The “ITE Innovation Project”:
a new way of financing innovation!

The main principles and benefits of an ITE innovation project with SuperGrid Institute

A new funding source is now available to finance your innovation projects in collaboration with SuperGrid Institute. This new means of working on, and funding your projects is possible thanks to SuperGrid Institute’s status as an Institute for Energy Transition (“ITE”). Setting up an ITE Innovation Project in collaboration with SuperGrid Institute enables you to draw on the expertise of an experienced R&D partner and offers you a means of leveraging financing for your project, thereby significantly reducing your innovation project costs.

A new financial leverage programme has been put in place by the French National Agency of Research (ANR) to develop innovation projects with industrial partners, with the objective of encouraging collaborative research and further developing the Institute’s IP assets.

The main principles and benefits of an ITE innovation project with SuperGrid Institute

To be eligible for funding via this programme, the proposed project must be aligned with SuperGrid Institute’s missions.

The cost of SuperGrid Institute’s work on the project is partially subsidised by the ANR grant so the industrial partner only finances the remaining costs. In return, SuperGrid Institute will (co-)own the results of the project with the partner. Exploitation rights and conditions are negotiated on a case-by-case basis.

Our industrial partners in an ITE innovation project:

  • benefit from SuperGrid Institute’s expertise
  • significantly reduce their project’s costs
  • can contribute to the project as actively or as little as they wish
  • may co-own the results of the project
  • can benefit from Research tax credit (CIR) on the funding they provide.

So how do we set up an ITE innovation project?

The grant application must be submitted to the ANR before the start of the project and by the end of 2024 at the latest. The project costs may extend to 2027.

The project is formalised by a collaboration contract that SuperGrid Institute will send to the ANR.

The industrial partner does not have to be French, but if its parent company is not in Europe, prior agreement must be obtained from the ANR.

In all cases, the industrial partner may not receive any indirect aid.

Some examples of ITE innovation projects set up in partnership with SuperGrid Institute

Study of innovative predictive maintenance solutions for power electronics components

  • Partner: major industrial player
  • Project duration: 1 year + 3 years
  • ITE innovation project conditions:
    • Partner’s financial contribution to the project: 50% of SuperGrid Institute’s costs
    • Results: Joint ownership of the results of the study

Completion of a thesis on the hybridisation of electricity generation resources

  • Partner: major industrial player
  • Project duration: 3 years
  • ITE innovation project conditions:
    • Partner’s financial contribution to the project: 50% of SuperGrid Institute’s costs
    • Results: Joint ownership of the results of the thesis

Think you have a project that could be eligible as an ITE innovation project, or just interested in finding out more? Get in touch!