Introduction

A key element of the French innovation system is the cluster approach to organizing its activities. In France, clusters are literally called “competitiveness poles” (pôles de competitivité), defined as “an association of enterprises, research organizations and educational centers that are located in the same territory, are included in joint activities, have a common development strategy and are designed to accumulate synergy in innovative projects». [1]

The French scientist B. Pecqueur, in the article “From growth poles to competitiveness poles: a new distribution of cognitive resources,” identified four distinctive characteristics of the “competitiveness poles”: [2]

1. By its nature, the pole of competitiveness is a form of increasing the efficiency of efforts made to develop and implement innovations;
2. The collective principle in the work of the poles is much more important than individual productivity; the concept itself presupposes close cooperation of different teams;
3. The pole itself should be a source of innovative development, i.e. generator of technological ideas and innovations;
4. The territory is the central space for coordinating the activities of players trying to solve new production problems.

The main goal of such a cluster approach is to establish vertical and horizontal connections between participants in the process in order to minimize time and resource costs when passing through the stages from the inception of the idea of ​​an innovative solution to its immediate materialization in the form of a product or service and further occupation of its niche in the domestic and global markets.

Methodological basis of the study

General scientific research methods were used, such as analysis and generalization of special literature, publications and scientific articles, analysis of statistical data, synthesis.

Main part of the study

There are currently 54 competitiveness poles in France (in 2024), operating not only in new industries, but also in traditional sectors such as energy and transport. It is worth noting that the poles are not concentrated in any selected regions, but are distributed so that in each region of France there are several clusters connected to each other. According to the French government, over 2000 laboratories, research institutes and universities, and over 14000 innovative companies are integrated into these poles.

In 2022, France completed the implementation of the fourth stage of the program for the development of competitiveness poles, designed for 2019–2022. In 2023, the fifth stage of the program began, which was aimed at encouraging and facilitating the implementation of joint European projects through competitiveness poles within the framework of the European program for the development of cluster policy «Horizon 2020», as well as a thorough analysis of the activities of competitiveness poles in order to select those that will subsequently be able to successfully interact with other developed ecosystems. In accordance with paragraph 10 of the “National Pact on Economic Growth, Increasing Competitiveness and Combating Unemployment,” according to the creators, the French innovation system will become the “locomotive” of the country’s economic development. [3]

In addition to supporting competitiveness poles, the French government provides direct funding for the most promising research projects on a competitive basis. Table 1 classifies all clusters by field of activity: “Space, Aeronautics”, “Agriculture”, “Healthcare”, “Chemical Industry and ecology”, “Digital Technologies”, “Energy”, “Manufacturing”, “Fashion and Cosmetology”, “Logistics”.

Table 1

Classification of clusters in France by area of ​​activity in 2024 [4]

As of 2024, France is one of the largest nanotechnology powers, ranking fifth in the world in terms of the number of specialized publications and second in the EU in terms of the amount of funds attracted to the industry. The largest organizations involved in the field of nanotechnology are CNRS and CEA; to simplify their interaction with French business, the French Government created the RMNT network, which includes large companies and laboratories of EU countries interested in exchanging experience and cooperation in the framework of international projects. [5]

French nanotechnology is developing in three main directions:

1. Nanobiotechnologies – the development of nanoparticles, nanofluids and bio-chips that radically change the approach to the diagnosis and treatment of diseases (BioMérieux, L’Oréal, Apibio and others).
2. Nanomaterials – development of innovative materials: for example, the production of composite materials from carbon nanotubes, which are 100 times stronger than steel with six times less weight; the use of titanium particles for the production of solar filters; introduction of silicon nanoparticles in the production of long-life automobile tires (EADS, RHODIA, Michelin, L’Oréal, Atofina, Saint Gobain and others).
3. Nanoelectronics – development, miniaturization and production of high-performance electronic components (ST, Withings, CEA-Liten and others).

In the field of nanotechnology, 6 poles of French competitiveness are successfully operating: Lyonbiopole, Minalogic, Microtechniques, POPSUD, S2E2, SCS.

Aerospace Valley is the country’s leader in aerospace technology, the cluster brings together 8500 researchers and research teams, 147000 industrial jobs, a third of all French jobs in the aircraft manufacturing industry and more than 50% of jobs in the space sector, 13000 university students, as well as 2 out of 3 French schools for aeronautics and space technology. The cluster operates in the areas of aircraft manufacturing, the development of aerospace technological solutions, the development of various types of unmanned systems, as well as research in the defense sector of French industry.

To provide a project idea, the cluster has several methods:

1. On an annual basis, the cluster management announces specific areas in which projects are of greatest value at the moment under the title “Call for Expression of Interest”. The main goal is to combine the owner of the idea with those who may be most interested in this project for further discussion. The cluster itself acts as an intermediary for connecting project authors with their potential investors.
2. “Call for Applications”. The cluster creates opportunities to implement projects through the submission of applications, which can be submitted in various formats depending on the required degree of confidentiality. This may allow the owner of an innovation project to create a consortium with the skills required for his project. It may also involve an end user who expresses a specific need for a desired technology solution and approaches innovative solution providers to formalize the partnership;
3. Hackathons are a way of presenting a project in the form of a competition where teams present their potential projects. In essence, through this event, the cluster organizes a showcase for the end user, in whose interests the event is held.

The activities of the cluster are financed at several levels: regional, national and European. At the regional level, the cluster helps project teams find companies in Occitanie and New Aquitaine that are interested in their work in order to determine financing schemes. At the national level, the government, through operators such as BPI or ADEME, offers various funding schemes to support research projects of companies, higher education institutions and research organizations. The cluster is also a participant in pan-European programs for financing innovative projects, such as Horizon Europe and similar ones.

In addition to government funding, the cluster also has its own sources of funding for research. They include loan programs under special conditions for carrying out scientific research and development, attracting bank financing, as well as financing from own funds or attracting third-party venture funds and companies.

In addition to simple selection, the cluster provides an opportunity to increase the chance of finding investors in the form of companies for researchers. The project marking program is a kind of examination, based on the results of which the project is given a cluster mark, which significantly increases its chance of being targeted by another company for investment.

Competitiveness poles facilitate interaction between academic institutions, research laboratories and industrial partners. These collaborations result in practical applications of research as researchers gain deep understanding of market needs and businesses gain access to cutting-edge knowledge and technology. In Lyon-Rhône-Alpes, for example, collaboration between researchers at Claude Bernard University Lyon and Sanofi has led to the development of new biodegradable packaging for pharmaceuticals.

Competitiveness poles attract and retain the highly skilled workforce needed for research, development and innovation. They offer opportunities for learning, research and career development, creating a dynamic environment for talent. Thus, Paris-Saclay is home to a number of leading universities and research institutions, making it an attractive destination for scientists and engineers from all over the world.

Clusters attract investment from the private and public sectors, providing funding for innovative projects. Thus, the Mer Pole has attracted significant investment in projects related to marine technologies and renewable energy sources, which has led to the creation of new businesses and jobs.

Conclusion

In this way, the competitiveness poles in France serve as catalysts for innovation, providing a platform for collaboration, financing, start-up support and the creation of an innovation ecosystem. They play an important role in strengthening France’s global competitiveness and in stimulating knowledge-based economic growth.