Institut national des sciences appliquées de Rennes

What Institut national des sciences appliquées de Rennes does

INSA Rennes is a public French engineering school (Établissement public à caractère scientifique, culturel et professionnel — EPSCP) founded in 1966 in Rennes, France, operating under the tutelle of the French Ministry of Higher Education and Research. It is part of the Groupe INSA network, the first network of public engineering schools in France, comprising 7 INSA schools and 5 partner schools. The institution delivers a 5-year post-baccalaureate engineering degree conferring a Master's grade across 8 specialties (Civil and Urban Engineering, Mechanical and Automatic Engineering, Computer Science, Applied Mathematics, Applied Physics and Materials, Electronics and Industrial Computing, Electronics and Telecommunications, Embedded Systems and Telecommunications), 10 co-accredited Master's programs with regional Breton universities, an MSc in Innovation & Entrepreneurship with Rennes School of Business, and continuing education offerings.

The educational model combines a 2-year multidisciplinary common core (STPI) with 3 years of specialization, mandatory international mobility for 100% of students, mandatory industry internships, 20% humanities curriculum across 8 languages, and CTI/EUR-ACE accreditation valid 2021-2026. Research is anchored in 7 laboratories (IRISA, IETR, Institut FOTON, ISCR, LGCGM and others) with 135 doctoral students, supporting world-class outputs in photonics, cybersecurity, embedded systems, materials, and civil engineering. The school adopts Olnica's patented diploma authentication technology (2024) and operates secured electronic diplomas.

The revenue model is hybrid: government block funding as an EPSCP is the primary stream; apprenticeship contracts (118 alternants, approximately 400 hours at €15/hour, ~€6,000/year per apprentice, often OPCO-subsidized) and professionalization contracts generate transactional revenue; continuing education and corporate partnerships (79 partners, 8 class sponsors including VINCI, Orange, Capgemini, Nokia) contribute professional services and sponsorship income. The school serves approximately 1,858 engineering students (32.35% female, 16% international) and 135 doctoral students, supported by 475.6 ETP staff. France 2030 funding (RIS3, ESOS), ERC grants, and Erasmus+ recognition (4 consecutive 'Bonne Pratique' labels) anchor its strategic positioning.

Name

Institut national des sciences appliquées de Rennes

Legal name

Institut National des Sciences Appliquées de Rennes

Website

https://insa-rennes.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

1966

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

INSA Rennes is a public French engineering school founded in 1966 in Rennes, offering 5-year post-baccalaureate engineering degrees across 8 specialties. It serves approximately 1,858 engineering students and 135 doctoral candidates via 7 research laboratories and 475.6 FTE staff, within the Groupe INSA network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education / Engineering Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Apprenticeship Training (611513)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Engineering & Technology Institutes (Comprehensive) (EDAHAEAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Engineering & Technical Professions (PE, Engineering CPD) (EDAAALAF)

Keywords

• Engineering education
• Post-baccalaureate programs
• Research laboratories
• Apprenticeship training
• Continuing education

Headquarters

HQ city

Rennes

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Public funding and government subsidies: As a public EPSCP (Établissement public à caractère scientifique, culturel et professionnel) under the French Ministry of Higher Education and Research, INSA Rennes receives government funding for operations, research, and student support.
2. Apprenticeship and professional contract revenue: Companies pay for apprenticeship and professionalization contracts; annual training cost approximately 6,000€ for 400 hours of instruction, with partial or full coverage by OPCO.
3. Continuing education and professional certifications: Revenue from professional training programs, certifications, and qualifying courses offered through the continuing education department.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

INSA Rennes is a public French engineering school delivering a 5-year post-baccalaureate engineering degree across 8 specializations (civil and urban engineering, mechanical and automatic engineering, computer science, applied mathematics, applied physics and materials, electronics and industrial computing, electronics and telecommunications, and embedded systems and telecommunications). The institution also offers 10 co-accredited master's programs with regional universities, apprenticeship/work-study pathways, professionalization contracts, continuing education, and the specialized Recherche Innovation Entrepreneuriat (RIE) track. Training is anchored by 7 research laboratories and supported by 79 corporate partners.

Product overview

INSA Rennes is a public French engineering school offering a 5-year post-baccalaureate engineering degree across 8 specializations, supplemented by 10 co-accredited master's programs (13 Master 2 tracks) in partnership with Breton higher education institutions. The institution provides a comprehensive educational portfolio including core engineering programs (Électronique et Informatique Industrielle, Mathématiques Appliquées, Informatique, Électronique et Télécommunications, Génie Civil et Urbain, Génie Mécanique et Automatique, Génie Physique et Matériaux), two apprenticeship variants (E-SET and GMA Apprentissage), continuing education, and specialized tracks such as the Recherche Innovation Entrepreneuriat (RIE) program. The school also offers secure electronic diploma authentication via Olnica technology and joint international double degrees. The educational model integrates a common two-year foundation (STPI) followed by three years of specialization, with mandatory international mobility and enterprise internships. Humanités (humanities) represent 20% of the curriculum, complementing technical training with language instruction (8 living languages), business economics, scientific communication, and physical education.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Électronique et Informatique Industrielle (EII)
• Mathématiques Appliquées (MA)
• Informatique (INFO)
• Électronique et Télécommunications (E&T)
• Électronique - Systèmes Embarqués et Télécommunications (E-SET)
• Génie Civil et Urbain (GCU)
• Génie Mécanique et Automatique (GMA)
• Génie Mécanique et Automatique (Apprentissage)
• Génie Physique et Matériaux (GPM)
• Master's programs (10 co-accredited Master's)
• MSc Innovation & Entrepreneurship
• Parcours Recherche Innovation Entrepreneuriat (RIE)
• Apprentissage (Apprenticeship Programs)
• Contrats de Professionnalisation (Professionalization Contracts)
• Formation Continue (Continuing Education)
• Secure Electronic Diplomas (Olnica)

Quantifiable outcome

• 352 engineering graduates in 2025
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Université de RennescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Co-accreditation of Master's programs (2022-2028) alongside CentraleSupélec, IMT Atlantique, Agrocampus Ouest, ENSCR, ENSTA Bretagne, ENS Rennes, ENSAI, and other Breton institutions. Research collaboration through shared laboratories (IRISA, Institut FOTON, ISCR) and joint publications.
• Groupe INSAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerINSA Rennes is part of the first network of public engineering schools in France, comprising 7 INSA schools and 5 partner schools (ENSIL-ENSCI Limoges, ISIS Castres, ENSISA, ESITech, Sup'ENR). The group shares admissions processes, pedagogical models, international programs, and the INSA brand.
• ECIU University (European Consortium of Innovative Universities)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerINSA Rennes is a member of the European Consortium of Innovative Universities (ECIU University), participating in collaborative European innovation projects, student exchanges, and research initiatives among 13+ European universities.
• IRISA (Institut de Recherche en Informatique et Systèmes Aléatoires)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor joint research laboratory (UMR CNRS 6074) involving INSA Rennes with CentraleSupélec, CNRS, ENS Rennes, IMT Atlantique, Inria, Inserm, Université Bretagne Sud, and Université de Rennes. Hosts over 135 PhD students and numerous research teams in computer science, cybersecurity, and digital systems.
• IETR (Institut d'Électronique et des Technologies du numérique)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch institute (UMR CNRS 6164) at INSA Rennes focused on electronics, embedded systems, telecommunications, and digital technologies. Home to research teams working on antenna measurements, signal processing, and machine learning.
• Institut FOTONcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch institute (UMR CNRS 6082) at INSA Rennes specializing in photonics, optoelectronics, semiconductor materials, and perovskite technologies. Led by world-class researcher Jacky Even (Highly Cited Researcher 2019-2024).
• ISCR (Institut des Sciences Chimiques de Rennes)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch institute (UMR CNRS 6226) at INSA Rennes covering inorganic chemistry, materials chemistry, and coordination polymers for applications including anti-counterfeiting and waste recycling.
• LGCGM (Laboratoire de Génie Civil et Génie Mécanique)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch laboratory at INSA Rennes in civil and mechanical engineering, including work on composite wood-concrete floors, sustainable construction materials, and structural engineering in partnership with Ingenova (R&D subsidiary of Legendre Group) and Cohb Industrie.
• VINCI ConstructionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership through class sponsorship, student project challenges, and professional tracks (CIFRE doctoral thesis with LGCGM). Baptiste Piala won 3rd place in the PFE Challenge. Benoît Halbout won 3rd prize for 'Support robotisé pour tête de découpe lasers' applied to CARDEM.
• Class sponsors (8 companies)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner8 companies serve as class sponsors providing financial support, mentoring, site visits, and direct engagement with engineering students. This represents a structured corporate partnership tier within the 79 total enterprise partners.
• OrangeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate sponsor for Handimanagement and Management de l'Égalité diversity programs. Also partnered with INSA Rennes researchers (IRISA) for technology transfer via Xareus virtual world development tool used in Orange's smart home simulator.
• CapgeminiminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate sponsor for diversity and inclusion programs (Handimanagement and Management de l'Égalité). Active in supporting equal opportunity initiatives at INSA Rennes.
• Groupe SIIminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate sponsor for diversity and inclusion programs (Handimanagement and Management de l'Égalité) at INSA Rennes.
• @talentEgalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociation partnership (5 grandes écoles and 3 companies: Alcatel-Lucent, Areva, Safran) providing tutoring, training, workplace adaptation support, and job/internship offers for people with disabilities, integrated into INSA Rennes's disability support program.
• CompanierosminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Handimanagement and Management de l'Égalité labeling programs. INSA Rennes received multiple Companieros awards recognizing commitment to diversity: Prix de l'école très investie (2024) and Prix de l'implication (2022).
• ENSAI (École Nationale de la Statistique et de l'Analyse de l'Information)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDouble degree partnership: MA students can replace their 5th year at INSA Rennes with the 2nd and 3rd years of the ENSAI engineering cycle, earning both the INSA Rennes engineering diploma and the ENSAI engineering diploma.
• IGR-IAE Rennes (Institut de Gestion de Rennes)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDouble degree partnership in quantitative finance: MA students can obtain the INSA Rennes engineering diploma and the Master 'Advanced Studies and Research in Finance' from IGR-IAE Rennes (entirely taught in English).
• EURIA (European Institute of Actuarial Sciences)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDouble degree partnership: MA students can earn both the INSA Rennes engineering diploma and the EURIA Actuarial Master diploma, providing comprehensive training in actuarial science.
• Sciences Po RennesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDouble degree pathway for students to obtain both the INSA Rennes engineering diploma and Sciences Po Rennes degree, combining engineering with political science and public affairs.
• WeDoLow (Startup)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTech startup created in 2022 by Justine Bonnot (PhD graduate, IRISA) with support from INSA Rennes researchers Daniel Ménard and Olivier Sentieys. Develops software optimization tools for automotive, space, and robotics industries. Winner of Trophées Valorisation 2024 - Prix Numérique.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• INSA Lyon: Largest INSA Group school and the flagship of the same network INSA Rennes belongs to; shares the post-bac 5-year engineering model, CTI accreditation pathway, INSA admissions brand, and pedagogical approach across 12+ specialties, making it the most direct comparable institution.
• INSA Toulouse: Sister INSA Group school in Toulouse with the same 5-year post-bac engineering structure, federal INSA admissions process, and shared emphasis on research-fed teaching; structurally the closest match to INSA Rennes in size and scope.
• INSA Rouen Normandie: Another INSA Group school sharing the Groupe INSA admissions platform, CTI-accredited engineering diploma, and apprenticeship tracks; comparable size and mission profile to INSA Rennes.
• IMT Atlantique: Co-accreditation partner on M2 Master's programs and joint UMR with IRISA; a peer French engineering Grande École on the same Brittany axis with similar applied engineering orientation and industry-tied curriculum.
• ENS Rennes: Co-accreditation partner on M2 Master's programs and member of the Université de Rennes research federation alongside INSA Rennes; a smaller but high-prestige peer sharing faculty and doctoral training infrastructure.
• ENSTA Bretagne: Co-accreditation partner in Brittany M2 Master's programs and peer French state engineering school specializing in defense, naval, and mechanical engineering; comparable model and competition for the same Brittany-based applicants.

Broad incumbents

• CentraleSupélec: Elite French engineering school sharing joint research labs (IRISA UMR CNRS 6074) and Brittany M2 Master's co-accreditations with INSA Rennes; a broader incumbent in the same Grande École prestige tier that competes for top baccalauréat holders and faculty.
• Arts et Métiers ParisTech: Larger French public engineering school with broader geographic footprint (8 campuses) and similar focus on mechanical/industrial engineering; competes for the same baccalauréat holders and corporate training contracts as INSA Rennes.
• École Polytechnique: France's top-ranked engineering Grande École under the IP Paris umbrella; competes for the very top baccalauréat cohort that INSA Rennes targets and provides a prestige benchmark for research output and graduate outcomes.

Others

• Université de Rennes: Co-accrediting partner on the M2 Master's portfolio and host of shared UMR laboratories (IRISA, Institut FOTON, ISCR) that INSA Rennes researchers work within; functions as a research federation partner and indirect institutional counterparty.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/insa-rennes35
• Instagraminstagram.com/insa_rennes
• Xx.com/insa_rennes
• Facebookfacebook.com/182

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Institut national des sciences appliquées de Rennes