Henera brings Montpellier to the forefront of low-carbon energies
Created for project leaders and young innovative companies in the field of low-carbon energies, the Henera incubator was inaugurated on September 3. Operated by Montpellier BIC and its partners SLB and EDF, Henera is the first of its kind in France.
Considered a key player in the renewable energies sector, Montpellier is now innovating in the low-carbon energy sector. Led by Montpellier Métropole’s widely recognized startup incubator, Montpellier BIC, regularly ranking among the top 5 in the UBI Global ranking of the world’s leading incubators, Henera was inaugurated on September 3 at the Halle de l’Innovation facility, in the presence of its three main sponsors: Montpellier BIC, EDF Group, and SLB Group (formerly Schlumberger).
Henera is a first for France. “This is the very first incubator in France dedicated to decarbonized energies,” praises Sylvain Vidal, Director of EDF’s regional action in Occitanie, who adds: “Its creation embodies the shared ambition expressed 18 months ago by Luc Rémont, EDF CEO, and Michaël Delafosse, Mayor of Montpellier and President of Montpellier Métropole.”
On April 12, 2023, they both signed a declaration of intent to accelerate the decarbonization of the Montpellier metropolitan area, notably by “building innovative and sustainable local solutions.” Henera is part of this strategy, with the added advantage of the considerable involvement of a third partner: SLB, which already established an incubation program with Montpellier BIC four years ago.
“Companies need increasing amounts of energy, but at the same time they need to decarbonize it. This is where Henera comes in, to help meet this challenge,” says Olivier Peyret, SLB’s CEO and Director of New Energies Europe.
The new incubator offers a high-level, no-cost, nine-month program in Montpellier, co-created by the three partners. This technological and business support program benefits from the expertise contributed by each partner. The incubation program is open to innovative start-ups and companies less than a year old.
Announced at the VivaTech trade show in May 2024, the first cohort includes four laureates: CO2 Pulse is developing a digital platform for predictive decarbonization to reduce CO2 emissions from the supply chain; e-Ethylène designs electrolyzers to produce ethylene from industrial CO2 emissions; Renvois developing a digital platform to cost-effectively give a new start to all end-of-life wind farms; lastly, Tellus AI leverages AI and physical models to provide physical risk assessment in a rapidly changing climate.
These are just some of the many innovative projects designed to help decarbonize the planet. With its action, Henera is strengthening Montpellier Métropole’s strategy in support of the energy transition. "With our premium partners, EDF Occitanie and SLB, and a strategic location in the Halle de l’Innovation facility, we are creating a powerful tool for a world-class industry. This helps boost the dynamism of our area, which is firmly positioned to meet the major challenges of the 21st century,” concludes Michaël Delafosse.
Note: apply in early 2025 to join the Henera adventure!
About
SLB
SLB is a global technology company, driving innovation in energy for a balanced planet. With operations in over 100 countries and employees representing nearly 200 nationalities, we work every day to innovate in the oil and gas sector, deploy digital technology on a large scale, decarbonize industries, and develop new energies to accelerate energy transition. More information on www.slb.com.
EDF Occitanie
In the Occitanie region, where more than 9,500 employees live and work, EDF produces over 97% of its energy from carbon-free sources thanks to nuclear generation at the Golfech power plant, EDF Hydro Sud-Ouest (which owns one of France’s leading hydroelectric power stations), and the expertise of its subsidiaries: EDF Renouvelables for wind and solar power, EDF ENR for domestic consumption solutions, CYCLIFE for nuclear waste, and the services provided by DALKIA to more than three million customers (individuals, businesses and local authorities). X-Twitter @EDF_Occitanie
EDF
A major player in the energy transition, the EDF Group is an integrated energy company, present across the entire range of activities: generation, distribution, trading, energy sales, and energy services. The world leader in low-carbon energies, with decarbonized production of 434 TWh, the Group has developed a diversified production mix based mainly on nuclear and renewable energy (including hydroelectric), and continually invests in new technologies to support the energy transition. EDF’s mission is to build a CO2-neutral energy future that reconciles the preservation of the planet, well-being, and development, thanks to electricity and innovative solutions and services. The Group supplies energy and services to approximately 40.9 million customers and generated sales of €139.7 billion in 2023.
Montpellier BIC
Founded in 1987, the Montpellier Business and Innovation Centre (BIC) has already assisted more than 886 companies, generating more than 10,330 direct jobs and nearly €2 billion in revenue, with business survival rates well above the national average (80% after 5 years, compared to 61%). Montpellier BIC has enabled the emergence of “tech champions” who have become successful SMEs that create jobs and added value in the area: Swile, Medtech-Zimmer, Teads, MedinCell, Pradeo, Bio-UV, IES, Synergy, Sim&Cure, Aquafadas, DiaDom, Bulane, Biotope, CILCare, SeqOne, Bime, Axeptio, Matooma, Smag, Urbasolar, and Tageos. A pioneer technology incubator in France and Europe, Montpellier BIC has received numerous awards for its start-up assistance programs and tools. The incubator has been listed among the world’s Top 5 public incubators in the UBI Global ranking since 2014.