The i-Nov competition, financed by the state via France 2030 and operated by Bpifrance and the ADEME, supports projects backed by startups and SMEs throughout the country. For the past five years, this competition has contributed to the objective of assisting emerging players that back France 2030. 50% of the credits of the plan will be devoted to achieving this objective.
As Bruno Bonnell, General Secretary for Investment in charge of France 2030, explains “this plan gives France the means to rediscover its industrial and technological sovereignty in strategic domains for our future.”
This year, a total of 73 companies were supported. They are developing solutions in renewable energies, cultural and creative industries, energy and ecological transition in industry and agriculture and also in the health care of the future.
“To encourage the emergence of major French champions that have the potential for international development, the i-Nov component of the Innovation Competitions is an indispensable mechanism based on proven methods. (…) This 7th edition will have provided support for innovative projects in key sectors for the independence and sustainability of our economy,” Bruno Bonnell, General Secretary for Investment in charge of France 2030.
Aldescreen Project – Advanced BioDesign
Aldescreen aims to develop an early oncology diagnostic test for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Its lead anticancer compound, Dimate, is a first-in-class inhibitor of aldehyde dehydrogenases 1 (ALDH1). The ALDH enzyme enables cancer cells to detoxify themselves by recycling potentially harmful molecules. By inhibiting this enzyme, Dimate induces apoptosis in cancer cells but does not damage healthy cells at therapeutic doses.
Alzdiag Project – AgenT
The Alzdiag project aims to bring to market the first diagnostic blood test for the silent phase of Alzheimer’s disease. Unique in the world, it combines new patented biomarkers (proteins and metabolites) with artificial intelligence to detect Alzheimer’s up to 20 years before the onset of irreversible symptoms and dementia.
APP4PEN Project – Diabeloop
APP4PEN aims to optimize the treatment and management of diabetes using artificial intelligence. Its tool targets patients treated by multi-injection using insulin pens. Diabeloop will thus maintain its position as a patient care market leader and pioneer, with €11 million in revenue projected by 2024.
C4UTI Project – C4Diagnostics
The project aims to make the proof of concept, prototyping, clinical validation and CE marking of a rapid, reliable and automated triage solution for the diagnosis of urinary tract infections. C4UTI provides same-day results on negative samples, thus avoiding inappropriate over-prescription of broad-spectrum antibiotics in hospitals in France.
DIAG PDL1 Project – Keen Eye technologies
Using AI, Keen Eye improves medical imaging companies’ analysis with the goal of selecting the most appropriate treatment for lung cancer patients based on specific biomarker quantification algorithms. Its project is designed to be extended to other biomarkers (breast, colorectal and prostate cancers).
Homeric Project – Cardiorenal
The Homeric project is intended for patients with chronic renal and cardiac pathologies. The system allows the patient to measure key blood biomarkers (potassium and creatinine) on their own, improving patient care. Medical teams can also monitor the evolution of these markers remotely to adapt the treatment. Within the framework of this project, two connected IVDMD products will be designed, the first one, at TRL 6 and the second one, approved by CE marking.
NANOICP Project – Neurallys
The pressure sensor invented by Neurallys is independent and implanted under the skin, at the same time as the valve and catheter inserted in patients to drain excess cerebrospinal fluid and reduce intracranial pressure. It allows the transmission of intracranial pressure data to the physician in the event of symptoms of concern, via the patient’s smartphone. Unlike existing solutions that can only be performed at hospitals in France, Neurallys offers continuous recording in real-life conditions.
Neo Project – Primaa
Primaa uses Deep Learning to identify new predictive oncology markers for future efficacy of adjuvant treatments on a tumor, based on the analysis of pathological response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer.
Phagbac Project – Vetophage
A specialist in antibiotic resistance, Vetophage has designed a detection kit for two bacteria, Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, which is easy to use, less expensive than other current technologies and does not require expensive machines. It is well suited for use in the field and for daily screening targeting different sectors of activity – animal health, hygiene control and the health system in France.
Prostadiag Project – Oncodiag
The Prostadiag oncology test should make it possible to classify indolent prostate cancers, for which surgery can be avoided, and cancers whose aggressiveness requires heavy treatment, with total removal of the prostate or radiotherapy. This test is based on the identification and quantification of the expression of numerous RNA markers (patented) by next generation sequencing.