Case study - Promotech
General data
Country: France
Region: Lorraine
City: Nancy
Lorraine GDP (2007): 44 billion Euros
Companies in Nancy (2007): 23.600
New companies per year (2007): 2.100
Population city of Nancy (2007): 105.100 habitants
Nancy Unemployment Rate (2007): 6, 9 %
Promotech was founded in 1980 by two faculty members as a spin-off from the Department of Innovation Management of the National Polytechnical Institute in Lorraine with the objective to promote and transfer technology from the University towards Industry by creation of new companies or diversification of regional SME.
More than twenty five years later, Promotech has become a common initiative of the local government, the Chamber of Commerce and private companies. Promotech offers services oriented towards entrepreneurs-to-be, research units and companies.
Since 1988, the centre carries on its activity within the framework of the Nancy Brabois Science Park. The Park is home to 2,500 researchers, 100 laboratories, 17,000 university students and 200 companies. In total, nearly 300 establishments employ just over 15,000 people there. Therefore it can be said that Promotech is located where things happen in Nancy.
Promotech profile
Founded year: 1980
BIC since: 1985
Legal status: Non-for-profit Association
Funded by: University and local authorities
Stakeholders: Local government, Chamber of Commerce and private companies
Target Market: Mainly students and young graduated
BIC catchment area: Nancy
HHRR: 7 Team members
Incubation space: 2000m2 (Office space + Workshops)
Located in: Nancy Brabois Science Park
Promotech Value Added Service:
A large and multidisciplinary NETWORK built during more than 25 years working in the field.
Network relationship building is considered the most important value-added component of the incubation process.
Networks play a central role in the business incubation process; indeed the literature suggests that the development of such networks enhances the probability of survival over time because in the early stages of new firm creation, these networks represent an important resource for the entrepreneurial firm and access to them can help the small entrepreneurial firm to overcome the liabilities associated with newness and smallness.
Lichtenstein, 1992 ; Lendner and Dowling, 2007 , McAdam and McAdam, 2006
Promotech has developed during more than 25 years working in the field a large and multidisciplinary network which can be access in any moment and may help entrepreneurs to turn their ideas into viable and successful businesses. Furthermore Promotech has a huge experience in the field, which is recognise in and outside the region.
Promotech Networks:
Useful Tools & Programs
- AptitudeS. With this tool is analyzed the human potentiality of the entrepreneurs (behaviour analyse).
- www.pointrelais.frWebsite target to students and faculty interested in the entrepreneurship field: Students thinking about to star up a company can find in the website tools and useful recommendations. On the other hand faculty can access material which can be used in their entrepreneurship classes. Moreover frequently experts give advices and suggestions to students and faculty.
Applying Living-labs methodology in the centre: bringing different stakeholders together in a co-creative way. This methodology is an open innovation approach in which consumers become the focus point for the entrepreneurs. Promotech proposes “panels” (groups of consumers) involved in the process of definition, validation and follow of a new start up company.
Promotech in brief
Results in 2007
| Entrepreneurs assisted |
|
|
| 2007 |
176 |
|
|
since the start of the BIC |
2 500 |
|
|
Companies created with BIC support Jobs created |
|
Jobs created |
| 2007 |
38 |
80 |
| since the start of the BIC |
460 |
1 200 |
|
|
|
| Incubator |
|
|
| Companies in the incubator |
34 |
110 |
| Companies graduated |
164 |
250 |
|
|
|
Awards
- Concours Entreprendre (since 1992; 164 start ups created by young graduates)
In the face of the financial crisis
An opportunity for being an entrepreneur in the new innovative sectors such as energy, environment, service to people, information technology, etc.
Recommendation to a new BICs
Before defining your own services, analyze carefully what other organisations are doing in your region, and try to offer something different.
Success story
See detailed description of this company here
Contact details
PROMOTECH
Allée Pelletier Doisy 6
FRANCE-54603 Villers-les-Nancy
TEL: +33-3/83.50.44.44; FAX: +33-3/83.44.04.82
E-Mail: contact@promotech.fr; Web site: www.promotech.fr