Invest in France Agency north-america Office

The cluster members have set 5 principal objectives:

• Develop innovative biomolecules to prevent and treat metabolic disorders and the related diseases, and neuro-degenerative diseases

• Formulation and development of functional ingredients and foods

• Strengthen initiatives for economic coordination and promotion of the sector internationally

• Significantly increase R&D investments by private and public cluster stakeholders relative to its themes

• Contribute on a scientific and industrial level to the expansion of the cluster players into the European markets for health foods and biotechnologies

Advantages

The North Pas-de-Calais region has several advantages:
     
Young and abundant labor force
• Population: 4 million
• 36.7% under the age of 26

Dynamic and open economy   
• No. 3 French region for its international trade with 9% of French exports
• Top region for total aggregate foreign investments since 1993 

Central region close to the large markets
• 100 million consumers available within a radius of 300 km
• Three major metropolitain cities easily accessible by train: Paris 1 hour, London 1hr 20 mins, Brussels 35 mins

The cluster is an original strategic alliance between agri-food companies, biotechnology companies and academic research.

Companies and Jobs
- Agri-food employs over 26,000 employees in North Pas de Calais.
- The biology-health sector groups together over 800 companies employing more than 21,000 employees.
-Company members of the NSL cluster of global size, including Roquette (starch), Lesaffre (yeast), Ingredia (dairy products), McCain (potatoes), Tate&Lyle, Bayer Shering Pharma etc.  
 
Research- 650 private researchers
- Almost 1,800 researchers in Living Sciences within public laboratories

Training
- Over 15,000 students in life sciences, health and agri-food

Members

66 members

Companies: over 40 of which over 25 are small-and-medium-sized enterprises (SME)
 
• French companies: Roquette Frères, Bonduelle, Ingredia, Leroux SAS, Tereos, Westhove (subsidiary of Groupe Limagrain), Groupe LFB etc.

• International companies: McCain Food Service (United States), Tate&Lyle (United Kingdom), Bayer Schering Pharma (Germany) etc.

Research and Educational Institutions

14 centers, including Université des Sciences et des Technologies de Lille, Université Charles de Gaulle Lille, Université d’Artois, Institut Pasteur de Lille, Institut Supérieur de l’Agriculture, Regional University Hospital of Lille etc.
   
10 other organizations are also partners of the cluster, including Pôle des Industries Alimentaires (PIA), Lille Metropolis Urban Community, Regional Council of North Pas-de-Calais, General Council of North (county council), Regional Directorate for Industry, Research and the Environment etc.

Current R&D Partnerships

63 projects have been certified from 2006 up to mid-2008 for a total investment of 164 million euros

Public support examples:
• Almost 3.5 million euros granted by the Single Interministerial Fund (Fonds Unique Interministériel or FUI) between 2005 and 2007
• Over 1 million euros allocated by the National Research Agency (Agence Nationale de la Recherche or ANR) between 2005 and 2007
• Over 23 million euros provided by OSEO ISI (subsidy for strategic industrial innovation projects)
• Over 7 million euros awarded by OSEO

International Partnerships

Current
- 8 projects under joint research with several foreign companies and laboratories in Germany, Finland and Belgium.
- Participation in collective missions organized internationally and mobilizing the French Bio-Health clusters, notably in Japan (BIO Japan show) and the United States (BIO San Diego show).
- Development of relationships with Finland, the Netherlands and Canada (Toronto and Quebec).

Future
- Participation in Eurobio, Paris, October 2008
- Participation in SIAL, Paris, October 2008
- Participation in HIE, Paris, November 2008
- Organization of Nutrevent: The European event for research and innovation in Health Nutrition on June 17 and 18, 2009 in Lille.

• More infiormation on pôle Nutrition, Santé, Longévité