Launch of a new phase for competitiveness hubs

The policy of the competitiveness hubs took off as early as 2004 to use key levers of competitiveness, boost the capacity of innovation and develop growth and employment on buoyant markets. According to the ministry of industry, a competitiveness hub gathers small and large companies, research labs and training institutions on a well-identified territory and targeted subject. National and regional public powers are closely associated with momentum.

Positive outcome for phase IV

After an overview of competitiveness hubs in the end of phase IV (2018-2022), the minister said that the mechanism “generally responded to the participants’ expectations” in the sense that the interest of hubs lies in the networking process and support to requests of public funding. The aim of the hubs is also to support members in their requests of European funding for their R&D projects and in the search for partners abroad.

The 54 hubs of phase IV managed to:

• Bring together 2,000 additional members despite the health crisis (universities, research labs, other stakeholders of training);
• Obtaining funding for about 1,000 European projects to help many French SMEs access new markets and value their technologically cutting-edge know-how.
• Build a network with 18,500 innovative companies, research and training centres, including about 60% of VSEs and SMEs;

These results were judged very positive by the Ministry of Industry which “justifies the extension of public funding in favour of the action from hubs”.

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New objectives for phase V

To even better boost the development of actions from centres at the service of innovation and SMEs, the French government defined three major objectives detailed by the ministry to support the new phase of the programme:

• Promote connections and collaborations between the actors of the regional economic and industrial ecosystems, in line with regional priorities;
• Supporting French SMEs by expanding their markets and their contact networks through the actions carried out by the hubs at European level;
• Supporting innovative companies in their transition to a more ecological and digital economy, while strengthening economic sovereignty.

In this respect, the hubs will play a key role in the implementation of the France 2030 plan and regional innovation policies. The France 2030 plan stipulates that half of the amounts granted will help “emerging players, i.e. young and innovative companies”.

All subjects at the heart of the economic fabric

From sustainable digital innovation to transport infrastructures, low-carbon energy, the development of the wood industry, advances in biotherapies and progress in nutrition, all innovative subjects are represented by the 55 competitiveness hubs spread throughout France, at the very heart of the economic fabric.

The Ministry emphasises that the competitiveness clusters have thus become “pillars of France’s industrial and economic sovereignty and relays for regional and national innovation policies at local level”. To this end, the French government will continue to support the competitiveness hubs to the tune of €9M per year for the next four years, alongside other public financiers, the most important of which are the Regions.

More information

• about the Competitiveness Hubs

• about phase IV (report)

• about phase V