Matwin

What Matwin does

MATWIN (Maturation & Accelerating Translation With Industry) is the only French open-innovation platform specifically dedicated to oncology. Founded in 2009 as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Unicancer (the hospital group uniting all 18 French Cancer Centers), MATWIN is headquartered in Bordeaux, France, and operates with a small core team (1-10 employees) under CEO Luc Delporte and President Pr. Norbert Vey. The platform accompanies oncology innovation projects from academia and early-stage startups through a structured three-stage process: a preselection pitch before a multidisciplinary jury, two coaching sessions and one mentoring session, and a final audition before the International Board, which labels projects with the strongest industrial development potential. Since 2009, MATWIN has accompanied over 300 projects and contributed to the creation of more than 50 startups.

The platform's product portfolio comprises the core Acceleration Programme (Programme accélérateur), the annual European MEET2WIN partnering convention (11th edition planned for 2026), the OUI Investment funding-support program, the OncoSTART entrepreneurship consortium, tailor-made support services (Accompagnement à façon), and the International Board labelling process. Underpinning the offering is an International Board staffed by R&D decision-makers from 13 international pharmaceutical and biotech groups (Amgen, AstraZeneca, Boehringer-Ingelheim, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Exact Sciences, GlaxoSmithKline, Insitro, MSD, Pfizer, Pierre Fabre, Roche, Sanofi, Takeda, plus Daiichi-Sankyo and Servier) and academic key opinion leaders from major European cancer institutes.

The business model operates as professional services funded by industrial partner contributions and institutional backing from the Unicancer group; pricing is not publicly disclosed and contracts are structured on a multi-year basis. Demand is generated through year-round calls for applications, academic-ecosystem referrals (Canceropoles, SIRIC, SATTs, incubators, clusters), and the annual MEET2WIN convention. Customer segments are threefold and defined as persons/business units: academic oncology research teams across Europe, early-stage oncology biotech and medtech startups, and international pharmaceutical companies. Distribution relies on direct application processing, the academic partner referral network, and the MEET2WIN event as a flagship sourcing and visibility touchpoint.

Name

Matwin

Legal name

MATWIN SAS

Website

https://matwin.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

MATWIN is a French open-innovation acceleration platform dedicated exclusively to oncology, operating as a subsidiary of Unicancer (the 18 French Cancer Centers). It runs a structured acceleration programme, the annual MEET2WIN partnering convention, and an International Board of 13+ pharmaceutical companies that evaluates and labels early-stage academic and startup oncology projects.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Oncology Innovation Acceleration Services

NAICS

Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services (54169)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Accelerators & Incubators (Investor-Operated) (FSANAAAM)

akta.pro secondary industry

Medical Oncology (HLAKAFAB)

Keywords

• Oncology innovation platform
• Biotech acceleration services
• Open innovation programs
• Cancer research partnerships
• Pharma academic collaboration

Headquarters

HQ city

Bordeaux

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Accelerator Program Fees: MATWIN operates as a subsidiary of the Unicancer group and generates revenue through its acceleration program services and expertise offerings. The platform is funded by industrial partners and public/academic collaborators who pay to access pre-filtered innovation projects.
2. Annual Partnering Event (MEET2WIN): MEET2WIN is an annual European oncology partnering convention that facilitates connections between academic innovators and industrial partners. The event serves as a revenue-generating activity while also functioning as a project sourcing mechanism.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

MATWIN operates an open-innovation acceleration platform exclusively dedicated to oncology. It provides a structured acceleration program (preselection pitch, coaching, mentoring, and Board audition) for academic teams and early-stage startups, accompanied by an annual MEET2WIN partnering convention, the OUI Investment support program, the OncoSTART entrepreneurship consortium, and tailor-made expertise services for oncology innovation projects.

Product overview

MATWIN operates as an open-innovation acceleration platform for oncology, offering a multi-component service portfolio centered around its core acceleration programme. The platform provides structured accompaniment through coaching, mentoring, and international board evaluation; annual MEET2WIN partnering conventions for networking; OUI Investment for funding support; and OncoSTART for entrepreneurship development. Projects progress through a three-stage process: pre-selection pitch, coaching and mentoring sessions, and MATWIN Board audition. The platform also offers tailor-made expertise services and operates a call for projects open to European academic teams and startups.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• MEET2WIN: Annual European partnering convention dedicated to open innovation in oncology
• OUI Investment
• OncoSTART
• Accelerator Programme

Products and services

• Programme accélérateur (Acceleration Programme) Structured acceleration program that guides academic teams and startups through coaching sessions, mentoring, and board presentations to optimize the industrial development of oncology projects.
• MEET2WIN Annual European partnering convention dedicated to open innovation in oncology, connecting academic researchers, biotech companies, and pharmaceutical industry partners for networking and business development.
• OUI Investment Investment support program designed to help innovative oncology projects secure funding from investors and financial partners.
• OncoSTART Consortium supporting entrepreneurship in oncology, helping entrepreneurs develop and launch their ventures in the cancer research field.
• Accompagnement à façon (Tailor-made support) Customized expertise and support services offered to projects throughout the year, providing tailored assistance beyond the standard acceleration program.
• International Board Labellisation Project evaluation and labelling service where international academic and industrial experts review and endorse projects with the strongest industrial development potential.
• Appel à projets MATWIN (MATWIN Call for Projects) Open call for oncology innovation projects, accepting applications year-round from European academic teams and startups.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 300 projects accompanied since 2009
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• AmgencoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2024Amgen is one of the 13 international pharmaceutical groups actively engaged as an industrial partner in the MATWIN program, providing access to its global oncology R&D pipeline and participating in the International Board evaluation process.
• AstraZenecacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2024AstraZeneca is one of the 13 international pharmaceutical groups actively engaged as an industrial partner in the MATWIN program, contributing to the sourcing and evaluation of early-stage oncology innovations in France.
• Boehringer-IngelheimcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2024Boehringer-Ingelheim is one of the 13 international pharmaceutical groups actively engaged as an industrial partner in the MATWIN program, participating in Board evaluations and providing industry perspective on project potential.
• Bristol-Myers SquibbcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2024Bristol-Myers Squibb is one of the 13 international pharmaceutical groups actively engaged as an industrial partner in the MATWIN program, contributing to the evaluation of oncology innovation projects through its participation in the International Board.
• Exact SciencescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2024Exact Sciences is one of the 13 international pharmaceutical/diagnostic groups actively engaged as an industrial partner in the MATWIN program, focusing on oncology precision diagnostics.
• GlaxoSmithKlinecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2024GlaxoSmithKline is one of the 13 international pharmaceutical groups actively engaged as an industrial partner in the MATWIN program.
• InsitrocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2024Insitro is one of the 13 international pharmaceutical/biotech groups actively engaged as an industrial partner in the MATWIN program, bringing machine learning and data-driven drug discovery perspectives to the Board.
• MSDcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2024MSD (Merck Sharp & Dohme) is one of the 13 international pharmaceutical groups actively engaged as an industrial partner in the MATWIN program, participating in the International Board evaluation of oncology projects.
• PfizercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2024Pfizer is one of the 13 international pharmaceutical groups actively engaged as an industrial partner in the MATWIN program, contributing to the evaluation and potential industrialization of oncology innovation projects.
• Pierre FabrecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2024Pierre Fabre is one of the 13 international pharmaceutical groups actively engaged as an industrial partner in the MATWIN program, with Anna Kruczynski serving as the Board member representing Pierre Fabre on the International Board.
• RochecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2024Roche is one of the 13 international pharmaceutical groups actively engaged as an industrial partner in the MATWIN program, participating in Board evaluations of oncology innovation projects.
• SanoficoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2024Sanofi is one of the 13 international pharmaceutical groups actively engaged as an industrial partner in the MATWIN program, with Valeria Fantin serving as the Board member representing Sanofi as Worldwide Head of Oncology Research.
• TakedacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2024Takeda is one of the 13 international pharmaceutical groups actively engaged as an industrial partner in the MATWIN program, participating in the sourcing and evaluation of oncology innovations.
• Paris Saclay Cancer Cluster (PSCC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2023MATWIN and the Paris Saclay Cancer Cluster announced a partnership in May 2023 to accelerate efforts in the fight against cancer. PSCC is a cancer-focused cluster that works with MATWIN to identify and support high-potential oncology projects with transfer capability.
• MabDesignsupportingOthersMabDesign is part of the associated partner network of MATWIN, providing biotech sector expertise and network connections.
• Voisin ConsultingsupportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerVoisin Consulting is part of the associated partner network of MATWIN, providing regulatory and drug development consulting expertise to accompanied projects.
• ServiercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerServier is listed as an active partner of MATWIN with Alix Scholer-Dahirel serving as Director of Global Business Development at Servier and a member of the MATWIN International Board.
• Daiichi-SankyocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDaiichi-Sankyo is listed as an active partner of MATWIN with Mark Paris serving as Executive Director and Global Head of Oncology Research and Evaluation at Daiichi-Sankyo and a member of the MATWIN International Board.
• UnicancercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMATWIN is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Unicancer, the hospital group exclusively dedicated to cancer care that brings together the 18 French Cancer Centers. Unicancer provides institutional backing, access to the national cancer center network, and strategic direction to MATWIN.
• NanostringsupportingTechnology or IntegrationMATWIN and Nanostring formed a strategic alliance on translational innovation in oncology. Nanostring provides spatial genomics and gene expression analysis capabilities that complement MATWIN's supported projects.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• JLABS (Johnson & Johnson Innovation): Global pharma-anchored biotech incubator network operated by Johnson & Johnson Innovation with structured coaching, mentoring, and pharma-partner engagement for early-stage life sciences startups including oncology. Mirrors MATWIN's pharma-backed accelerator model at a globally larger scale with broader therapeutic scope.
• AstraZeneca BioVentureHub: Sweden-based pharma-anchored life sciences innovation hub where startups and academic teams co-locate with AstraZeneca R&D, mirroring MATWIN's pharma-co-location and open-innovation approach. Functions as both a partner and a potential competitor to MATWIN for European oncology talent.
• Bayer Leaps / CoLaborator: Pharma-backed life science accelerator from Bayer providing infrastructure and expertise to early-stage biotech companies in life sciences including cell and gene therapy and oncology. Comparable to MATWIN's pharma-anchored open-innovation model, though operated within a single pharma partner rather than a multi-pharma consortium.

Direct peers

• LabCentral: Leading US-based biotech incubator in Cambridge, MA providing shared infrastructure, structured acceleration, and connections to pharma partners for early-stage life sciences startups. Directly comparable to MATWIN's accelerator/incubation model and methodology for biotech projects, though MATWIN is oncology-focused while LabCentral serves broader life sciences.
• IndieBio: Biotech-focused accelerator operating programs in NYC and SF providing mentorship, seed funding, and lab access to life sciences startups. Comparable to MATWIN's structured acceleration methodology for biotech projects, with similar focus on early-stage company formation.
• Institut Curie: French oncology research and treatment center running technology transfer, spinoff creation, and industrial partnership programs. Operates in the same French oncology innovation ecosystem as MATWIN with overlap in academic-to-industry translation and a similar mission to accelerate oncology research toward clinical application.
• Cancer Research UK Commercial Partnerships: UK-based commercialization arm of Cancer Research UK that runs partnership programs connecting academic oncology researchers to industry partners. Mirrors MATWIN's open-innovation approach in oncology R&D translation and operates as a competing/parallel national champion in a different European country.
• BioGenerator: US-based biotech accelerator/generator creating and funding life sciences startups in St. Louis. Provides similar acceleration, infrastructure, and industry connection services to biotech startups as MATWIN does for oncology projects in France, with comparable mission to commercialize academic life sciences research.

Others

• EIT Health: European partnership of health innovation accelerators and ecosystem programs. Provides comparable acceleration services across Europe for health and life sciences (including oncology), competing for projects and partnerships within the European health innovation ecosystem and serving as a potential collaborator.

Regional players

• MaRS Discovery District: Canadian health and cleantech innovation hub in Toronto running structured acceleration programs for life sciences startups. Comparable in mission to MATWIN as an open-innovation ecosystem for life sciences including oncology, but operating primarily in North America rather than Europe.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/matwin_bdx
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC56ygH_F3TTsRym6okwfdkg
• Facebookfacebook.com/matwin.fr
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/matwin

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Matwin