SOPHIA ANTIPOLIS FOUNDATION
Positioning
THE SOPHIA ANTIPOLIS FOUNDATION
Recognised as a public service organisation, the Sophia Antipolis Foundation supports technological and scientific innovation and research projects at the service of mankind and our environment. It represents and enhances the visibility of the technology park among international scientific, economic and institutional players – building on prospective thinking – and works to promote the scientific excellence and ability to innovate of the technology park’s stakeholders.
The aim of the umbrella foundation . is to put Sophia Antipolis technology park on the map thanks to the excellence, success and exemplary nature of the projects it supports. It is active in a number of domains, including 3IA, biotech and biocontrol, health, sustainable mobility and smart cities.
THE MISSION
From the outset, the Sophia Antipolis Foundation has helped to respond to societal challenges of tomorrow; carrying out strategic missions to promote the economic and scientific influence of the technology park abroad.
THE VISION
To develop an inspiring vision of society for future generations. To brainstorm and exchange ideas by extending horizons and perspectives.
THE AMBITION
To improve the global reach of Sophia Antipolis technology park thanks to the excellence, success and exemplary nature of the projects it supports.
THE VALUES
UNIVERSALITY AND HUMANISM
- Through foresight, life management, life ideals
- Through sharing, diffusing and transmitting knowledge, self-management and know-how
- Through knowledge, collective research, constructing and creating together
- Through the common good:building an ecosystem together to serve the common good and the environment, is what it’s all about
- And finally, through trust and optimism, because there is no humanism nor universality without optimism or faith in progress.
OPENING
- Opening to the world which surrounds us and which evolves and requires constant adaptation.
- Opening to othersand to cultural, ethnic and generational diversity, but also to different genders and different abilities; calling for respect, sharing and tolerance
- Opening to multi-disciplinary knowledge and know-how whatever this may be and whenever it is considered to be making a contribution to progress and societal evolution.
- Opening as a true driver and lever for cross-fertilisation, co-efficiency, change, performance and excellence
INNOVATION AND RESEARCH
Because Sophia Antipolis technology park:
- Markets itself as a pioneer and a model of excellence and exemplarity
- Boasts a unique ability to anticipate, design, create and explore thanks to the mobilisation of all its players (public and private) and to its local, national and international networks
- Embodies and shares the values of responsible innovation serving mankind and our environment.
The Sophia Antipolis Foundation
DAY-TO-DAY
Dozens of events per year:
- Meetings
- Themed breakfasts
- Conferences
- Exhibitions
- Competitiveness Cluster Forum (71 clusters, 400 people)
Support for professional clubs
Hosting a number of international delegations representing more than 500 visitors and 25 different nationalities.
- Multi-national meetings
- Visits by delegations,
- Representation of Sophia Antipolis during missions abroad
- Active partnerships with many countries on different continents
- Active participation in three international networks dedicated to innovation.
Coordinating communication supports both on and offline: social networks, newsletters, websites, etc.
Governance
BALANCED GOVERNANCE
Recognised as a public service organisation, the Sophia Antipolis Foundation is subject to administrative stewardship (Government Commissioner) and has accountancy obligations (drawing up an annual report and annual accounts). The administrative organisation is a board-type organisation. The administration of the Foundation is carried out by a Board of Directors made up of 11 members, 4 colleges and one Government Commissioner.
History
A HISTORIC PLAYER FROM THE OUTSET
Initiated in 1969 by Senator Pierre Laffitte, the Sophia Antipolis technology park was based on a strong concept of cross-fertilisation between researchers, educators and industrialists. Having grown into a world reference in terms of innovation, the Sophia Antipolis technology park is the result of a private non-profit group known as “GIE SAVALOR”, which works in liaison with the Alpes-Maritimes Department. The success led local authorities to pursue and support the technology park’s development by creating SYMISA(Sophia Antipolis Joint Association) responsible for planning and infrastructure.
Founded in 1984, the Sophia Antipolis Foundationhas supported the development and enhanced the global reach of the technology park for 36 years by supporting projects . It was declared a public utility organisation upon its creation.
Creation of theIASP International Association of Science Parks by the Sophia Antipolis Foundation. The Foundation created the first global network of technology parks, scientific parks, incubators and innovation ecosystems in Sophia Antipolis. With more than 400 members in 80 countries, the IASP is now an international non-profit organisation enjoying special consultative status with the United National Economic and Social Council.
The Sophia Antipolis Foundation initiated and participated in many projects supported by the European Union, and in particular by the Directorates-General for Enterprise, Regional Research and EuropeAid, Federetc. As such, it worked with a number of experts in the fields of innovation and research policy, incubation, venture capital, technology park organisation and so on.
In the framework of a territorial cultural planning policy, the Sophia Antipolis Foundation set up the ARTSOPHIAassociation in 1996, one of Frances’ first portals dedicated to the arts and new technologies under the aegis of the French Ministry of Culture.
Creation of Sophia Business Angels and launch of the first “pitches” for innovative companies: The Start-up Factory is born
The Sophia Antipolis Foundation launched the “Global Forum!” In 2000, the Sophia Antipolis Foundation launched the Global Forum, “Shaping the Future”, an international think-tank type network, co-organised with the company Items. This annual international forum is a platform bringing together business leaders and politicians around digital society issues and innovative territories in particular. It is one of the major events for innovative territories in which international leaders from the business world, government and civil society institutions meet to discuss ideas and conceptions about the future of the information society and knowledge.
The Sophia Antipolis Foundation obtained the status of foundation for the provision of research facilities, allowing it to facilitate the provision of funding and the organisation into foundations of research teams.
The Sophia Antipolis Foundation organised the first national Competitiveness Cluster Forum – a major annual event bringing together all the French clusters with support from the relevant ministries.
In 2005, the Sophia Antipolis Foundation signed a cooperation agreement with Munich Technical University, Bavaria State and the Eurecom Institute. This highly fruitful cooperation was the catalyst for academic relations with Nice Faculty of Medicine and the Antoine Lacassagne Institute in Nice, in particular regarding joint programmes dedicated to cancer research. Other cultural and technological relationships were also established with players from the Earth observation domain.
The Sophia Antipolis Foundation co-organised for France, theGalliléo Masters European Satellite Navigation Competition. The Galileo Masters is aimed at companies, entrepreneurs, research institutes, universities and individuals from 20 European regions. The aim being to identify the most innovative projects in the field of satellite applications linked to security, intelligent transport (ITS) and mobile telephones. Notably, the Sophia Antipolis Foundation managed to unify all the networks, associations, clubs, research centres, universities and schools on a European level.
The Sophia Antipolis Foundation launched in Nice and Sophia Antipolis the 06.06.06 Festival of the fourth dimension combining arts, sciences and technologies, for a new perception of the world.
The Sophia Antipolis Foundation designed the leadership programme dubbed “Young Arab Leaders”with the Kingdom of Bahrein, leading to fruitful exchanges with Sciences Po Mentonand Université Côte d’Azur.
The Sophia Antipolis Foundationlaunched and organised with its partners the Symphonie des machines, an installation-concert at 5 different sites.
The Sophia Antipolis Foundationspearheaded The European Cluster Observatory EU Cluster Mapping and Strengthening Clusters in Europe project. Launched to develop a European observatory responsible for supplying a detailed cartography of innovations and expertise, clusters from various European countries: Switzerland, Turkey, Norway and Iceland, representing 38 activity sectors aiming to become The project includes a website and a service platform
The Sophia Antipolis Foundation became a partner of the WAVEWelcoming argument visualisation for Europe project, chosen by the Directorate General Information Society and Media of the European Commission. WAVE is a participative tool which aims to forge ties between citizens and political decision-makers within the context of designing environmental policies. The Foundation is responsible for this programme for France.
As part of its consideration of the societal impactsofscience and technology, The Sophia Antipolis Foundation launched, “Science in Sophia” [La science à Sophia], aninnovativeconference programme
The Sophia Antipolis Foundation initiated a major institutional twinning between Algeriaand the European Union based on, “setting up an ecosystem fostering the development of ICTs in Algeria”. This twinning led to trilateral exchanges between specialists and company leaders, start-ups, intellectuals and political and administrative decision-makers from different fields, with appropriate frameworks for practical proposals.
Alongside the technology park’s major territorial and institutional partners, the Sophia Antipolis Foundation was involved with events marking the 50th anniversary of the Sophia Antipolis technology park. The same year, it confirmed its strategic reorientation to support technological and scientific innovation and research projects serving mankind and our environment.
As part of the new partnership dynamic, and because it is convinced that patronage is a major driver for developments towards a more harmonious, inclusive and fair society, the Sophia Antipolis Foundationjoined ADMICAL, a French national reference association for patronage development, set up in 1979.