nos vies au quotidien. Quelques exemples en images :

Des brevets en plein essor

Les chercheurs du CNRS sont des inventeurs qui déposent de plus en plus de brevets. Leur nombre et leur qualité font du Centre national de la recherche scientifique l’un des principaux innovateurs mondiaux. Batteries, biomarqueurs, cosmétique, robotique, imagerie et VIH sont les domaines les plus actifs en termes de dépôts de brevets. Acteur engagé dans la valorisation, le CNRS concède des licences de ses brevets aux industriels et entrepreneurs qui peuvent ainsi les exploiter. La grande majorité des licences s’accompagne de partenariats scientifiques. 
 

Des moyens pour valoriser la recherche

Accélérer l’innovation de rupture

Les Focus Transfert : 20 domaines clés

Leader dans des thématiques scientifiques stratégiques, le CNRS axe notamment sa politique nationale de valorisation autour de 20 domaines-clés, les « Focus Transfert » qui s’appuient sur plusieurs atouts : sa force scientifique, son portefeuille de brevets, ses liens privilégiés avec l’industrie, son expertise de la valorisation et son fort potentiel d’innovation au meilleur niveau national et international. Dans ces domaines (nanomatériaux, oncologie, Alzheimer, robotique de service, batteries, etc.), l’organisme accélère l’innovation de rupture, c’est-à-dire l’apparition de concepts radicalement nouveaux, créateurs d’évolutions majeures de nos sociétés.

Accéder au marché grâce à la pré-maturation

Pour détecter puis soutenir les projets de recherche porteurs d’innovations, le CNRS a mis en place un dispositif de pré-maturation en lien avec ses partenaires industriels. Il s’agit d’accompagner, par un financement interne, les premières étapes du développement de technologies émergentes afin d’augmenter leur niveau de maturité et de les aider à accéder au marché. Cet engagement très en amont accélère la valorisation de plusieurs façons : dépôt d’un brevet, création d’une start-up, poursuite de la maturation technologique, nouveau partenariat industriel.

Des acteurs dédiés à la valorisation

Le CNRS s’est doté d’une organisation à la fois stratégique et opérationnelle pour piloter sa politique de valorisation, de transfert et d’innovation et pour accompagner les chercheurs et les entreprises dans leurs démarches.

Un écosystème de l’innovation dynamique

L’écosystème français de valorisation, de transfert et d’innovation est caractérisé par un foisonnement de dispositifs nationaux. De nombreux acteurs interviennent lors du processus d’innovation, depuis la détection d’un projet en laboratoire jusqu’à la mise sur le marché d’une technologie. Le CNRS joue un rôle clé dans cet écosystème, en complémentarité et en interaction avec l’ensemble des structures existantes.

Autres dispositifs de valorisation et d’innovation nationaux

Le CNRS est impliqué dans un grand nombre des 62 dispositifs de soutien à l’innovation répertoriés en France, tels France Brevets, les pôles de compétitivité, les fonds d’amorçage, les Equipex (équipements d’excellence), Labex (laboratoires d’excellence) et Idex (initiatives d’excellence), les alliances de recherche, les instituts hospitalo-universitaires (IHU), les instituts pour la transition énergétique (ITE).

Numerous research contracts with industry

Scientific collaboration between CNRS laboratories and companies is governed by contracts. Thousands of collaborative research agreements are signed each year with companies, SMEs, and multinationals. They involve the joint completion of science programmes that produce deliverables. Longstanding and close relations with large companies lead to the signing of framework agreements. 

The CNRS also finalises five-year framework agreements with multinationals to structure the overall collaboration between industry and CNRS laboratories in various fields. The 21 framework agreements currently in force with groups including Total, Safran, Solvay, EDF, Essilor, Thales, and Groupe PSA testify to this system’s value for the business world.  

Joint laboratories with industry

More than 130 CNRS/industry joint research structures offer a highly integrated model for research in partnership with business. The number of such structures has rocketed. They include small and medium-sized companies as well as multinationals, and are part of medium-to-long term joint governance and scientific programmes. They can take a number of forms: joint laboratories and research units, both in France and abroad, OpenLabs, and LabComs from the French National Research Agency (ANR) for SMEs. This type of collaboration is prevalent in engineering and systems sciences, and chemistry.

Technological platforms serving innovation 

The technological platforms provided by the CNRS and its partners give business and scientific communities access to cutting-edge infrastructures as part of research contracts, partnerships, or external services.

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A think tank with industry

The CNRS’s partner company network promotes exchanges and reinforces high-level dialogue with socioeconomic actors. It meets to discuss issues such as start-ups, the role of industry in France, and international development. Partners contribute to innovation support programmes, serve on the Medal of Innovation jury, and are associated with important scientific cultural events such as the CNRS Forums “What Remains to be Discovered?” and “HSS Innovatives”, as well as the  “NanoCar Race” and “My thesis in 180 seconds” contest.

Researcher entrepreneurs

Since the 1999 law known as the “Allègre law,” which allowed the implementation of technology transfer measures and helped change ways of thinking, CNRS researchers have been able to set up companies. Based on highly qualitative transferable research results, 80% of the start-ups that have emerged from laboratories are still in operation today. As evidence of their success, some are listed, while others have been purchased by multinationals. More than a third (38%) are in the information technology and communication sectors, followed by biology and health (24%), with chemistry and materials (19%) coming a close third.

Support mechanisms

Supporting pre-maturation

The CNRS has implemented a policy aimed at assisting and encouraging the creation of companies in laboratories, in an effort to ensure effective technology transfer. A series of mechanisms and resources supports technological pre-maturation and assists researchers-entrepreneurs in evaluating the possibility of bringing an innovation to market, investing in the company’s capital, and promoting future partnerships.

Investing in start-ups

Through CNRS innovation (formerly Fist SA), its national technology transfer subsidiary, the CNRS has already taken a stake in 26 start-ups with high innovation potential. These companies operate in major research fields such as information technology and communication, biology, physics, and chemistry. These investments reflect the CNRS’s long-term commitment to promising companies.

CNRS Innovation website

The Medal of Innovation 

With the Medal of Innovation, which was created in 2011, the CNRS rewards outstanding scientific research that has led to breakthrough technological, therapeutic, or social innovation. Each year, a jury hands out between one and five medals to CNRS researchers and engineers, other research organisations, universities and prestigious higher-education institutions, or industrial players closely involved in research. 

Discover the Medal of Innovation laureates

The HSS Innovatives

A series of events organised by the CNRS around themes with strong innovation potential for 2025, the HSS Innovatives forum is a key occasion for strengthening partnerships with socioeconomic actors. It allows laboratories and companies to communicate about their needs and advances in view of future applications and also encourages researcher initiatives in technology transfer activities. The Innovatives touch on various subjects, including the humanities and social sciences, the vehicles of the future, big data, etc.

Innovatives website (in French)

National Days for Innovation in Health

The National Days for Innovation in Health bring together all members of the health community at the initiative of the French Ministry of Health and Social Affairs as well as Universcience. They encourage the general public to discover the latest scientific advances and technologies in this field, offering demonstrations, workshops, round tables, professional speed dating, conferences, and exhibitions.

Learn more (in French)

Start-up Connexion

These meetings between investors and researcher-entrepreneurs, which were launched by the Groupe AEF and the CNRS, target start-ups originating from the world of academic research. They identify innovative projects with high economic value, give visibility to budding companies, and facilitate financing.

Start-up Connexion website (in French)

Innovation Tuesdays

Innovation Tuesdays, organised by the CNRS and the Club de Paris des Directeurs de l’Innovation, are free inter-institutional conferences. They are open to students from all universities, prestigious higher-education institutions and professional schools who have just completed their training, as well as innovation professionals including directors of innovation, R&D, marketing, and brands along with project directors and managers, researchers, designers, creators, producers, and entrepreneurs. By bringing together such a diversity of actors, these conferences facilitate networking for the many talents needed for innovation. 

Innovation Tuesdays website (in French)