Invest in France Agency spain Office

The innovative cluster Mer Bretagne, in close collaboration with the cluster Mer PACA, is at the forefront in 5 emerging areas linked to security and sustainable development:
•    Maritime Security and Safety
•    Shipping and Sailing
•    Marine Energy Resources
•    Marine Biological resources
•    The coastal environment and development

Advantages

Oriented toward the sea for centuries, the Brittany region has an infrastructure of businesses and research organizations capable of developing new products and services for the global market.

2,700 kilometers of coastline
Brest: No. 1 French port for navy fleet maintenance and civilian boat repairs

Members

275 members

- Large businesses (12%)
- Small- and medium-size enterprises (SME) (55%)
- Research and development (18%)
- Professional organizations (11%)
- Economic development structures (4%)

Companies:
32 Large companies: including Aker Yards, Alcatel Lucent Entreprise, Bureau Veritas, Cap Gemini, DCNS, EDF, Grass Valley (Thomson group), Louis Dreyfus Armateurs, Saur, Sofresid Engineering, TES Electronic Solutions, Thalès AS (Aeronautics, Defence, Naval, Security) Thalès US (Underwater Systems), Veolia, Groupe Roullier, etc.

147 SMEs: including CLS Boost, ECA, iXsea, Science et Mer, NKE, Plastimo, Kannad, Nautix, Agrimer, Camka System, Multiplast, VPLP Vannes, Groupe Finot, Timolor, Réseau Allegans, Roboplanet, Plasmor, Micromodule, Latitude 56, Breizadic, Morgère, Penn Ar Bed, Le Floch Dépollution, Cofrepêche, Coopérative maritime l’écloserie du Tinduff, Hémarina, Hémisphère Sub, Hydrohélix énergies, Institut Maritime de Prévention, Littoralis, Ys-Lab, etc.

Research and Educational Institutions2,900 researchers: 1,600 from the public sector and 1,300 from the private sector, 2,000 students graduating every year.

48 research and training centers, including Agrocampus Rennes, Centre Européen de Formation continue marine, Ecole Centrale de Nantes, Ecole Navale, Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Arts et Métiers (ENSAM), Institut français pour la Recherche et l’exploitation de la Mer (Ifremer), Institut d’études politiques de Rennes, etc. 

Professional organizations and economic development structures29 professional organizations and 11 economic development structures in the field of technical innovation:
Chambers of Commerce and Industry, CRCI, Technopôles, Economic Development Agencies, Comité Nationale des Pêches et des Elevages Marins de Bretagne (CLPMEM), Institut français de la Mer, Investir en Finistère, Société Nationale de Sauvetage en Mer (SNSM), etc. 

Current certified R&D Project Partnerships

46 projects certified since December 2005 with a total budget of 130 million euros (public funds: 40 million euros)

International Partnerships

Current:•    United Kingdom: Partnership agreement with the southeast United Kingdom maritime cluster (Marine South East). Ongoing collaborative projects.
•     Germany: Partnership agreement with the Schleswig-Holstein Maritime Cluster
•    Canada: Partnership agreement with the marine “niches of excellence” (economic development of active biomolecules from the sea, fishing and aquaculture, operational coastal oceanography)
•     Norway: Administrative member of the Franco-Norwegian Foundation.
•      Libya: Partnership agreement with the Libyan council for economic development
•    Partnership of the Technopôle Brest-Iroise in the InterMareC project (Interregional Maritime Cluster) involving France, Germany and Poland.
•    Partner in Europôle Mer: Member of the EUR-OCEANS network

Future:•    Seeking partnerships with other maritime clusters with a view to set up innovative partnership projects
•    Participation at international exhibitions
•    Exploratory missions abroad

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