Technopolis France S.A.R.L.

The French team at Technopolis SARL are based in Paris. They have core expertise in the evaluation of science and technology issues, including public programmes and the management of scientific institutions.

The team has successfully evaluated a number of major schemes and real improvements have been made as a result. For example, in 2001 an extensive study of the ANVAR programme, France’s primary policy instrument for supporting product and process development in small and medium size enterprises, led to extensive use of the results by the French Parliament in their review of the national programme. Similarly, a review of PREDIT, the French national transport research and technology development programme, identified key technologies to support the long term plans of the initiative which spends almost 10 million Euro each year.

So far, 2002-2003 has also seen the completion of several further important evaluations. These have included an evaluation of the French national telecommunications research programme RNRT (an executive summary and the complete report - both in French - can be found here), evaluation of the bilateral exchange programmes between France and the other European countries (for the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs) and the contracting procedures used between the French State and the Universities (on behalf of the National Evaluation Committee - click here to get a summary and to purchase the final report, in French only). Technopolis France is also highly involved in the national innovation system foresight exercise - ‘FutuRIS’ - for which we have conducted several studies and act as rapporteur and methodological advisors. Commissioned by the French national
telecommunications research programme RNRT, Technopolis France also
conducted a study on telecom-related roadmaps, which can be
downloaded here (in French only).

The company has also assisted the Angers Technopole in establishing its observatory covering the activities of regional laboratories. More information may be found here.

The team’s hands-on experience has led to a number of invitations to develop training programmes. Most prominent of these is the series of courses on programme evaluation that are regularly run for the European Commission. To date over 750 officials have attended. Other training based work includes the development of management tools for long term research and development projects and networking tools for multi-partner research teams.