Exploring the Drivers of Research Commercialization in Europe
The full podcast
Fabrice Lefebvre
We must view Europe as a single market and expand well beyond France’s borders so as not to become a second-class region.
A recognized expert in technology transfer, Fabrice Lefebvre serves as president of SATT Nord (Society for the Acceleration of Technology Transfer), which covers the Hauts-de-France region and part of the Grand Est region. He plays a key role in promoting French deep tech abroad by overseeing the SATT Network’s international relations.
He also serves as Vice President of "Metrics & Impact" at the ASTP (Association of European Science and Technology Transfer Professionals), which gives him unique insight into global performance standards in the field of innovation.
Program Summary
The uniqueness of the French model of technology transfer
Unlike the Anglo-Saxon model, where each university often has its own technology transfer office (TTO), France relies on a system of pooling resources through SATTs.
This unique model allows a single organization to manage research funding for a dozen different institutions (universities, the CNRS, and hospitals).
This approach ensures fair treatment: each project is evaluated and supported based on its intrinsic technological potential, regardless of the size or prestige of the institution from which it originates.
Global Benchmark: France Takes on the American Giants
A recent comparative study, audited by an external firm, assessed the performance of the SATT Network against historical benchmarks such as MIT and Stanford.
While U.S. organizations, established in the 1970s, enjoy greater financial maturity, SATTs (which are only 12 years old) demonstrate remarkable effectiveness. The rate at which patents are converted into startups or industrial transfers is higher than the U.S. standard.
Financial profitability, which takes a long time to achieve in the deep tech sector (10 to 15 years for a "unicorn"), is on a promising upward trajectory.
Internationalization as a Driver of Deep Tech Growth
For research-based startups, the domestic market is no longer enough. The current strategy aims to propel these startups onto the global stage right away.
This has led to strategic bilateral partnerships, such as the one established with Innopolis in South Korea, which facilitates access to Asian markets.
At the same time, connections are being established with European manufacturers to facilitate acquisitions or commercial partnerships, enabling French technologies to be integrated into global value chains.
The Draghi Report and European Sovereignty
Mario Draghi's recent report highlights the risk that Europe could fall behind as the United States and China make massive investments in disruptive technologies (AI, quantum computing, biotechnology).
To counter this trend, the European Union is significantly expanding its funding programs (such as the EIC—European Innovation Council).
The goal is to support the entire innovation continuum, from the laboratory through to industrial-scale production, in order to strengthen a powerful and competitive single market.
Deep In Tech by Dynergie
Deep in Tech is driven by a core belief: to understand Deeptech, you have to listen to the people who are building it.
Behind every disruptive innovation lie demanding journeys, difficult trade-offs, and successes that often go unrecognized.
The podcast gives a voice to entrepreneurs, researchers, investors, and industry leaders at the intersection of science and the market.
At the heart of the Deeptech ecosystem’s challenges, Deep in Tech lifts the veil on the behind-the-scenes of a world as complex as it is strategic. Industrialization, financing, the transition from lab to market…
These journeys, often fraught with obstacles, are recounted candidly by those who experience them firsthand.
The podcast offers an authentic look at the inner workings, tensions, and collaborations that shape both the successes and failures of French Deeptech.
A space to understand the reality on the ground, from the perspective of those involved, far from formulaic narratives.
Florence Caghassi Jouni
With Deep in Tech, I meet the people who are shaping the deep tech landscape every day. They share their journeys, struggles, challenges, and successes with me—unfiltered. I created this podcast to help everyone understand and navigate the complex and exciting ecosystem that is deep tech.
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