The University of Reunion and its partners among the winners of the 29 University Innovation Centers (PUI)

This Monday, July 10, Sylvie RETAILLEAU, Minister of Higher Education and Research (MESR) announced the 29 PUI projects selected as part of this France 2030 action. Among the projects, the one led by the University of Réunion and its partners: VALIOTECH. Intended to encourage the emergence of innovation dynamics through training, partnership scientific research, business creation in the wake of the social and solidarity economy, the PUI VALIOTECH receives 3 million euros to create “the Deep Indo-Pacific Tech Valley.” The project extends until 2027. Start in September 2023.

As part of the France 2030 plan, the University Innovation Centers (PUI) are presented as an opportunity to assert the role of university sites in terms of innovation, simplify and accelerate the initiatives of higher education and research in favor of entrepreneurship and innovation.

Alliance of the territory's vital forces for a powerful lever of innovation

On July 10, 2023, 29 projects, including the one led by the University of Reunion Island, were winners of the call for projects launched by the ANR (national research agency). 

The PUI VALIOTECH (For VALorization of Innovation in the Indian Ocean for deepTECH) sets a goal of creating the “Deep Tech Valley of the Dopacific”. In other words, promoting disruptive innovation with a “social and solidarity economy” signature to resolve the region's challenges in synergy with all players in the ecosystem. Three other founding members make up this PUI: La Technopole de La Réunion (with the public research incubator), CIRAD and IRD. Six partner members participated in its construction: the Qualitropic competitiveness cluster, the GIP CYROI (Cyclotron of Reunion), the Crédit Agricole of Reunion, the Regional Chamber of Social and Solidarity Economy (CRESS) of Reunion, the Regional Council and the Department of La Réunion.

4 axes for a 3 million euro project

In detail, 4 axes will be developed by VALIOTECH to which the MESR has granted 3 million euros for the period 2023-2027. Axis 1 “Training” aims in particular to offer entrepreneurship training modules to different audiences (awareness raising among undergraduate students, organization of business/master level student meetings, “summer schools” for doctoral students, “masterclass » for researchers/teacher-researchers and short certifying training courses for professionals and the region).

Axis 2 “Partnership research » aims to offer a complete range of services to bring together the worlds of business and research by deploying new tools within laboratories, strengthening the attractiveness of partnership arrangements and promoting/pooling/optimizing scientific platforms. The PUI VALIOTECH also carries out actions aimed at researchers in order to support them in the realization of their innovative projects.

Based on a complete inventory of the systems supported by actors in the business creation ecosystem, axis 3 “Business creation and financing » will coordinate complete support courses adapted to different target audiences (students, doctoral students, researchers, project leaders, etc.) according to sectors with strong territorial issues. Objective: increase the flow of requests made to incubators and support players. Beyond creation, it will also be about responding to the challenges of accelerating and sustaining young innovative companies by offering support and investment funds.

 axis 4 “Coordination and Governance” defines the terms of strategic and operational management of the project, decision-making, allocation of resources and coordination between the different partners. The whole is consolidated by an ambitious desire to establish the systematic sharing of data between founding members as a preferred mode of communication. The positioning of a Living Lab and a dedicated chair anchors the desire of all PUI stakeholders to highlight a “Social and Solidarity Economy” signature and to make disruptive innovation a powerful lever for innovation social.

From left to right: Laurent GABORIAU (Technopole de La Réunion), Frédéric MIRANVILLE (University of La Réunion), Dominique PALLET (CIRAD), Chantal VERNIS (IRD)

Top of page