Concours d'innovation i-PhD

Concours d'innovation i-PhD is Bpifrance's state-backed competition for young researchers in France, run under France 2030. It is aimed at doctoral candidates from the second year onward and recent PhDs who want to build a deeptech startup from their research. The 2026 edition is the seventh, and the program sits upstream of i-Lab in Bpifrance's deeptech ladder. The prize is not a cash award. Winners receive a one-year support track built around monthly coaching, learning expeditions, entrepreneurship training, and visibility within the French deeptech ecosystem. Eligibility requires a technology transfer organization, research body, or public-research incubator to accompany the project, and applications are filed through the government digital portal. Selection weighs entrepreneurial motivation, startup potential, and environmental impact. This is a narrow, early-stage route for researchers who are ready to turn lab work into a venture but still need structured guidance rather than capital. The strongest fit is a project that already has institutional support and a clear deeptech use case, since the program is designed to help researchers sharpen the commercial path before they reach the more financing-heavy Bpifrance competitions.

Each grant below is a distinct funding opportunity with its own eligibility, scope, and deliverables.