Sayens
Sayens is the French SATT technology transfer acceleration company for Grand Est and Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, founded in 2013, that licenses IP from 140 public laboratories to industry and creates spin-out startups across health, materials, digital, and environment sectors.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2013
- HeadquartersDijon, France
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Sayens does
Sayens (legally SATT SAYENS SAS, previously Welience) is a French Société d'Accélération de Transfert de Technologie founded in 2013 and headquartered at 64 A rue de Sully in Dijon. The organization serves as the officially designated technology transfer accelerator for eastern France's Grand Est (Lorraine and South Champagne-Ardenne) and Bourgogne-Franche-Comté regions. Its core function is to detect, protect, mature, and commercialize intellectual property arising from 140 public research laboratories affiliated with shareholder institutions including CNRS, INSERM, Université de Bourgogne, Université de Lorraine, Université de Franche-Comté, UTBM, UTT, Institut Agro Dijon, and SupMicroTech — providing access to roughly 6,500 researchers and 4,000 doctoral candidates. As of December 31, 2025, Sayens manages a portfolio of 342 IP assets and 377 active projects, with cumulative detection of 1,179 projects since inception.
The company's product surface spans three categories: portfolio startups (SINTERMAT for Spark Plasma Sintering materials, Oragen Therapeutics for oral RNA therapeutics, Telendo for augmented endoscopy, NEEXT for thermodynamic machines, ORINOVA for nanomedicine in oncology, SON for nanoparticles, Econick for agromining, Timberium for wood-concrete construction, CYBERNANO, Catsalyze, Profilia, SAM for authentication), maturing technological projects (ELECTROTATE electrochemical water treatment, WOODSTIC biosourced thermoplastics, GREEN SPS, WITTYM BIM platform, Simbiosis IoT ML monitoring), and R&D expertise offerings including additive manufacturing, plastronics, BIM/connected construction, and AI services. It also runs professional training programs jointly with Institut Agro Dijon.
Sayens generates revenue through four streams: technology licensing of patents and know-how to startups and established companies; equity participation in spin-out companies (capital investments held alongside co-investors such as Bpifrance and Définvest); R&D partnership services including proof-of-concept development for enterprises; and paid training programs for industry professionals. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. The customer base comprises three primary segments — researchers and public research institutions seeking IP protection and valorization, enterprises seeking R&D expertise and technology access, and investors seeking deeptech deal flow — with enterprise customers spanning luxury goods, aerospace, defense, cosmetics, agri-food, and healthcare. Distribution is conducted via direct field engagement with laboratories across the covered regions and through an online investment opportunities portal. Sayens reports 43 million euros invested across 205 maturation projects, 50 startups created, 69 active licenses, and 4.5 million euros in annual R&D and partnership expenditure, with ISO 9001 v2015 certification held since 2020.
Sayens firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Sayens
- Legal name
- SATT SAYENS SAS
- Website
- https://sayens.fr
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2013
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Sayens is the French SATT technology transfer acceleration company for Grand Est and Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, founded in 2013, that licenses IP from 140 public laboratories to industry and creates spin-out startups across health, materials, digital, and environment sectors.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Sayens industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Technology Transfer Services
- NAICS
- Scientific Research and Development Services (5417), Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (54171), Management Consulting Services (54161)
- SIC
- Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- CMC, Process Development & Tech Transfer Staffing FSP (HLAGAOAK)
Keywords
Where Sayens is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Dijon
- HQ country
- France
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Sayens business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Technology Licensing: Sayens generates revenue through licensing its portfolio technologies to startups and established companies, including exclusive license agreements for patents and technologies developed through public research.
- Capital Investments in Startups: Sayens takes equity positions in startups spun out from supported research, participating in funding rounds alongside financial and strategic investors.
- R&D Partnership Services: The organization provides R&D expertise and partnership services to enterprises, universities, and public institutions, including proof-of-concept development and technology maturation.
- Training Programs: Sayens offers professional training programs in partnership with academic institutions such as Institut Agro Dijon, including specialized courses like cooking-extrusion technology.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Sayens product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Sayens is a French Technology Transfer Acceleration Company (SATT) that detects, protects, matures, and transfers innovations from 140 public research laboratories in the Grand Est and Bourgogne-Franche-Comté regions to industry and startups. The organization manages a portfolio of 342 IP assets and 377 projects, licenses technologies, and has created 50 startups, providing R&D expertise, training programs, and equity participation in spin-off companies.
Product overview
Sayens is a technology transfer organization (SATT) that helps transform public research into commercial innovation. Its portfolio includes multiple start-ups (Oragen Therapeutics, Telendo, Timberium, ORINOVA, SINTERMAT, NEEXT, CYBERNANO, Catsalyze, Profilia, SAM, Econick, SON), technological projects (ELECTROTATE, WOODSTIC, GREEN SPS, WITTYM, Simbiosis), and R&D expertise offerings (Intelligence Artificielle, Plastronique, Impression 3D, BIM services). The offerings span health/biotech, materials science, digital/software (AI, BIM), environment/energy, and agrifood sectors.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- IMPACT by Sayens: Newsletter publication series showcasing Sayens activities and impact
Products and services
- R&D Expertise and Partnership Services Custom innovation services providing enterprises with access to public research expertise, proof-of-concept development, and technology maturation across multiple disciplines including AI, plastronics, 3D printing, and BIM.
- Technology Licensing and IP Transfer Exclusive and non-exclusive licensing of patented technologies developed from public research to companies and startups, with 69 active licenses currently managed in the portfolio.
- Professional Training Programs Specialized training courses in partnership with academic institutions such as Institut Agro Dijon, including cooking-extrusion technology courses for food industry professionals.
- Researcher Accompaniment Services Support services for public researchers covering IP protection, research valorization, partner collaboration, and promotion of expertise across 140 partner laboratories.
- Investor Innovation Opportunities Curated portfolio of deeptech investment opportunities from public research, enabling VCs and institutional investors to access university spin-offs and co-invest in emerging startups.
- Artificial Intelligence R&D Solutions
Quantifiable outcome
- 50 startups created from supported research
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Sayens
Customer profileNamed customers9 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Sayens technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability10 records
Feature5 records
Sayens partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
20 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Institut Agro DijoncoreAcademic partner providing agricultural and food technology expertise. Joint training programs in cooking-extrusion technology and research collaboration in agri-food innovation.
- CNRScoreMajor French national research institution providing access to research laboratories and scientific expertise. Shareholder in Sayens.
- INSERMcoreFrench national institute for health and medical research. Shareholder providing access to health technology research expertise.
- Université de BourgognecoreMajor university shareholder providing access to research laboratories and researchers across multiple disciplines. Home to ICB (Laboratoire Interdisciplinaire Carnot de Bourgogne).
- Université de LorrainecoreLarge university shareholder with multiple research laboratories including LORIA and Institut Jean Lamour. Partner in materials science and digital technology research.
- Université de Franche-ComtécoreUniversity shareholder providing research expertise and access to doctoral candidates in eastern France.
- O3PI PlatformcorePlateforme d'Innovation mutualizing resources from Lycée Janot & Curie and IUT Dijon-Auxerre for plastic and composite development.
- Pôle Universitaire d'Innovation (PUI) Bourgogne-Franche-ComtécoreUniversity Innovation Pole fostering collaboration between academic institutions and industry in the region.
- PUI UNYScoreUniversity Innovation Pole supporting innovation ecosystem development.
- Grand Est RegioncoreRegional government partner supporting innovation ecosystem and technology transfer in eastern France.
- Bourgogne-Franche-Comté RegioncoreRegional government partner supporting innovation and technology transfer initiatives.
- SATT NetworkcoreNational network of Technology Transfer Acceleration Companies facilitating inter-SATT collaboration on technology transfer projects.
- Curie NetworkminorNational cancer research network providing expertise and collaboration opportunities.
- Authentic MaterialminorToulouse-based startup from CEMES research institute, supported by SATT Toulouse Tech Transfer. Collaboration with SINTERMAT on bio-sourced materials.
- DECA-BFC (Incubator)coreRegional incubator supporting Oragen Therapeutics and other startups in Bourgogne-Franche-Comté.
- Institut Agro DijoncoreAgricultural institute providing training and research collaboration with Sayens on food technology including cooking-extrusion.
- Incubateur LorraincoreLorraine region incubator supporting startup development including StemInov and other spin-offs.
- SupMicroTechcoreHigher education institution shareholder providing engineering expertise and research capabilities.
- UTBM (Université de Technologie de Belfort-Montbéliard)coreTechnology university shareholder providing engineering and technology research expertise.
- UTT (Université de Technologie de Troyes)coreTechnology university shareholder contributing to regional innovation ecosystem.
Scale indicators15 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Sayens competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- CNRS Innovation: National tech-transfer subsidiary of CNRS (a major Sayens shareholder). Operates a broader portfolio of CNRS-derived IP and spin-outs nationwide, sharing the deeptech transfer pipeline with Sayens at scale.
- Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft: Germany's largest applied-research and tech-transfer organization — comparable operating model of contract R&D, IP licensing, and spin-off creation, but at much larger national scale.
Direct peers
- SATT Nord: Direct SATT peer operating in the Hauts-de-France region. Performs the same public-research tech transfer, licensing, and spin-out support functions as Sayens within the national SATT network.
- SATT Sud Est: Direct SATT peer serving research labs in the PACA/Corse region (Marseille, Nice, Toulon). Identical mandate: detect, protect, mature, and transfer public-research innovations into startups and industry.
- SATT Paris-Saclay: Direct French SATT peer operating in the Paris-Saclay ecosystem, performing the same tech-transfer, IP management, maturation funding, and spin-out creation model — sharing the national SATT network structure with Sayens.
- AST Innovates (formerly SATT AxLR): Direct SATT peer covering the Montpellier/Occitanie-Méditerranée academic ecosystem. Engages in the same tech-transfer, IP management, and equity-participation activities for public research.
- SATT Ouest Valorisation: Direct SATT peer operating in western France (Bretagne, Pays de la Loire, Basse-Normandie). Same SATT model with public-research maturation, IP portfolio management, and start-up equity stakes.
- SATT Toulouse Tech Transfer: Direct SATT peer covering the Occitanie/Toulouse research ecosystem (including ISAE, CNRS labs, and CEMES). Operates the same technology maturation, IP, licensing, and startup equity-participation model — Sayens documents even name this peer as a collaborator in SINTERMAT co-developments.
- SATT Grand Centre: Direct SATT peer covering Centre-Val de Loire and associated academic ecosystems. Identical institutional model: technology detection, IP protection, proof-of-concept funding, and equity-driven spin-outs.
Others
- Bpifrance: French public investment bank that co-invests alongside Sayens in portfolio companies (e.g., SINTERMAT via Definvest) and helps fund technology transfer nationally — adjacent financial partner and ecosystem participant rather than a direct competitor.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
Sayens social profiles
Digital presenceSayens compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Sayens financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Sayens leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Sayens subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Sayens funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Sayens M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Sayens
What does Sayens do?
Sayens is a French Technology Transfer Acceleration Company (SATT) that detects, protects, matures, and transfers innovations from 140 public research laboratories in the Grand Est and Bourgogne-Franche-Comté regions to industry and startups. The organization manages a portfolio of 342 IP assets and 377 projects, licenses technologies, and has created 50 startups, providing R&D expertise, training programs, and equity participation in spin-off companies.
Is Sayens a public or private company?
Sayens is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Sayens founded?
Sayens was founded in 2013. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Sayens based?
Sayens is headquartered in Dijon, France, in the Europe region.
How does Sayens make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Technology Licensing is the primary driver. The others are capital Investments in Startups, R&D Partnership Services and training Programs.
Who are Sayens's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are CNRS Innovation and Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft. Direct peers are SATT Nord, SATT Sud Est, SATT Paris-Saclay, AST Innovates (formerly SATT AxLR), SATT Ouest Valorisation, SATT Toulouse Tech Transfer and SATT Grand Centre. Bpifrance is listed as an others.
Does Sayens have an API?
Yes. WITTYM offers an API providing atomic software building blocks (services) that can be combined with each other or with other services to rapidly build software applications. These services are web-centric and focused on building data manipulation and reasoning, particularly for building digital models. The API serves as a Building Operating System managing thousands of connected and interconnectable objects.
What industry is Sayens in?
Sayens's product category is Technology Transfer Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAGAOAK, CMC, Process Development & Tech Transfer Staffing FSP. Its NAICS code is 5417 and its SIC code is 8742.