What Institut Carnot LSI does

Institut Carnot LSI (Institut Carnot Logiciels et Systèmes Intelligents) is a French public-private research institute founded in 2006 as part of the national Carnot network of excellence, federating more than 600 research actors including 500+ researchers and 280 doctoral candidates across 10 specialized laboratories in digital technologies. The institute concentrates approximately 70% of Grenoble academic research in the digital sector and operates from the Centre des Technologies du Logiciel in Gières, France, with institutional backing from Université Grenoble-Alpes, CNRS, and Grenoble INP. Its four technology domains — Digital & AI, Medical Devices, Factory of the Future/Energy, and Transport/Robotics — encompass applied research in computer vision, anomaly detection, deep learning, RF/microwave engineering, cybersecurity, and numerical simulation.

The institute generates revenue through three streams: bilateral collaborative R&D contracts with enterprises (expertise services, prototyping/testing platform access, CIFRE theses, DRI contracts, and common labs); technology licensing and transfer facilitated through Floralis, its UGA-affiliated single point of contact; and public funding from ANR (Agence Nationale de la Recherche) and Carnot Institute label grants. Enterprise partners benefit from a doubled Research Tax Credit (CIR) when contracting directly with Carnot LSI. The go-to-market is enterprise field sales driven by a dedicated team of chargés d'affaires and mission officers, with the "Innovons ensemble" program structuring engagement from needs analysis through prototype and demonstrator development. Named enterprise partners include Tiempo Secure, Archos, CHU Grenoble Alpes, and SensingLabs across projects such as SECURIOT-2 (IoT cybersecurity), HydroCovid (hydrogen treatment), and the COVID-19 response portfolio.

The technology portfolio spans both open-source assets (PDDL4J planning library, SpaceEx numerical analysis software) and licensable technologies including ALTUS pulmonary ultrasound tomography, CyberSmartLearn anomaly detection platform, R2D2 distributed deep learning toolkit, Emoface autism therapy application, Sonarthro orthopedic ultrasound probe, and the SMCU secure microcontroller. IP is protected through granted patents (slow-wave RF propagation line with nanowires across FR/US/BR jurisdictions), filed patents (CyberSmartLearn, R2D2), APP software deposits, and 15+ years of accumulated research outputs evidenced by 1023 scientific publications in 2016 alone. Spin-offs are incubated via SATT Linksium, with Emoface winning the national i-Lab 2020 competition and the Trophées C.U.R.I.E. 2021 recognition.

Name

Institut Carnot LSI

Legal name

Institut Carnot Logiciels et Systèmes Intelligents

Website

https://carnot-lsi.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Institut Carnot LSI is a French public-private research institute federating 600+ researchers across 10 specialized digital laboratories, providing enterprise R&D partnerships and technology licensing in AI, medical devices, cybersecurity, and Industry 4.0.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Research and Development Services

NAICS

Scientific Research and Development Services (5417), Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (54), Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services (5416), Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Biomedical Sciences & Medical Research Institutes (University-Based) (EDAHAGAI)

Keywords

• Collaborative research services
• Technology transfer
• Digital AI research
• Medical device innovation
• Public-private R&D

Headquarters

HQ city

Gières

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Collaborative Research Contracts: Bilateral research service contracts between companies and public research labs; includes expertise services, platform access prototyping/testing, collaborative research (CIFRE theses, DRI contracts), and common labs. Revenue generated through contractual R&D service fees.
2. Technology Licensing & Transfer: Technology licensing agreements facilitated through Floralis (UGA subsidiary) enabling companies to exploit patented or proprietary technologies. YeastLab provides technology maturation and development services.
3. Public Funding — ANR and Government Grants: Supported by ANR (Agence Nationale de la Recherche) and Carnot institute national label funding. Partners can also benefit from doubled Research Tax Credit (CIR) and innovation aid programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Institut Carnot LSI provides collaborative R&D services and technology transfer to enterprises, connecting companies with 500+ researchers across 10 specialized digital laboratories (AI, cybersecurity, embedded systems, medical devices, transport/robotics). Engagements are delivered through bespoke contracts covering expertise services, prototyping/testing platform access, collaborative research (CIFRE theses, DRI), and common labs, with IP protection and licensing handled via the Floralis UGA subsidiary.

Product overview

Institut Carnot LSI operates as a research technology transfer institute, not a product company. It develops and licenses technologies across four domains: Digital & AI, Medical Devices, Factory of the Future/Energy, and Transport/Robotics. The portfolio includes both open source software (PDDL4J, SpaceEx) and technologies available for licensing or co-development (ALTUS medical imaging, CyberSmartLearn cybersecurity platform, R2D2 deep learning toolkit, Emoface healthcare app, Sonarthro, SMCU secure microcontroller). Research collaboration and technology maturation are facilitated through partner structures including Floralis (UGA subsidiary), SATT Linksium, and YeastLab.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Domaines d'Expertise (Expertise Domains): Digital technologies, AI, health devices, transport/robotics, and future factory/energy solutions.

Products and services

• ALTUS Ultrasonic lung imaging device using a matrix of ultrasonic sensors for automatic pulmonary tomography and detection of lung pathologies including COVID-19. Features non-invasive, radiation-free imaging with real-time patient monitoring capability. Targeted at radiologists and pulmonology partners.
• CyberSmartLearn (CSL) Industrial IoT and cyberphysical system supervision and alert management software platform using AI and patented machine learning algorithms to detect anomalies including cyberattacks, equipment failures, and human errors. Targets industrial operators and IoT integrators.
• R2D2 (Rapid & Robust Digital Diagnostic) Deep learning and AI software toolkit for healthcare comprising distributed deep learning architectures, computing resource recommendation system, and optimized architectures for automatic cerebral lesion detection. Targets medical imaging researchers and hospitals.
• Emoface Application Educational application with 3D expressive avatars to help children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ages 5-14) develop social and emotional skills through interactive play. Spin-off from GIPSA-Lab.
• Sonarthro Miniaturized robotic 3D-localized ultrasound probe for detailed knee cartilage diagnosis during arthroscopic surgery, developed under the ANR TecSan MITICAO project. Targeted at orthopedic surgeons and arthroscopy equipment makers.
• Slow Wave RF Propagation Line with Nanowires Radiofrequency microstrip propagation line technology with conductive nanowire networks for reduced losses and operation up to ~500GHz frequencies. Targeted at RF/microwave hardware manufacturers and 5G/6G component developers.
• PDDL4J Open source LGPL Java library for solving sequential decision problems using Planning Domain Description Language (PDDL), facilitating implementation of new planners. Targeted at AI planning researchers and developers.
• SpaceEx Open source numerical analysis software recognized as the most powerful tool in its field for dynamic system behavior analysis and safety verification using set-based computations. Targeted at control systems and embedded systems engineers.
• Microdrone Rapid Prototyping Platform Modular microdrone with MATLAB/Simulink development suite and motion capture room for rapid development and validation of drone applications and algorithms. Targeted at drone researchers and developers.
• Traffic Regulation Platform Real-time traffic conditions collection platform with 130 magnetoresistive sensors, database, control room, and traffic simulation/control algorithms for the southern ring road of Grenoble. Targeted at smart city operators and transport authorities.
• Collaborative VR/AR Design Environment Software environment for creating virtual and augmented reality applications supporting collaborative professional activities in industrial production systems, enabling interoperability and standardized data formats. Targeted at industrial design and Factory 4.0 integrators.
• Smart Building Aerology Optimization Real-time energy optimization system for smart building air flow management, balancing user comfort with energy consumption minimization. Targeted at building operators and facility managers.
• SMCU (Secure Microcontroller) Ultra-low power secure microcontroller for IoT and connected objects with security functions including key management, authentication, and data confidentiality, developed under the SECURIOT-2 project. Targeted at IoT device manufacturers and secure hardware integrators.
• Distributed Endoscopy Research project distributing multiple cameras inside the abdominal cavity to reconstruct 3D dense models of the surgical site with virtual viewpoint rendering. Targeted at minimally invasive surgical teams and medical device researchers.
• COVID-19 Research Projects (Tele-Covid19, Deepcovid-19, DatamartCovidGrenoble) COVID-19 response projects including Tele-Covid19 remote care coordination platform, Deepcovid-19 deep learning for COVID-19 detection from medical imaging (radiography, CT), and DatamartCovidGrenoble epidemiological surveillance system. Targeted at hospitals and public health agencies including CHU Grenoble Alpes.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1023 scientific journal publications in 2016
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability12 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

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

• Tiempo SecuremajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Lead industrial partner in the SECURIOT-2 FUI project developing the SMCU (Secure Microcontroller) for IoT cybersecurity. The collaboration deployed banking/smartcard-grade security architecture to next-generation IoT devices, with 10 jobs created and products already integrated into partner product lines.
• Alpwise, Archos, SensingLabs, Trusted ObjectsmajorTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2017Industrial partners in the SECURIOT-2 FUI project contributing to the development of secured IoT products. Each partner specializes in different aspects of IoT hardware, software, and security, contributing to a comprehensive ecosystem solution.
• Minalogic, Derbi, SCS, Systematic Paris-RégionmajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2017Four French competitiveness clusters supporting the SECURIOT-2 project and broader Carnot LSI activities. Minalogic (digital/microelectronics), Derbi (energy), SCS (security/cryptography), and Systematic Paris-Région (software/systems) provide ecosystem networking, project financing, and market access.
• Université Grenoble-Alpes (UGA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCore institutional partner and founding member of Carnot LSI. UGA provides the primary academic backbone including 10 research laboratories, doctoral candidates, and administrative infrastructure. Carnot LSI is located at a UGA subsidiary facility.
• CNRS (Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor supervisory institution alongside UGA and Grenoble INP. CNRS-affiliated laboratories (GIPSA-Lab, TIMC-IMAG, LIG, TIMA, Verimag, Institut Fourier, LJK) are core members of Carnot LSI's research ecosystem.
• Grenoble INPcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-supervisory institution for multiple Carnot LSI laboratories including G-SCOP, LCIS, and TIMA, contributing engineering school expertise to the digital research ecosystem.
• Floralis — UGA FilialecoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerTechnology transfer and valorization subsidiary of UGA serving as the 'guichet unique' (single point of contact) for companies seeking to engage with Carnot LSI. Handles contractualization, IP protection, and licensing. Mariana Tsymbrovska serves as both Carnot LSI operational manager and Floralis CEO.
• YeastLabcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerTechnology maturation and software development platform that supports researchers in prototyping, software development, and technology transfer. YeastLab ensures follow-up of R&D projects and necessary software developments.
• SATT LinksiumcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSociété d'Accélération du Transfert de Technologies (SATT) for the Grenoble area. Provides technology maturation funding and incubation services for spin-offs emerging from Carnot LSI labs. Multiple projects (Emoface, CyberSmartLearn) received Linksium funding.
• Agir à DomminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpecialist in accompanying patients with chronic conditions at home. Partner in the HydroCovid clinical study testing hydrogen-based treatment for COVID-19 patients.
• Institut Fourier, Verimag, LIG, TIMA, GIPSA-Lab, TIMC-IMAG, G-SCOP, AGEIS, LCIS, LJKcoreTechnology or IntegrationThe 10 specialized research laboratories that constitute Carnot LSI. These labs cover domains from mathematics and cryptography to medical imaging, AI, embedded systems, and industrial design optimization.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• CEA-Leti: CEA's microelectronics and digital technology research institute based in Grenoble, sharing Carnot LSI's local ecosystem. Conducts applied R&D in semiconductors, IoT, cybersecurity, and embedded systems with industry partners, directly overlapping LSI's IoT cybersecurity and embedded systems domains.
• INRIA (French National Institute for Research in Digital Science and Technology): France's national public research institute dedicated to digital science and technology. Operates a similar public-private R&D partnership model with industrial partners, technology transfer programs, and software/open-source dissemination, making it the closest direct institutional peer to Carnot LSI in France's digital research ecosystem.

Regional players

• CSEM (Centre Suisse d'Electronique et de Microtechnique): Swiss applied research organization focused on microelectronics, embedded systems, AI, and digital health technology. Comparable contract R&D model serving industrial partners with technology transfer, though primarily serving Switzerland rather than directly competing with LSI in France.

Broad incumbents

• ITRI (Industrial Technology Research Institute): Taiwan's applied research organization conducting contract R&D and technology transfer in semiconductors, ICT, biomedical, and smart machinery. Comparable model of publicly funded applied research institute serving industrial partners across digital and medical domains.
• CEA (Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives): Major French public research organization operating across energy, defense, digital, and health sciences. Operates research institutes with industry partnership programs (e.g., CEA-Leti for microelectronics) and shares LSI's model of technology transfer from public labs to enterprise partners in France.
• TNO (Nederlandse Organisatie voor Toegepast Natuurwetenschappelijk Onderzoek): Netherlands' applied scientific research organization conducting contract R&D for industry and government. Similar public-private partnership structure, multi-domain applied research portfolio (digital, health, industry), and emphasis on translating lab science into commercial applications.
• Fraunhofer Society (Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft): Germany's leading applied research organization with 75+ institutes running contract R&D for industry. Operates a near-identical model to France's Carnot network: publicly funded applied research institutes conducting contract research and technology transfer with enterprises, making it the most structurally similar European peer at greater scale.

Others

• SATT Linksium: French technology transfer acceleration company (SATT) covering the Grenoble area, listed as a core partner of Carnot LSI. Provides technology maturation funding and incubation services for spin-offs emerging from Carnot LSI's labs (e.g., Emoface, CyberSmartLearn), making it an adjacent ecosystem participant rather than a competitor.
• Association des Instituts Carnot: National network body that federates all French Carnot-labeled research institutes. Not a peer in the competitive sense, but the institutional umbrella under which Carnot LSI operates and through which cross-institute referrals and complementary expertise are coordinated.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/carnot_lsi
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/institut-carnot-lsi

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Institut Carnot LSI