I-Lab 2024 innovation competition: two winners at ENS Lyon

Initiated by the French Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation in partnership with Bpifrance, the i-Lab innovation competition aims to encourage the development of French Deep Tech companies. Congratulations to the 2024 winners and, in particular, to the two researchers from our laboratories.

Two of the winners of the i-Lab 2024 innovation competition run by the French Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation and BPI France, researchers from the Pulsalys innovation accelerator, Steredenn Hudson-Offret of the XMBAUBLE start-up and Jacques Samarut of the OSTA THERAPEUTICS start-up, are based at ENS Lyon. In this way, they are making the most of results from the Physics Laboratory and the Chemistry Laboratory at ENS Lyon.

Steredenn Hudson-Offret

Startup XMBAUBLE
ENS Lyon Physics Laboratory

The XmBauble start-up is helping to combat counterfeiting by developing an application and SaaS solution that can generate a biometric identity card for any physical object, using an authentication system that cannot be falsified and is non-invasive for the product. The start-up is based in particular on research carried out within the ENS Lyon Physics Laboratory (ENS Lyon, Claude Bernard Lyon 1 University and CNRS).

Jacques Samarut

Startup OSTA THERAPEUTICS
ENS Lyon Chemistry Laboratory

Osta Therapeutics produces small therapeutic molecules designed to combat antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The technology is based on a patented medicinal chemistry innovation whereby the therapeutic molecule is directly functionally activated by enzymes secreted by the targeted pathogenic bacteria. The start-up is based in particular on initial research work carried out in the ENS Lyon Chemistry Laboratory (ENS Lyon, Claude Bernard Lyon 1 University and CNRS).

The i-Lab innovation competition
I-Lab is the biggest deep-tech innovation competition in France. A genuine growth accelerator for innovative companies, it has become a benchmark in the world of innovation. Operated by Bpifrance, it funds the best research and development projects to finalise an innovative technological product, process or service, with substantial financial support (up to €600k per project, for a total budget of €28m) and tailored support. In its 25 years of existence, i-Lab has become a key gateway for innovative project leaders, and a quality label unanimously recognised by deeptech investors.