PROJECTS
De la Cité de l’Innovation et des Savoirs d’Aix-MarseilleA unique hub for entrepreneurial creativity, networking, and knowledge-sharing in the Aix-Marseille region, CISAM is the result of shared ambitions and collective intelligence brought together by Aix-Marseille University, the largest French-speaking university, Aix-Marseille-Provence Metropolis, the largest metropolitan area in France, and two major French multinational companies: CMA CGM and L’OCCITANE Group.
Driven by a common commitment to fostering scientific culture and innovation in support of economic growth, these partners have united around an unprecedented concept: bringing together, on a single site, all the resources needed to spark innovation and streamline its development.
As a place for connection, creation, project incubation, and acceleration, CISAM stands out as a dynamic space serving all those who innovate in the Aix-Marseille region.
CISAM+ project
Building on this momentum, Aix-Marseille University sought to amplify this pioneering initiative. This led to the creation of CISAM+, a project led by Aix-Marseille University and its partners from the A*Midex University Foundation, which was selected as a winner of the PIA4 “ExcellencEs” (France 2030) call for projects.
By supporting innovative projects from conception to maturation, CISAM+ becomes an integral part of Aix-Marseille University’s teaching and research activities. It does so by deploying eight thematic hubs across university campuses, offering training programs, fab labs, collaborative workspaces, and showrooms.
CISAM+ strengthens the foundation laid by CISAM, by building an interdisciplinary ecosystem of societal and technological innovation in collaboration with regional stakeholders. Its goal is to meet the challenges of innovation by fostering interaction among students, faculty, researchers, industry professionals, local authorities, non-profits, and citizens—while combining individual and collective expertise in research, engineering, management, and design.
PUI Provence project
The PUI Provence Project aims to amplify Aix-Marseille University’s innovation strategy. Selected as part of France 2030’s “University Innovation Hub” (Pôle Universitaire d’Innovation) call for projects, PUI Provence is led by Aix-Marseille University (AMU), through the Cité de l’Innovation et des Savoirs Aix-Marseille (CISAM) and the A*MIDEX Foundation, and has been awarded €6 million in funding.
This strategic initiative seeks to significantly accelerate and strengthen the links between academic research and the socio-economic world by developing solutions to current challenges across the sites of Aix-en-Provence, Marseille, and Avignon.
PUI Provence aims to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of innovation support activities (such as collaborative research, technology transfer, and entrepreneurship) within the geographical areas covered by the founding members. Its goal is to increase and accelerate the flow of innovation projects emerging from research labs and to enhance their conversion rate into innovations, particularly through the creation of Deeptech startups.
The funding will support the implementation of four key initiatives across all founding members of the PUI Provence project (Aix-Marseille University, Avignon University, CNRS, INSERM, IRD, Ecole Centrale Méditerranée, INRAE, AP-HM, SATT Sud-Est, Incubateur Allègre Impulse, INSERM Transfert, Protisvalor Méditerranée, Centrale Innovation):
Awareness and training of students in entrepreneurship
Strengthening of collaborative research
Creation of Deeptech companies
Implementation of an Innovation Quality Label
