From l. to r.: Christophe Derail, Olivier Farreng, Mohamed Amara, Laurent Bordes et Monique Luby-Gaucher, Vice-President of the UPPA board of directors (photo Direction de la communication UPPA)

On Friday October 20, 2023, Laurent Bordes, President of the University of Pau and Pays de l'Adour (UPPA), and Mohamed Amara, President of the Hélioparc technology park in Pau, signed a partnership agreement on the Pau campus, in the presence of Christophe Derail, UPPA Vice-President in charge of innovation and partnerships, and Olivier Farreng, Managing Director of the technology park.

This three-year agreement strengthens the long-standing partnership between the two organizations. A founding member of the technology park, UPPA is represented on Hélioparc’s board of directors and chairs its scientific and technical council. The technology park is home to research facilities such as the Institute of Analytical Sciences and Physical Chemistry for the Environment and Materials (IPREM), technology transfer facilities such as the Ultra-Traces Analyses Aquitaine (UT2A) unit, and the EntrePau student incubator, which hosts nearly a hundred student entrepreneurs.

(Photo Adrien Basse-Cathalinat/Pays de Béarn/2023)

In order to develop innovation and train the talents of tomorrow, the university and the science park stepped up their partnership so that they may encourage exchanges between lecturers, researchers, operational teams, students of all levels and alumni of the university on the one hand, and the science park's teams and the innovative companies housed there on the other.

A joint steering committee and a joint monitoring committee will implement actions that are part of a global reflection and in line with UPPA's recent France 2030 label as a university innovation cluster (PUI) with its Sud Aquitaine Innovation project.

The three strategic priorities are as follows:

Key area #1 - Promote innovation and university/business interaction on R&D themes

• Encourage UPPA students (doctorate and master's level) to apply for research and innovation projects with companies in the Hélioparc technopole (CIFRE thesis, applied research project, etc.) through dedicated communication initiatives;
• Participate in the development and implementation of the "Étincelles" start-up studio to stimulate the creation of innovative companies based on research results, particularly in the field of deep-tech technologies;
• Support partnerships between technopolitan companies and university research laboratories by promoting access to the UPPA Tech instrumental services center, internship opportunities, collaborative projects, "à la carte" training courses, etc.

Key area #2 – Promote and develop entrepreneurship among students and researchers

• Raise awareness of the technology park’s role and activities among students and researchers as part of its entrepreneurship awareness initiatives;
• In conjunction with the structures that operate them (notably SATT* Aquitaine Science Transfert with its Chrysa-link incubator, and PEPITE** Entrepreneuriat Campus Aquitaine), conduct joint awareness-raising initiatives on entrepreneurship and strengthen exchanges on the support of entrepreneurial projects;
• Facilitate the establishment of university projects in Hélioparc’s incubators.

Key area #3 – Promote the area’s scientific skills through shared initiatives 

• 
  (Photo Adrien Basse-Cathalinat/Pays de Béarn/2023)

  Participate together in partner events;
• Organize joint events to raise the area’s visibility;
• Develop joint structuring projects.

* Société d'Accélération du Transfert de Technologies (Technology Transfer Acceleration Company)

** Pôle Étudiant Pour l'Innovation, le Transfert et l'Entrepreneuriat (Student cluster for innovation, transfer and entrepreneurship)

Mohamed Amara, President of the Hélioparc technology park:
“The Université of Pau and Pays de l’Adour, which has been awarded the Pôle Universitaire d'Innovation label, is committed to the development of innovative technologies. Hélioparc will be at its side to ensure that, as often as possible, these technologies can be converted into business and become a lever for the economic development of our territory.”

Laurent Bordes, President of the Université of Pau and Pays de l’Adour:
“We want to become more involved with the Hélioparc technology park, which has been doing a remarkable job of supporting young innovative companies for over 30 years. Through our geographical proximity and the coherence of our respective ambitions, we will make the territory one of the leading locations for innovation.”