IMT Atlantique

What IMT Atlantique does

IMT Atlantique is a French public engineering school (grande école d'ingénieurs) and research center operating across three campuses in Brest, Nantes, and Rennes, formed in 2017 under the Institut Mines-Télécom public institution. It serves approximately 2,050 students through a portfolio of programs including a flagship five-year Diplôme d'Ingénieur (ranked 3rd in France by L'Étudiant), four apprenticeship engineering tracks, international MSc programs in IT/Cybersecurity/Nuclear/Process Engineering, a Mastère Spécialisé in Cybersecurity, doctoral training across 30 specialties, and short-format programs (Space Track, Data Science Track, French Summer School). The institution employs 650 faculty, researchers, and doctoral students organised across 11 teaching-research departments spanning computer science, data science, cybersecurity, energy systems, optics, microwaves, subatomic physics, automation, and social sciences. Research output includes notable projects such as a hybrid hydrogen-fuel cell data center achieving 95% self-sufficiency, DNA-based cryptography (DNA-SEC), AI-optimised robot-assisted knee arthroplasty, and metasurface lenses for cataract treatment.

The business model rests on four revenue streams: French Ministry of Economy and Digital Sovereignty base funding (with heavily subsidised tuition of ~€601/year for EU/EEA students), competitive research contracts and grants from national (ANR) and European (Cofund SEED, Marie Curie, Erasmus+) agencies plus industrial partners, full-cost international tuition for non-EU master's and continuing-education students, and apprenticeship contributions from corporate partners via OPCO funds. Industrial research chairs such as ValaDoE (renewed 2024-2029) bring together Enedis, Nantes Métropole, Région Pays de La Loire, Akajoule, and other utility/regional-government partners, while research collaborations with CNRS, CEA, CNES, and the University of Tokyo anchor space, cybersecurity, and biochemistry work. The institution operates a 40-startup incubator, an open-access publication archive (HAL IMT Atlantique), and a pedagogical resource center (CARAE), and chairs the IRISPACE regional space innovation institute. Distribution is primarily through the national CCMP competitive entrance examination for domestic Ingénieur students, the 200-partner international university network for global recruitment, and direct corporate engagement for apprenticeship and research-chair revenue.

Name

IMT Atlantique

Legal name

IMT Atlantique

Website

https://imt-atlantique.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

IMT Atlantique is a French public engineering school and research center operating across three campuses (Brest, Nantes, Rennes) under Institut Mines-Télécom. It delivers ranked engineering degrees, master's, doctoral, and short programs to 2,050 students while conducting applied research in digital, energy, industrial, and health transitions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education (Engineering)

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Technical and Trade Schools (6115), Educational Support Services (611710), Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (54), Computer Training (611420)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Engineering & Technology Institutes (Comprehensive) (EDAHAEAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Institutes of Technology (IoT / Technical Universities) (EDAHAEAC)

Keywords

• Engineering education
• Graduate programs
• Applied research
• Digital transformation
• Energy transition

Headquarters

HQ city

Brest

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Public Higher Education Funding: As a French public engineering school under the Institut Mines-Télécom, IMT Atlantique receives base funding from the French Ministry of Economy and Digital Sovereignty. Tuition for EU/EEA students is heavily subsidised at approximately €601/year under national regulation.
2. Research Contracts and Grants: Sponsored research through national agencies (ANR), European frameworks (Cofund SEED, Marie Curie, Erasmus+), and private industrial partners funding chairs (ValaDoE), CIFRE PhD theses, and collaborative projects. Revenue is project-based and competitive.
3. International and Continuing Education Tuition: Non-subsidised tuition revenue from international master's programs for non-EU students, continuing education/VAE programs, and short professional programs (French Summer School, Space Track, Data Science Track).
4. Apprenticeship Contributions: Work-study apprenticeship programs are co-funded by partner companies and public apprenticeship funds (OPCO), generating per-student contribution revenue from employer partners in exchange for curriculum delivery.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

IMT Atlantique is a French public engineering school (grande école d'ingénieurs) that delivers generalist and specialized engineering degrees (Diplôme d'Ingénieur), international MSc programs, doctoral training, and continuing education, supported by applied research across 11 teaching-research departments covering digital, energy, industrial, and health transitions. It also provides industry partners with collaborative research (industrial chairs, CIFRE theses) and a startup incubator.

Product overview

IMT Atlantique is a French technological university (grande école d'ingénieurs) and research center with three campuses in Brest, Nantes, and Rennes, forming part of the Institut Mines-Télécom. The institution's offering is a multi-tier educational portfolio centered on a generalist Master of Science in Engineering (Diplôme d'Ingénieur) ranked 3rd in France, complemented by four apprenticeship engineering specializations (IT/Networks, Software Engineering, Industrial Ecology & Decarbonation, Digital Transformation of Industrial Systems), and a suite of international MSc programs (Information Technology with tracks in Cybersecurity, NET.AI, Embedded AI, and Data Science; Nuclear Engineering; Process and Bioprocess Engineering; Management of Production, Logistics and Procurement). Additional professional offerings include a Specialized Master's in Cybersecurity, doctoral training through the SPIN doctoral school with 30 specialities, and continuing education via VAE. Short programs include the Space Track (space engineering, 15 ECTS), Data Science Track (data science and AI, 12 ECTS), and French Summer School (French language). Research infrastructure spans 11 teaching-research departments (covering data science, cybersecurity, energy systems, optics, microwaves, subatomic physics, computer science, and social sciences), specialized research chairs (ValaDoE on energy data, ValaDoE renewed through 2028), the IRISPACE space innovation institute, a FabLab, telepresence robot systems, and the CARAE pedagogical resource center with mobile apps. The institution maintains an open science policy through its HAL IMT Atlantique archive and an incubator that has nurtured 40 startups.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Ingénieur Généraliste (Generalist Engineering Degree) The flagship five-year Master of Science in Engineering program (Diplôme d'Ingénieur) offering a comprehensive generalist engineering curriculum with majors in digital, industrial, energy, and health transitions. Ranked 3rd in the L'Étudiant French engineering school ranking. For domestic and international students.
• Ingénieur par Apprentissage (Apprenticeship Engineering Programs) Work-study engineering programs combining academic study with professional experience, with specialisations in Industrial Ecology and Decarbonation, IT/Networks/Telecommunications, Software Engineering, and Digital Transformation of Industrial Systems. For students and corporate employer partners.
• Master of Science - Information Technology (MSc IT) International Master of Science program in Information Technology with specialised tracks covering Cybersecurity, New-Generation Networks for Agentic Systems and IoT (NET.AI), Embedded AI, and Data Science. For international graduate students.
• Master of Science - Nuclear Engineering (MSc NE) International Master program in Nuclear Engineering with tracks in Advanced Nuclear Waste Management, Nuclear Energy Production and Industrial Applications, and Medical Applications. For international graduate students.
• Master of Science - Process and Bioprocess Engineering (PBPE/PM3E) International Master program in Process and Bioprocess Engineering covering chemical, biological, and industrial process design and optimisation. For international graduate students.
• Master of Science - Management of Production, Logistics and Procurement (MPLP/MOST) International Master program focused on production management, logistics optimisation, and procurement processes for industrial and operational contexts. For international graduate students.
• Mastère Spécialisé Cybersécurité (Specialized Master's in Cybersecurity) Professional post-master specialisation (Bac+7) focused on cybersecurity, covering network security, digital law, cryptographic methods, and cyber defence strategies. For professionals seeking advanced cybersecurity credentials.
• Space Track (Short Program) A two-month intensive space engineering short program covering satellite mission design, space systems engineering, space data applications (Earth observation, navigation, telecommunications), and ground segment operations. Awards 15 ECTS credits. Involves CNES, CEA, and IRISPACE partners. For international and domestic students seeking space engineering credentials.
• Data Science Track (Short Program) A short program in data science and AI covering foundational data science concepts, AI and foundational models, and a personalised data science project. Awards 12 ECTS credits. Targets healthcare, maritime transport, and defence sectors. Courses delivered in English. For graduate-level students and professionals.
• French Summer School An intensive French language and cultural immersion program for international students, held July 20 to August 14, 2026, on the Nantes campus, with an additional mandatory fifth week (August 17-21) for students entering the engineering program. Includes cultural excursions and sports activities.
• Formation Doctorale (Doctoral Training) Doctoral education through the SPIN (Sciences for Engineering and Digital Technology) doctoral school offering 30 doctoral specialities and the Cofund SEED MSCA COFUND program for international PhD recruitment. For doctoral candidates.
• VAE et Formation Continue (Continuing Education) Validation of prior experience (VAE) and continuing education programs for professionals seeking to obtain engineering qualifications or specialised certifications through part-time study.
• Incubateur IMT Atlantique (Startup Incubator) Business incubator supporting technology startups (currently 40 incubated). Supports student entrepreneurs and research spin-offs, including ValaDoE Phase 1 spin-off Invaria (energy digital twin), which won the Grand Prix i-PhD award. For technology startup founders affiliated with the school.

Quantifiable outcome

• Achieved 95% self-sufficiency rate for university data centre powered by hybrid hydrogen-fuel cell-battery system at $0.47/kWh levelized cost, reducing carbon emissions by 8.97 tons over 15 years
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability12 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered major, significant and core.

• CNRS (Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2026France's national research agency, partner in the DNA Sec project alongside IMT Atlantique. CNRS contributes biochemistry expertise including synthetic DNA synthesis capabilities, enabling the generation of random cryptographic keys from DNA molecules.
• University of TokyomajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2026Japan's leading research university, partner in the Franco-Japanese DNA Sec cryptography project. Contributed biochemistry and molecular biology expertise alongside Japanese counterparts for the first-ever DNA-encrypted message transmitted between France and Japan.
• University of LimogessignificantStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2026French university contributing cryptography expertise to the DNA Sec project, focusing on the cryptographic methods and Vernam cipher theory underpinning the information-theoretic security framework.
• CNES (Centre National d'Études Spatiales)significantStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2026French space agency, contributing space engineering expertise to the Space Track short programme and IRISPACE activities. Instructors from CNES participate in the 4-module space engineering curriculum covering orbitography, satellite subsystems, and mission design.
• CEA (Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives)significantStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2026French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission, contributing expertise to the Space Track programme and IRISPACE space engineering ecosystem. CEA researchers participate as instructors alongside CNES and IMT Atlantique faculty.
• IRISPACE (Institut Régional de l'Innovation Spatiale)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2026Regional space innovation institute chaired by IMT Atlantique, structuring the space ecosystem in the Brittany region. Co-leads a cybersecurity-in-space working group with the Cyber Excellence Cluster (PEC). The Space Track programme is delivered through the Centre Spatial Universitaire (CSU) platform under IRISPACE.
• Nantes MétropolemajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2026Metropolitan authority for the Nantes region, founding industrial partner of the ValaDoE research chair. Contributes to regional energy data research and multi-energy system planning projects.
• Région Pays de La LoiremajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2026Regional council for Pays de la Loire, founding partner of the ValaDoE chair. Provides regional policy alignment and co-funding for energy transition research.
• EnedismajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2026France's largest electricity distribution network operator, founding industrial partner of the ValaDoE chair. Contributes energy grid operational data, expertise in distribution network management, and co-funding for multi-energy system research.
• AkajoulemajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2026Energy consulting firm, founding industrial partner of the ValaDoE chair. Provides consultancy perspectives on energy transition, decarbonisation strategies, and territorial energy planning.
• Territoire d'Énergie 44significantStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2026Regional energy authority for Loire-Atlantique department, new partner joining the ValaDoE chair in its 2026 renewal phase. Expands the chair's reach in regional energy governance.
• SCE-Groupe KeransignificantStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2026Engineering consultancy firm, new partner joining the ValaDoE chair in its 2026 renewal phase. Contributes expertise in infrastructure engineering and territorial planning.
• ValaDoE (Value Added to Energy Data) Research ChaircoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018An industrial research chair initiated by IMT Atlantique in 2018, bringing together academic and industrial partners to develop methods and tools for optimising regional energy infrastructure planning and operation. Phase 1 (2018–2023) produced 6 PhD theses and 1 startup. Phase 2 (2024–2029) has been renewed with 4 new PhD theses underway.
• Cyber Excellence Cluster (PEC)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014Regional cybersecurity excellence cluster established in 2014, bringing together public, private, and academic stakeholders. Co-leads a working group with IRISPACE on cybersecurity challenges for space infrastructure, representing a strategic alliance between cybersecurity and space technology sectors.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• CentraleSupélec: Elite French grande école engineering school (member of Université Paris-Saclay) offering Ingénieur programmes, MSc, and research chairs in energy, computer science, and industrial systems. Direct competitor in national rankings and for industrial research partnerships.
• INSA Lyon: Largest INSA group engineering school with comparable five-year Ingénieur programme, apprenticeship tracks, and applied research across energy, computer science, and materials. Direct competitor in French grandes écoles rankings and for prospective students.
• INSA Toulouse: Member of the INSA group with five-year Ingénieur programmes, applied research in computer science, energy, and industrial systems. Direct competitor for prospective engineering students and for industrial chair funding.
• Université de Technologie de Compiègne (UTC): French engineering university with similar Ingénieur programme, computer science and industrial engineering focus, and applied research partnerships. Direct competitor for prospective students in the French engineering school market.
• IMT Mines Albi, IMT Mines Alès, IMT Lille-Douai, IMT Nord-Europe (other IMT schools): Sibling schools within Institut Mines-Télécom system offering overlapping engineering curricula, apprenticeship programmes, and research chairs. Compete for the same student pool, faculty, and industrial chair funding within the unified IMT system.
• ENSTA Paris: Top-tier French grande école under Armée Ministry tutelage, focused on applied science and engineering. Comparable CTI-accredited Ingénieur curriculum and applied research in transport, energy, and defence systems.
• Télécom SudParis: Another Institut Mines-Télécom grande école specialised in digital technology, networks, and cybersecurity. Closest direct peer in terms of curriculum overlap (especially cybersecurity MSc and Embedded AI) and shared institutional system.
• Télécom Paris: Fellow Institut Mines-Télécom grande école focused on digital technology, computer science, and telecommunications. Same institutional system, similar CTI/EUR-ACE accreditation, and overlapping MSc/doctoral portfolio with comparable French public engineering school positioning.
• Arts et Métiers ParisTech: French grande école with broad engineering curriculum, multi-campus network, and strong industrial partnerships. Comparable CTI-accredited Ingénieur programme with apprenticeship tracks and applied research in industrial transition.
• Grenoble INP - UGA: Multi-school engineering institute with comparable portfolio of Ingénieur, MSc, and doctoral programmes spanning energy, microelectronics, computer science, and materials. Direct competitor for students and research partnerships in transitions research.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 IMT Atlantique