ENSC - BORDEAUX INP

What ENSC - BORDEAUX INP does

ENSC (École Nationale Supérieure de Cognitique) is a French public engineering school and one of six constituent schools of Institut Polytechnique de Bordeaux (Bordeaux INP), itself a public higher education institution under the French Ministry of Higher Education and Research. The school trains approximately 250 engineering students in "cognitics," an interdisciplinary discipline combining cognitive sciences, human-computer interaction, and digital technologies, with applications in health, energy, transport, and industry. It is headquartered at 109 avenue Roul in Talence, France, supported by three research laboratories and one technical platform (La Forge) that provides hands-on access to brain-computer interfaces, flight simulators, and robotic systems. Bordeaux INP ranked 46th nationally in INPI's 2025 patent rankings with 30 patent applications filed that year, and is the only engineering school represented in France's Top 50 patent filers.

The school's product portfolio centers on the engineering degree in Cognitics, supplemented by three University Diplomas (DU Big Data; DU UX Design et Cognitique; DU Ingénierie Cognitive et Facteurs Humains) and short professional training courses delivered through the Dihnamic partnership covering generative AI, embedded AI on microcontrollers, cybersecurity, and AI change management. ENSC also maintains a Club des entreprises network of more than 500 companies and an active alumni base of over 500 engineers, anchored by an endowed IBM-ENSC research chair and co-supervised research laboratories with CNRS and the Université de Bordeaux.

Revenue mechanics are diversified across four streams: government-funded engineering degree programs (Ministry of Higher Education), enterprise professional training priced at 600€ HT per session (maximum 2 participants per enterprise), apprenticeship tax (taxe d'apprentissage) contributions from companies, and continuing education / Validation des Acquis de l'Expérience (VAE) programs. The school is CTI-accredited, EUR-ACE labelled, and its parent Bordeaux INP is the first French higher education institution certified to ISO 21001 by AFNOR Certification. Governance is led by Director General Guillaume Ferré (appointed August 2025), with Benoît Le Blanc serving as ENSC site director and Chargé de mission IA at the Ministry of Research.

Name

ENSC - BORDEAUX INP

Legal name

École Nationale Supérieure de Cognitique

Website

https://ensc.bordeaux-inp.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

2026

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

ENSC (École Nationale Supérieure de Cognitique) is a French public engineering school within Bordeaux INP, training roughly 250 engineers annually in cognitics, the intersection of cognitive sciences and digital technologies. It also delivers short enterprise training via the Dihnamic partnership.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Talence

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

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 Engineering Education: Government-funded engineering education programs for students, funded through French Ministry of Higher Education and Research.
2. Professional Training (Dihnamic): Fee-based professional training programs for enterprises on topics including AI, cybersecurity, and embedded systems. Training is priced at 600€ HT per session with 2 participants maximum per enterprise.
3. Apprenticeship Tax (Taxe d'apprentissage): Funding received from companies through apprenticeship tax contributions to support engineering education.
4. Continuing Education / VAE: Lifelong learning programs including Validation of Acquired Experience (VAE) for professionals seeking engineering degrees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

ENSC is a public French engineering school delivering a Diplôme d'ingénieur in Cognitics (cognitive sciences combined with digital technologies), preparing engineers for human-centered design across health, energy, transport, and industry. It complements this core degree with three University Diplomas (DU Big Data, DU UX Design et Cognitique, DU Ingénierie Cognitive et Facteurs Humains), and fee-based professional training programs for enterprises through the Dihnamic partnership covering generative AI, embedded AI, cybersecurity, and AI change management.

Product overview

ENSC - Bordeaux INP offers a portfolio centered on its core engineering degree in Cognitics, a discipline combining cognitive sciences with digital technologies. The portfolio includes three specialized University Diplomas (DU) in Big Data, UX Design and Cognitics, and Cognitive Engineering and Human Factors. Professional training is delivered through the Dihnamic initiative, offering short courses on AI, cybersecurity, and embedded systems for enterprise professionals. Technical infrastructure is provided through La Forge laboratory, a technical facility for hands-on learning with advanced equipment including BCI systems, flight simulators, and robotics. The institution positions itself as precurseur (pioneer) in cognitive technologies and digital innovation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Formation d'ingénieur en Cognitique
• DU UX Design et Cognitique
• DU Ingénierie Cognitive et Facteurs Humains

Quantifiable outcome

• 46th rank among all patent filers in France (INPI 2025)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability7 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• CATIE (Centre Aquitain des Technologies de l'Information et Electronique)coreTechnology or Integration · 22 April 2026CATIE collaborates with ENSC on embedded AI training programs. The center provides expertise in microelectronics and information technologies, contributing to hands-on training with electronic kits and MEMS-Studio tools for implementing AI on microcontrollers.
• DihnamiccoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 March 2026Dihnamic is a digital innovation hub for production industries in Nouvelle-Aquitaine. ENSC partners with Dihnamic to deliver professional training programs including generative AI, embedded AI, and cybersecurity workshops to enterprise clients. Training sessions are held at ENSC facilities.
• Université de BordeauxcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerENSC is associated with Université de Bordeaux through co-supervised research laboratories and shared academic programs. The partnership enables interdisciplinary research and joint educational initiatives in cognitics and related fields.
• Université Bordeaux MontaigneminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner institution offering complementary programs and collaborative research opportunities with Bordeaux INP schools.
• Université de Pau et des Pays de l'AdourminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional academic partner for student exchanges and collaborative educational programs.
• Université de PoitiersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner institution for collaborative research and educational initiatives.
• Sciences Po BordeauxminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner institution for interdisciplinary collaboration in social sciences and public policy domains.
• Bordeaux Sciences AgrominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner institution specializing in agricultural sciences and related engineering fields.
• CNRS (Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-supervises research laboratories with Bordeaux INP and ENSC, enabling world-class research in cognitics and related domains. CNRS researchers contribute to patent filings and innovation output.
• INRAE (Institut national de recherche pour l'agriculture, l'environnement et l'eau)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner contributing to interdisciplinary studies involving ENSC laboratories.
• IBMcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIBM has established a research chair (Chaire IBM-ENSC) with ENSC, demonstrating deep collaboration in cognitics and technology research. Marc Rodier, IBM Distinguished Engineer and founder of the IBM-ENSC chair, participates in ENSC graduation ceremonies.
• Club des entreprises ENSCcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEnterprise club connecting ENSC with 500+ companies for student recruitment, internships, collaborative projects, and ongoing professional relationships. Companies benefit from access to ENSC talent and research outcomes.
• Université de BordeauxcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership in territorial initiative against gender-based and sexual violence (VSS). ENSC and Bordeaux INP signed convention with universities, CROUS, and regional academic authorities to strengthen prevention and reporting mechanisms.
• KEDGE Business SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerParticipating institution in territorial convention against gender-based violence, demonstrating cross-institutional collaboration.
• CROUS Bordeaux AquitaineminorOthersPartner in territorial convention for student welfare and anti-violence initiatives.
• Association Planète MarsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNon-profit association co-organizing conferences at ENSC, including Robert Zubrin (Mars Society President) conference on Mars exploration.
• ADI-NA (Agence Développement Innovation Nouvelle-Aquitaine)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional development agency partnering with Bordeaux INP on innovation events and AI opportunities for SMEs and startups.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Toulouse INP: Toulouse INP is a former sibling institution within the Groupe INP network that recently departed to create 'Centrale Toulouse Institut'. It remains a directly comparable peer: similar INP network structure, CTI-accredited engineering schools, co-supervised labs with CNRS, and enterprise training programs.
• Grenoble INP - UGA: Grenoble INP is a sibling institution within the Groupe INP network, operating multiple constituent schools (Phelma, Ensimag, etc.) and co-supervised labs with CNRS. Most directly comparable to Bordeaux INP/ENSC in network structure, public funding model, CTI accreditation pipeline, and continuing-education offerings.
• Université de Technologie de Compiègne (UTC): UTC is a French public university of technology with an interdisciplinary engineering model, dual-degree programs, and close industry partnerships. Its structure as a technology-focused university with applied research labs is closely comparable to ENSC's cognitics-focused, industry-linked model.
• INSA Rouen Normandie: INSA Rouen Normandie is a constituent school of the INSA group delivering CTI-accredited engineering degrees across multiple specialties with co-supervised CNRS labs and enterprise training. Closely comparable to ENSC in institutional structure, public funding, research output, and continuing-education portfolio.
• ENSTA Paris: ENSTA Paris is a French grande école engineering school under the Institut Polytechnique de Paris, comparable in size (~900 students) and structure to ENSC. Both deliver CTI-accredited engineering degrees, partner with major French industry (DGA, Naval Group, EDF) and research bodies, and run continuing-education programs for enterprises seeking advanced technology skills.
• Arts et Métiers ParisTech: Arts et Métiers ParisTech is a multi-campus French engineering grande école with strong industry partnerships and professional training programs. Comparable to ENSC in its CTI accreditation, focus on industry-ready engineers, and offering of executive/continuing education, but with substantially broader scale across mechanical and industrial engineering disciplines.
• CESI: CESI is a French engineering school network with ~25 campuses delivering CTI-accredited degrees and substantial professional training in digital and emerging-tech subjects. Directly comparable to ENSC's Dihnamic-style enterprise training model and CTI-accredited engineering programs, with stronger scale in continuing education.

Broad incumbents

• CentraleSupélec: CentraleSupélec is a top-tier French engineering grande école under Institut Polytechnique de Paris, with strong industry partnerships and executive education offerings. Comparable to ENSC in CTI-accredited engineering degree delivery and corporate training, but with substantially larger scale and broader international reputation.
• INSA Lyon: INSA Lyon is one of the largest French public engineering schools with ~6,000 students across multiple specialties. It competes with ENSC for engineering applicants and offers comparable government-funded degrees, similar continuing-education programs, and industry-sponsored research labs. Broader portfolio but operates under the same public-grande-école model as ENSC.

Emerging players

• EPITECH: EPITECH is a French private tech school with strong AI, cybersecurity, and software-engineering curricula and active enterprise partnerships. Comparable to ENSC's Dihnamic professional training offerings in generative AI and cybersecurity, though as a private school it competes more for the same applicant pool than for direct institutional alignment.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ENSC_Bordeaux
• Facebookfacebook.com/cognitique
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ensc-bordeaux-inp

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 ENSC - BORDEAUX INP