MedVallée, a worldwide cluster for excellence in global health, was officially launched on June 27 during its first meeting at the Corum Conference Center in Montpellier, in the presence of nearly 800 attendees.
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MedVallée, let’s go!
MedVallée a worldwide cluster for excellence in global health, was officially launched on June 27, during its first meeting in the Pasteur room at the Corum Conference Center in Montpellier, in the presence of nearly 800 attendees.Feed, care, and protect: these are the three major challenges of tomorrow that the cluster aims to address by bringing together a community of economic, academic, and research stakeholders working at the crossroads of the Montpellier metropolitan area’s three top fields of excellence: health, food, and the environment.
“Economic vitality, research attractiveness, and academic strength are the fertile foundations for MedVallée strategy, which creates added value and jobs for the greater Montpellier area,” highlights Michaël Delafosse, Mayor of Montpellier and President of Montpellier Metropole, instigator of the initiative.
Organized in partnership with the French newspaper La Tribune, these first meetings provided an opportunity to allow key players in the cluster to express their views, and to present a 2022-2026 roadmap with a five-faceted strategy and 30 operational actions, half of which will be launched before December 22, along with a series of flagship projects. Numerous announcements were made. The first was the establishment of the first global Innovation hub to be created by the CGIAR (Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research) consortium.“As a founding member of MedVallée, alongside the French State and Montpellier Métropole, I share the ambition on behalf of the Occitanie Region to make this cluster a veritable economic powerhouse with international outreach, capable of providing concrete answers to the major health and environmental challenges facing our society,” says Carole Delga, President of the Occitanie Region. Hugues Moutouh, Prefect of the Hérault Department, adds: “The MedVallée project truly holds its place at the heart of France’s industrial strategy.”
The hub will be located in the “Saucer” building, the premises of the former Agropolis Museum.
A worldwide MedVallée-CGIAR innovation competition will be launched in the coming months.“MedVallée is essential for reinforcing synergies, attracting investors, and stimulating economic development, while promoting innovations that enable us to address global challenges in the fields of health, food, and the environment,” explains Marco Ferroni, Chair of the CGIAR Board.
The second major announcement was made by Sophie Béjean, Rector of the Occitanie Academic Region and Montpellier School District, regarding the creation of a local public institution for international education (EPLEI) to meet the challenges of economic development, company and startup attractiveness, CGIAR establishment, and also to respond to the influx of foreign and binational researchers. EPLEI is intended to accommodate their children, but will be open to all, in order to promote equal opportunity. Its creation will be supported by Montpellier Métropole, the Hérault Departmental Council, and Occitanie Region.
The third announcement was for a Life Sciences Innovation Campus, led by Bertin Nahum, the founding president of Quantum Surgical. Inspired by STATION F, the 19,000 square meter campus north of Montpellier will include an incubator specialized in life sciences to promote cross-fertilization, along with a training institute, residence for young professionals, and a food court. Investment: 60 M€.
Furthermore, the Montpellier CHU University Hospital is offering 3,000 m2 of space for the industrial production center run by MedXCell. Flagship projects are thus abundant and ten ambassadors embodying the ambition and outreach of MedVallée (see inset) have been appointed.
“MedVallée’s true strength is its ecosystem, united here. We are breaking down barriers. People are working together with a shared desire to move forward,” concludes Michaël Delafosse.
