From the idea to industrialization: Genopole adds a link to its biotech accompaniment chain in 2024
From the idea to the start-up
Since 2017, 74 projects have participated in the Shaker program, 45 of which became biotechs. In 2024, seven new projects participated in it. Of all the ideas nurtured since the program's creation, 61% led to the creation of a business.
Of these latter, 38% continued their development in the Gene.iO acceleration program.
Shaker – Bringing biotech ideas to life
The Shaker is the starting point for holders of innovative biotechnological projects. The early incubation program is intended for researchers, students, engineers or entrepreneurs aiming to show proof of concept for their ideas.
- Access to labs, scientific and entrepreneurial coaching and immersion in the Genopole ecosystem.
- Since 2017: 74 accompanied projects, 45 resulting start-ups.
To get their innovation through the goalposts, the future entrepreneurs receive support from biocluster teams at every step.
Gene.iO: an amplifying dynamic of acceleration
In 2024, having already accelerated 30 start-ups across four yearly classes, the Gene.iO program saw the addition of:
- two new Strategy Packs (iLab and Preindustrialization);
- and five new mentors bringing the total number of mobilizable mentors up to 16.
- In 2024, the Gene.iO prodigies raised a mean of €1.3 million Series A funding for a total of more than €9 million in obtained public and private funds:
- €7 million raised from investors;
- €2 million in public funding (Bpifrance, grants, etc.);
- €600 thousand in private funds (unsecured loans, banks, etc.);
- 52 jobs created, including 34 at the biocluster and 18 in the rest of Île-de-France.
Gene.iO – Accelerating the development of start-ups
Gene.iO is Genopole's acceleration program conceived to help biotech start-ups structure their growth and successfully carry out their first Series A funding campaigns.
- Strategic accompaniment over 12 months, mentoring, targeted Strategy Packs, (iLab, preindustrialization, etc.), access to investors.
- Since 2022, 30 start-ups accelerated, cumulative €39 million raised, average of €1.3 million in Series A funding.
Upscale Bio: a new offer dedicated to industrial scale-up
Launched in late 2024, Upscale Bio is a new Genopole program dedicated to biotech start-ups ready to move on from their proof of concept to industrial and commercial upscaling.
Conceived with input from around 15 of the site's start-ups, the program comprises three strategic pillars:
- Funding: to structure ambitious and targeted campaigns;
- Business & communication: to strengthen marketing strategies and visibility;
- Science & technology: to consolidate the R&D brickwork and accompany preindustrialization.
The modular (membership or à la carte) program Upscale Bio has already convinced 10 of the 24 targeted biocluster companies, and moreover gone national thanks to partner incubators in Dijon, Nice and Nantes.
Its objective: ensure the emergence of future biotech businesses.
Start-ups in focus: 2024, a year of solidification
5h45
5h45 is a new start-up in the bioeconomy sector developing a polymer for the cosmetics industry and aiming for industrialization in 2026. Originally in Israel, the company transferred to France, setting up its activities at Genopole.
5h45's technology is initially aiming to be an alternative to Brazilian hair straightening, but their polymer may also find wider applications in other markets. The objective is industrialization of the technology in the next two years to bring a new reference solution to the market.
Industrialization of the technology in the next two years to bring a new reference solution to the market.
BioTissue
Coming from Switzerland, BioTissue created its affiliate at Genopole to launch production of a knee cartilage substitute and achieve its strategy of international accreditation.
The business is developing a technology to replace damaged knee cartilage with a polymer, thus bringing a solution for the health of "old knees" to the market. The objective is to produce the technology at large-scales for different markets in Europe and the United States.
Enalees raises €15 million to speed industrialization
Enalees, a specialist in rapid veterinary diagnostics, raised €15 million in Series A funding thanks to the participation of the SPI 2 investment fund (managed for the French State by Bpifrance as a part of France 2030) and to that of historic investors.
Enalees's ambition is to build a facility able to extend its PCR test manufacturing capacities to 4 million units per year. Currently focused on pet-oriented (dogs, cats, horses) tests, which the company seeks to market in North America, Enalees is also aiming to extend its activities to the porcine, bovine, ovine and poultry livestock markets.
Read the press release
Ramping up despite a challenging context
Whereas certain health companies are experiencing contraction (-25% in sales for highly affected companies), those in the bioeconomy are seeing new perspectives. In 2024:
- About ten of the biocluster's companies attained the bar of €4 million in sales,
- 12 requests for larger premises were received, confirming a strong territorial anchorage;
- despite an apparent reduction in fund raising, the appraisal for 2024 remains positive.