INSA Rennes

What INSA Rennes does

INSA Rennes is a public French engineering school (Établissement Public à Caractère Scientifique, Culturel et Professionnel) founded in 1966 and located in Rennes, France, as part of the Groupe INSA network of seven public engineering schools. The institution delivers a five-year integrated engineering program structured as a two-year common core curriculum (STPI department) followed by three years of specialization across eight engineering tracks: Civil and Urban Engineering, Mechanical and Automatic Engineering, Computer Science, Electronics and Industrial Computing, Electronics and Telecommunications, Embedded Systems, Applied Mathematics, and Physical Engineering and Materials. The school serves approximately 1,858 engineering students, including 118 apprentices and 16% international students, producing 352 engineering graduates annually plus 135 PhD students across seven affiliated research laboratories (IETR, FOTON, ISCR, IRISA, LGCGM, and others).

The school's technology and research base is anchored in joint research units with CNRS, CentraleSupélec, and Inria, with recognized excellence in photonics and perovskite materials (Jacky Even, six consecutive years on Clarivate's Highly Cited Researchers list), computer science and AI (IRISA), and sustainable construction materials (LGCGM). Revenue is generated through four primary streams: French Ministry of Higher Education public funding, apprenticeship training fees (~6,000€/year per apprentice), professionalization contracts, and continuing education programs. The institution holds CTI accreditation (2021-2026) and EUR-ACE quality labeling, with 79 partner companies and over 1,000 annual internship/apprenticeship offers distributed through its Career Center. Distribution is primarily through direct admissions, open houses, regional education fairs, and international exchange programs including the ECIU University consortium.

The business model is that of a nonprofit public institution with diversified revenue and limited commercial exposure. Customer segments split between B2C (prospective engineering students, PhD candidates) and B2B (partner companies recruiting apprentices and graduates, plus technology transfer partners such as Orange which licensed the Xareus virtual world tool). The institution's research portfolio has produced multiple nature-tier publications, ERC grants, and at least one spin-off (WeDoLow, founded 2022 by graduates). Strategically, the school is executing a 2024-2030 roadmap emphasizing research valorization, international mobility with a 100% international mobility requirement, and ecosystem partnerships, while maintaining its role as a pipeline supplier of qualified engineers to French industry.

Name

INSA Rennes

Legal name

Institut National des Sciences Appliquées de Rennes

Website

https://www.insa-rennes.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

1966

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

INSA Rennes is a public French engineering school founded in 1966, delivering a five-year integrated engineering program across eight specializations and serving approximately 1,858 students through CTI-accredited degrees, with seven research laboratories in partnership with CNRS and major French industry.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education (Engineering)

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Engineering & Technology Institutes (Comprehensive) (EDAHAEAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

University/College Continuing Education (Extension) Programs (EDAAAEAA), Engineering & Technical Professions (PE, Engineering CPD) (EDAAALAF)

Keywords

• Engineering education
• Higher education services
• Post-baccalaureate programs
• Apprenticeship training
• Engineering research

Headquarters

HQ city

Rennes

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Public Government Funding: As a public EPSCP (Établissement Public à Caractère Scientifique, Culturel et Professionnel) institution under the French Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation, INSA Rennes receives public funding for its operations.
2. Apprenticeship Training Fees: The school generates revenue through apprenticeship contracts where companies pay training costs. Cost is approximately 6000€ per year for 400 hours of training, billed at 15€/hour. Companies benefit from OPCO coverage for training costs.
3. Professionalization Contracts: Revenue from 5th year students completing their final year through work-study programs, with training costs covered by employing companies.
4. Continuing Education: The school offers continuing education programs including certifications, qualifying training, and professional certifications for engineering and technical professionals.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

INSA Rennes is a French public engineering school delivering a 5-year integrated post-baccalaureate engineering degree. The program consists of a 2-year multidisciplinary foundation (STPI) followed by 3 years of specialization across 8 engineering tracks (Civil and Urban Engineering, Mechanical and Automatic Engineering, Computer Science, Electronics, Applied Mathematics, Materials Science, and more). It also offers apprenticeship tracks, research masters, double degrees, continuing education, and conducts applied research through 7 joint laboratories.

Product overview

INSA Rennes is a public French engineering school offering a 5-year integrated engineering degree program accessible post-baccalaureate. The institution provides 8 engineering specializations (EII, MA, INFO, E&T, E-SET, GCU, GMA, GPM) through its core STPI foundation program followed by 3 years of specialization. The school also offers 10 Master of Science research programs, double degree partnerships (biostatistics, data science, quantitative finance, actuarial science), apprenticeship tracks (E-SET, GMA), and specialized pathways including Arts Études, Excellence Sportive, and a Research-Innovation-Entrepreneurship track. The Humanités program constitutes 20% of the curriculum, providing humanities, languages, management, and physical education. The institution is CTI-accredited and EUR-ACE labeled, operating within the INSA Group network of 7 public engineering schools in France.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Parcours Recherche Innovation Entrepreneuriat (RIE): A specialized pathway within INSA Rennes that combines research, innovation, and entrepreneurship training for engineering students, available from year 1 and as an option from year 3.

Products and services

• STPI - Sciences et Techniques Pour l'Ingénieur (Foundation Program)

Quantifiable outcome

• 352 engineering graduates in 2025
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• ECIU UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerINSA Rennes is a member of ECIU University - The European Consortium of Innovative Universities, a network focused on collaborative approaches to societal challenges and innovative education methods. This partnership supports international mobility and joint initiatives across European universities.
• OrangemajorTechnology or IntegrationOrange partnered with INSA Rennes researchers (Bruno Arnaldi, Valérie Gouranton, Florian Nouviale from IRISA) to develop Xareus, a virtual world development tool. The technology transfer resulted in a license agreement and ongoing use of the tool for Orange's smart home simulator.
• Rice University (USA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch collaboration between Jacky Even (INSA Rennes, Institut FOTON) and Professor Aditya Mohite at Rice University resulted in joint publication in Science on perovskite solar cell technology and 'lattice matching' concept.
• CNRScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCNRS is the primary research partner through multiple joint research units (UMR) including Institut FOTON (UMR 6082), ISCR (UMR 6226), and IRISA (UMR 6074). These collaborations enable fundamental and applied research across all engineering disciplines.
• Université de RennescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversité de Rennes is the primary academic partner for co-accredited Masters programs (2022-2028) alongside 12 other Bretagne region institutions including CentraleSupélec, IMT Atlantique, and ENS Rennes.
• ENSAImajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerENSAI partnership enables double degree program where INSA Rennes Mathématiques Appliquées students complete 5th year at ENSAI to earn dual engineering degrees in applied mathematics and statistics/data science.
• Université de Rennes (Medical)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Université de Rennes medical faculty enables double degree in Applied Mathematics and Biostatistics, providing training in clinical pharmacology, epidemiology, and statistical methods for health research.
• Institut de Gestion de Rennes (IGR-IAE)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIGR partnership offers double degree for Applied Mathematics students seeking advanced finance training, culminating in Master 'Advanced Studies and Research in Finance' delivered entirely in English.
• EURIAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEURIA actuarial school partnership enables double degree in Applied Mathematics and Actuarial Science, providing comprehensive training in actuarial mathematics and risk management.
• Sciences Po RennesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSciences Po Rennes partnership offers international pathway where students complete 2 years at INSA followed by Sciences Po Rennes program, integrating political science with engineering education.
• VINCI ConstructionmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVINCI Construction partners with INSA Rennes through student challenges and graduate recruitment. Baptiste Piauí (2024 GCU graduate) won 3rd place in VINCI Construction PFE Challenge for innovative construction solutions.
• CompanierosminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCompanieros partners with INSA Rennes for Handimanagement and Management de l'Égalité programs, training 38 staff and students in disability management and gender equality practices with support from Orange, Capgemini, and Groupe SII.
• Groupe SopraminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSopra Steria partners with INSA Rennes through Handitutorat program where trained students coach high school students with disabilities in mathematics, physics, and English through the academic year.
• Ingenova (Groupe Legendre)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIngenova R&D subsidiary of Legendre Group partners with LGCGM laboratory through ANR chair for wood-concrete composite floor development, supporting sustainable construction innovation.
• Cohb IndustrieminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCohb Industrie, a PME company, partners with LGCGM laboratory alongside Ingenova, contributing to composite materials research and development for innovative construction solutions.
• Inria Centre de RennescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInria Rennes collaborates through joint research teams at IRISA laboratory, enabling technology transfer and innovation projects including WeDoLow startup creation by Justine Bonnot.
• CentraleSupéleccoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCentraleSupélec is a core academic partner through joint research units at IRISA (UMR 6074) and co-accreditation of Masters programs, enabling interdisciplinary engineering research collaboration.
• @talentEgalminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAssociation @talentEgal (5 grandes écoles, 3 companies including Alcatel-Lucent, Areva, Safran) provides tutoring, training, workplace adaptation support, and job/internship offers for INSA students with disabilities.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• INSA Lyon: The largest and flagship school of the Groupe INSA network. Directly comparable as a French public engineering school offering multi-disciplinary engineering degrees with strong research laboratories, industry partnerships, and apprenticeship programs — INSA Rennes operates as a smaller regional counterpart within the same institutional framework.
• INSA Toulouse: Sister INSA school offering comparable 5-year engineering programs across multiple specializations with CTI/EUR-ACE accreditation. Directly comparable in scale, mission, and operating model as a member of the same Groupe INSA network.
• INSA Paris-Saclay: Groupe INSA member specializing in engineering and technology with a strong research orientation tied to the Paris-Saclay cluster. Comparable as a peer public engineering school with similar admissions pathways and specialization structure.
• CentraleSupélec: Core academic partner of INSA Rennes through IRISA (UMR 6074) and co-accredited Master's programs. Comparable as a top-tier French public engineering school delivering CTI-accredited degrees with strong industrial partnerships and research labs.
• IMT Atlantique: French public engineering school delivering multi-disciplinary engineering programs with research intensity and industry partnerships comparable to INSA Rennes. Competes for similar bac+2 entrants and corporate apprenticeship sponsors.
• Arts et Métiers ParisTech: Largest French engineering school network with a strong mechanical/manufacturing orientation. Comparable in scale, public status, CTI accreditation, and industry-aligned apprenticeship model — competing for similar engineering candidates and corporate partners.
• ENSAI: Partner school for INSA Rennes's double-degree program in Applied Mathematics/Data Science. Comparable as a specialized French post-bac engineering school with CTI accreditation, public status, and industry-linked training.
• Université de Rennes: Primary academic partner for co-accredited Master's programs and biostatistics double degrees. Comparable in mission and regional student catchment as a Bretagne-region public higher education and research institution.
• ENS Rennes: Bretagne-region partner school participating in shared research and co-accredited programs with INSA Rennes. Comparable as a French public post-bac institution delivering specialized engineering-adjacent degrees with strong research profile.

Broad incumbents

• Polytech network: Network of public engineering schools within French universities offering comparable 5-year engineering programs. Broader incumbent with overlapping admissions pool and CTI-accredited degree offerings across multiple regional campuses.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/insa-rennes
• Instagraminstagram.com/insa_rennes
• Xx.com/INSA_Rennes
• Facebookfacebook.com/INSARennes

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 INSA Rennes