Invest in France Agency taiwan Office

The cluster has 3 main targets:

• Make the Provence region an internationally recognized cluster in complex optical systems
• Create a dynamic of innovative projects and collaborative R&D programs, in the field of optical-photonics, and technology crossover with the fields of micro-electronics and IT
• Set up Combined Research Centers in specific sectors (instrumentation, astronomy, space, microcomponents, etc. ) for use by companies and laboratories; a technology hotel, dedicated to companies working in the sector, equipped with shared facilities, that could house start-ups and young companies in Marseilles, by 2010.

Advantages

- The Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur (PACA) region is the No. 3 French region in terms of population and wealth. Its Mediterranean environment is highly appreciated.
- The PACA region is the No. 2 leading French region for the optical and photonics industries, a sector that shows an average of 10% growth per year

- The sector represents a total of 12,300 jobs, 5,000 of which are in the field of R&D; since 2001, 20 optical companies have been set up in the PACA region, generating more than 100 direct jobs, and with a success rate of 82%.

Optical and photonics sectors in the PACA region
Companies and jobs   80 companies
4,500 jobs
35% of turnover from exports
15% of turnover dedicated to R&D

Research 2,000 research scientists
20% of total French R&D activity in the sector

Education10 universities
5 engineering schools

Members

More than 160 members

Companies:Over 90 of which 70 are small-and-medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)

• French companies: Direction des Constructions Navales (DCNS), Thalès Underwater Systems, Bertin Technologies, Compagnie Industrielle des Lasers Cilas, Cybernetix, Gaggione,  Studiel etc.

• International companies: Eurocopter, subsidiary of EADS (France-Germany-United Kingdom-Spain), Alcatel Space (France-United States), ST Microelectronics (France-Italy), Taylor-Hobson (United States) etc.

Research and Educational Institutions
- More than 40 including the Commissariat à l’Energie Atomique (CEA), IFREMER, Institut de recherche pour l'ingénierie de l'agriculture et de l'environnement (CEMAGREF), Institut Fresnel, Laboratoire d’Astrophysique de Marseille (LMA), Observatoire de la Côte d’Azur (OCA), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), University of Nice, University of Toulon, Ecole Centrale of Marseille, Méditerranée Aix-Marseille University, Paul Cézanne Aix-Marseille University etc.

- Approximately 40 other organizations are also stakeholders in the cluster including: Conseils Régionaux de Provence-Alps-Côte-d’Azur, Languedoc-Roussillon, General Councils  (county councils) of Bouches-du-Rhône, Maritime Alps et Var, Marseille Innovation, Provence Promotion, Team Côte d’Azur etc.

Current R&D project partnerships (refer to appendix)

More than 70 projects were approved between 2001 and mid-2008 representing a total investment of more than 70 million euros

The level of public funding is on average 54%, including:

•    8.4 million euros granted by the Interministerial Single Fund (Fonds Unique Interministériel or FUI) between 2005 and 2008

•    Approximately 5.5 million euros allocated by the National Research Agency or (Agence Nationale de la Recherche or ANR) between 2005 and 2007

International partnerships

Current

• Participation in various major international research programs such as Virgo (directly demonstrate the existence of gravitational waves), Antares (undersea telescope) and ITER (Experimental fusion reactor)
• Partnership extended with the Boston Photonics Center
• Partnership and convention agreement with the photonics network in Quebec and Ontario
• Partnership with the Sao Paulo state in Brazil (ARCUS academic program)

Future

• Partnership with the German Optonet cluster
• Participation in the Photonics West trade fair in January 2009 in San José, United States
• Partnerships with the English PKTN clusters
• Partnership with the ICFO cluster in Barcelona

Appendix: Selected certified R&D projects

• More information on Optitec cluster