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The Incubator for PACA-EST
INRIA
Institut Eurécom
The Incubator for PACA-EST (Provence-Alpes-Côte
d'Azur Region)
The Incubator for PACA-Est has been operational since January 2001 and it is one of the 29 establishments of this type
that the “ Innovation
law ” allowed to come to being (voted in July 1999). Universities
and research organizations have been able to create structures
with the aim of aiding and supporting technology projects at
their inception. The Incubator, which is set up in Nice, Sophia
Antipolis, and Toulon, has 5 founder members: the University
of Nice-Sophia Antipolis (UNSA), the University of Southern Toulon
and the Var( USTV), the Institute of Computer Research and Automation
(INRIA), the Alpes-Maritimes General Council and the General
Council of the Var. It is also backed by the French Research
Ministry, the European Social Fund, the Provence-Alpes-Côte
d'Azur Region Council, the Nice University Hospital (CHU), the
National Agronomy Resarch Institute (INRA), the French National
Institute for Health and Medical Research (INSERM), the local
urban authorities, the Chamber and Commerce and Industry of the
Var, Texas Instruments, the
Telecom Valley Association and the
Côte d'Azur Hi Tech Club.
The role of the Incubator, led
by Géraldine Quetin, is
to identify and then to provide support for innovative projects
showing the different types of financial aid available (including
for training) by providing access to the pluridisciplinary knowledge
network (scientific, technical, financial, industrial and administrative)
and by making sure that the project comes to fruition in the
form of a new company at the end of the incubation period (maximum
24 months). Each project must have a link –origin or backing
of-, with academic research.
Website: www.pacaest.com.
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INRIA (National Institute of Computer Research
and Automation)
Created in 1983 the INRIA research unit in Sophia Antipolis brings
together 29 research teams, of which 8 work in partnership with
universities, institutes and research laboratories. INRIA operates
a dynamic policy in the area of technological transfer. The result
of this can be seen, for example, through the starting up of technology
companies that were created thanks to the Institute and now industrialise
prototypes of products from research prototypes and spread the expertise
of the Institute.
Activia Networks : Created in April 2000, this start up
provides solutions to open and interoperable networks for routing
and content exchange for Internet operators (ISP, hosting companies,
and backbone operators). Activia facilitates and optimises seamless
broadcast of audio and video streaming, live or on demand, dynamic
electronic trade and the content exchange on very large networks.
www.activia.net
Aucland : Created in 1999, this company provides individuals
and companies with an on-line, real-time auction service. Aucland
is targeting the European on-line auction market and has set up
sites in the United Kingdom, in Italy and in Spain. www.aucland.fr
Esterel Technologies is in charge of the development and
exploitation of the programming language Esterel (to validate, make
and test circuits) developed in a joint research project at INRIA
in Sophia Antipolis and the Ecoles des Mines in Paris.
www.esterel-technologies.com
Istar : Created in 1988, this company is a leader in 3D
digital mapping for telecommunications network, using satellite
and aerial images. www.istar.fr
Quantificare was created in March 2001 and its expertise
relies on more than 10 years of research in voluminal image processing.
From this basis, QuantifiCare offers accurate and objective 3D tools
to measure the evolution of disease, and an optimal analysis of
medical images, thus increasing the chances of concluding positively
phase I and II pharmaceutical tests. This technique is utilised
when imagery is needed and if the drug product shows actual efficacy.
QuantifiCare also provides dedicated technology for medical equipment
manufacturers using MRI images, Catscans, ultrasound, Nuclear Medicine
or other 3D tools. QuantifiCare actively collaborates with the best
medical research teams in the world and works in close relationship
with EPIDAURE, a research team from INRIA in Sophia Antipolis. www.quantificare.com
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Realviz : Created in 1998, the objective of REALVIZ is to
build a bridge between real world and computer images. To perform
this, REALVIZ markets its software to integrate virtual 3D images
into real sequences, revolutionising production methods. The main
spheres addressed by this application are television, cinema, advertising,
video games and the Internet. www.realviz.com
Trusted Logic : Created in 1999, located in the Paris region
as well as in Sophia Antipolis, it is a start up specialised in
formal evidence and security for virtual machines. The main applications
are secure embedded computer systems such as memory chip cards and
electronic payment. Trusted Logic stems from the economic interest
group Dyade created by the Bull group and INRIA. www.trusted-logic.fr
UDCast : This start-up created in July 2000 is developing
technology to support UDLR (UniDirectional Link Routing) protocol
which allows for seamless integration of unidirectional links in
the Internet, for IP protocol, and to use the characteristics of
multicast traffic, for satellite linkups or digital Hertzian landline
links. www.udcast.com
The Institut Eurécom, start-up
developer
Eurécom’s strategy is to provide technical expertise
and know-how to start-ups. Eurécom’s support is far
from being limited to material assistance (such as desks, computer
equipment…) and teaching staff, Institut Eurécom above
all, strengthens the technical aspects of the project.
Eurécom takes an interest in each company, the percentage
of which varies from one company to another but it never exceeds
10% of the equity. Even with this minimal interest, Eurécom
only takes interest in realistic projects. When asked about the
possibility of “ brain drain ” of teachers associated
with the creation of start-ups, Ulrich Finger, the director of the
Institute, points out that the strategy of Eurécom is to
free up time during the take off period of start-up companies. By
purposefully limiting the number of start-ups “ housed ”
by the Institute to three, the demand and therefore the risk is
reduced. The main thing is to create an impetus, which is beneficial
to students, researchers, teachers and partners alike. www.eurecom.fr
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CERTIMATE
This start-up sets out to provide a guarantee as to the origin
of messages, the person who wrote it and the guarantee that the
correct person has indeed received it and that the recipient can
acknowledge the reception. CERTIMATE is currently in the developing
phase and is working on the final touches of two products. The first
involves the automatic processing of information by WorkFlow control,
which allows the storage on microchip cards of data about the organisation
and the correspondent’s position and title. The second one
is designed to give legal “ existence ” to an electronic
mail received, just like a “ proof of receipt ” in case
of a normal letter. The future looks promising and the first partnerships
with large groups like France Telecom and IBM (via its Canadian
subsidiary) are starting to bear witness to this. www.certimate.com
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Castify Networks : The initial idea of this start-up was
to set up an Internet portal for the distribution of high quality
video for the general public. The company now sells licences to
large companies from its base located on CICA's premises.
In June 2001, this provider of solutions for transmissions over
the Internet announced a partnership with COMPAQ to deliver the
first "package" that allow xSPs to design their own content
delivery networks. www.castify.net
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SIGTONE : This company's project is about the automatic
copying of music. In other words the ability to write a score from
a monophonic instrument (an instrument or a voice) or a polyphonic
instrument (guitar, harp, piano) without knowing anything about
musical theory. The applications address the industrial sector (recognition/indexation
of acoustic signals) as well as the music world (amateurs or professionals).
Sigtone was founded in November 2000 and has been operating with
two Eurécom teachers/researchers since. The company is currently
in the development phase and is looking for funding solutions. www.sigtone.com
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