3 YEARS AT THE HEART OF INNOVATION
On Thursday 9 June, the City of Innovation and Knowledge Aix-Marseille (CISAM) brought together its four partners and all the players in the innovation ecosystem to celebrate the three years of existence of this unique place of entrepreneurial creativity.
More than 200 people attended the event. Each of them was able to take stock of these three years, look back on the highlights of their activity or success stories, and also present their perspectives for the future.
Mr Eric BERTON, President of Aix-Marseille University, opened the plenary session by reviewing the history and the raison d’être of this totemic place which he initiated.
Then, Charlie BARLA, Director of the CISAM, presented the key figures of the City of innovation and Knowledge.
In 3 years, nearly 200 startups have been supported, creating no fewer than 217 jobs in the Aix-Marseille area. Five CIFRE theses were also launched, 4 research collaboration contracts were signed and 2 collaborative projects were subsidised for the Information and Systems Laboratory, LIS, with Enedis and CMA CGM. These figures illustrate the work carried out in close collaboration with all the players to give local companies access to the best academic skills, but also to encourage the creation of value and wealth in the Aix-Marseille Metropolis.
Obratori, the investment fund of the L’Occitane Group, represented by Amaury GODRON, M Accelerator, the startup accelerator of the Aix-Marseille Provence Metropolis directed by Franck ARAUJO, and ZEBOX, the international incubator and accelerator for innovative startups, initiated by Rodolphe Saadé, Chairman and CEO of the CMA CGM Group, represented by Aurore PULLINI (ZEBOX) and Jean-Baptiste LUMINEAU (CMA CGM) then took the floor to present their three years of success.
CISAM would have no reason to exist without all the people who form it. This is why each partner was keen to highlight these projects which represent the very essence of this catalyst for innovation.
The founders of Searoutes (Pierre GARREAU), Linkpick (Quentin BICHI) or Green PRAXIS (Martin GUILLAUME), the Head of the Artificial Intelligence Laboratory of Enedis (Romain GEMIGNANI) and the Head of the ENEDIS Chair (Pr Djamal HABET) The managers of the TNTM iDémo project between AMU (Mustapha OULADSINE) and CMA CGM (Karine DESRUES) also gave their testimonies, thus demonstrating the operational efficiency of CISAM as well as the scope of this unique collective tool.
The evening then continued with a cocktail party for a moment of exchange and conviviality.
We would like to thank all our partners, the startups, the innovation players and all the people who have worked and continue to work every day to make the City of Innovation and Knowledge Aix-Marseille live and grow.
Photos of this event:
