The first five sociétés d’accélération du transfert technologique (SATTs) to be established in France have had their funding renewed with €104m ($116.2m) backing from the state.
The five SATTs, which act as regional tech transfer offices covering a number of universities and research institutes, successfully passed their three year evaluation. SATT Conectus will receive €18m, while SATT Sud Est picks up €22m, SATT Toulouse €24m, SATT Lutech gets €18m, and SATT Idf-Innov will be awarded €22m.
France’s National Research Agency, which performed the evaluations over the last six months of 2014, will now focus on peers SATT Nord, SATT AxLR, SATT Ouest Valoriation, and SATT Aquitaine.
Since the first SATTs were founded in 2012, 14 offices have been established – the programme’s target. Collectively, the SATTs have uncovered 2,900 potential projects, invested €70m, filed 540 patents, issued 140 licences, and launched 40 spin-outs.
The SATTs are being supported by the state’s Future Investment Programme, which has set aside €950m to fund the countrywide technology transfer programme through its National Fund for Commercialisation.
