Reopening of IOGS building 503: a new centre dedicated to innovation and entrepreneurship

On 1er October, Building 503, the Institut d'Optique Graduate School’s (IOGS) entrepreneurship and innovation centre, was inaugurated on the Université Paris-Saclay campus in Orsay. After two years of construction, the building has been given a facelift, with more than 10,000 m2 now dedicated to innovation and technological entrepreneurship. This should ensure a promising future for the building, which is already teeming with projects.

The 503, the new centre dedicated to entrepreneurship and innovation at the Institut d'Optique Graduate School, was inaugurated on 1er October. The morning was marked by speeches from Rémi Carminati, Director General of Institut d'Optique Graduate School (IOGS), Camille Galap, President of Université Paris-Saclay, and several representatives of the French government, including Clara Chappaz, the new Secretary of State for Artificial Intelligence and the Digital Economy. Local elected representatives such as Rémi Darmon, Mayor of Orsay, and Valérie Pécresse, President of the Île-de-France region, also took the floor, alongside the IOGS Innovation Department. The conference continued with round tables exploring themes such as investment, innovation and collaborative research, entrepreneurship and innovation in photonics and quantum physics in major groups.

The Université Paris-Saclay innovation cluster at the inauguration of 503

The day ended with an exploration of the "Photonics and Innovation" village, specially set up for the occasion and featuring stands highlighting innovation projects and partnerships between IOGS and the region. Among these stands was that of the Université Paris-Saclay innovation cluster (Pôle universitaire d'innovation - PUI), which has been awarded the France 2030 label and of which the Institut d'Optique Graduate School is a founding member. The Université Paris-Saclay innovation cluster aims to develop and strengthen innovation that meets current and future societal challenges and promotes human progress. The IOGS's new building 503 will be an ideal place to tackle these issues, especially as the IOGS is a key player in two of the PUI's four pillars. In particular, the IOGS is helping to raise awareness of innovation and entrepreneurship among the university community, while playing a major role in supporting projects and start-ups.

A new innovation and entrepreneurship accelerator on the Université Paris-Saclay campus

Anchored in the ecosystem of the Université Paris-Saclay, building 503 aims to be an accelerator of innovation and entrepreneurship. Encouraging close exchanges between students in the IOGS Innovation and Entrepreneurship (FIE) programme and local businesses and players, it embodies a dynamic and collaborative ecosystem. The 503 has already established itself as a key innovation centre for the Université Paris-Saclay.