L3i, La Rochelle Université, France

What L3i, La Rochelle Université, France does

L3i (Laboratoire Informatique, Image et Interaction) is a public university research laboratory (Équipe d'Accueil EA 2118) hosted at La Rochelle Université, France, founded in 1993. The lab conducts fundamental and applied research in computer science, image processing, and human-computer interaction, organized into three research teams: eAdapt (adaptive digital systems), IC (document image and content analysis), and MC (multimedia and connected objects). It employs 51 personnel across faculty, PhD researchers, engineers, and doctoral students, and operates multiple specialized hardware platforms including drones, sensors, humanoid robots, the SeaLab autonomous sailboat, and a 5GLab.

The lab has developed proprietary software frameworks including GALACTIC (Formal Concept Analysis) and RAPTOR (table extraction from documents), and has filed a patent for blockchain-based reputation management using Zero Knowledge Proofs. Its work spans computer vision, NLP, anomaly detection, generative AI, and combinatorial optimization, validated by awards such as the SIU Prize (Pham Tri Cong, January 2025) and publications across document image analysis, multimedia, and security.

The lab's business model is built on public research funding (ANR, France 2030, FEDER, EU Horizon Europe) complemented by industry partnerships through CIFRE PhD contracts with companies including MAIF, OnePoint, COVEA, Yooz, and Orange, and three formal joint laboratories (LabCom SAIL with Comix AI, LabCom IDEAS, LabCom RéSILIENCE). It serves both academic peer communities and industrial sponsors across insurance, telecommunications, digital publishing, and public-sector digitization.

Name

L3i, La Rochelle Université, France

Legal name

Laboratoire Informatique, Image et Interaction (L3i)

Website

https://l3i.univ-larochelle.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

L3i (La Rochelle Université, EA 2118) is a French public university research laboratory in computer science, image processing, and human-computer interaction, organized into three teams (eAdapt, IC, MC) with 51 personnel, funded by ANR/EU grants and CIFRE industry partnerships across insurance, telecom, and digital publishing.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

La Rochelle

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Public Research Funding (ANR, France 2030, FEDER, EU Horizon): L3i operates as a publicly funded research laboratory (EA 2118) within La Rochelle Université. The majority of its research activity is funded through competitive national and European grants including ANR (Agence Nationale de la Recherche) projects such as the LabCom program (5-year renewable funding), France 2030 initiatives, FEDER regional funding, and EU Horizon Europe programs. Funding supports specific research projects, doctoral positions (CIFRE industrial PhDs), and platform equipment.
2. Industry Research Contracts: The laboratory receives funding through industrial research contracts and CIFRE (industrial PhD) agreements with private companies. Partners include companies such as MAIF, OnePoint, COVEA, Itesoft, IMDS, RMD Technologies, Shift Technology, Square Management, and Yooz. These agreements typically fund specific research outcomes and doctoral theses in exchange for industry-relevant innovation.
3. Valorisation and Technology Transfer: L3i generates revenue through technology transfer and valorisation activities including joint laboratories (LabCom: SAIL with Comix AI, IDEAS, RÉSILIENCE), spin-off creation, and licensing of developed technologies. The Valconum consortium is dedicated to valorising research in the digital domain.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

L3i (Laboratoire Informatique, Image et Interaction) is a publicly funded university research laboratory (EA 2118) at La Rochelle Université that conducts fundamental and applied computer science research across three teams: eAdapt (dynamic systems and adaptativity), IC (images and contents), and MC (models and knowledge). Its work spans document analysis, artificial intelligence, computer vision, human-computer interaction, formal concept analysis, signal processing, and environmental monitoring, delivered through research projects, joint laboratories (LabCom), and software/hardware research platforms. The laboratory does not sell commercial products but delivers research outcomes, doctoral training, and technology transfer to public and industry partners.

Product overview

L3i (Laboratoire Informatique, Image et Interaction) is a university research laboratory at La Rochelle Université structured around three research teams: eAdapt (Dynamic Systems and Adaptativity), IC (Images and Contents), and MC (Models and Knowledge). The laboratory offers a portfolio of software frameworks (GALACTIC for Formal Concept Analysis), hardware research platforms (environmental surveillance with drones, smart buildings, dematerialization equipment, humanoid robots, SeaLab autonomous sailboat, 5GLab), and joint laboratories (LabCom SAIL, IDEAS, RÉSILIENCE, ICTLAB) established with academic and industrial partners. The research focuses on computer vision, document analysis, NLP, process mining, and AI for environmental monitoring, cultural heritage, and smart mobility applications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• GALACTIC Open-source Python framework for studying Formal Concept Analysis (FCA), supporting Galois Lattices, Concept Theory, Implicational systems and Closures. Provides tools for correlation analysis of time series, semantic clustering, and community detection, made available to the global research community.
• Environmental Surveillance Platform Hardware research platform featuring marine drones, aerial drones, underwater drones, and connected buoys for real-time environmental data collection and coastal/marine ecosystem monitoring.
• Smart Building Platform Hardware research platform with interior and exterior sensors plus LoRa antennas for building intelligence, energy efficiency, and environmental monitoring research.
• Dematerialization Platform Hardware research platform for 2D/3D content valorization, including 2D/3D scanners, hyperspectral camera, 3D printer, and robotic arm for digitization and valorization of physical objects.
• Human-System Interaction Platform Hardware research platform featuring humanoid robots (Nao and Pepper) for research on human-robot interaction, adaptive interfaces, and trace collection.
• SeaLab Semi-autonomous sailing vessel research platform for autonomous marine navigation, environmental sensing, and maritime research experiments.
• 5GLab 5G experimentation equipment including traffic generator and associated network equipment for testing next-generation mobile network applications and protocols.
• LabCom SAIL (Sequential Art Image Laboratory) ANR-funded joint laboratory with Comix AI for comic book / sequential art image analysis and understanding research.
• LabCom IDEAS ANR-funded joint laboratory for public-private research partnerships in digital innovation, part of the LabCom program associating public laboratories with SMEs.
• LabCom RÉSILIENCE ANR-funded joint laboratory (ANR-24-LCV2-0023) combining public research with SMEs for sustainable innovation.
• ICTLAB International Mixed Laboratory International mixed laboratory with USTH Vietnam (since 2014) for collaborative research in information and communication technologies, joint doctoral supervision, and student exchange.

Quantifiable outcome

• E-BDthèque project (ongoing since 2011) developed comic/comics/manga analysis expertise enabling creation of LabCom SAIL with Comix AI (2018)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers15 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

Feature9 records

Partnerships

28 partnerships are on record, tiered core, notable and minor.

• LabCom SAIL (Sequential Art Image Laboratory)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Joint laboratory (Laboratoire Commun) funded by ANR between L3i and Comix AI (company), created in 2018 following the E-BDthèque comic analysis research project. Focused on sequential art image analysis (comics, comics, manga) using deep learning, Transformers, VLMs, and LLMs. Supported by ANR LabCom program with 5-year renewable funding.
• LabCom IDEAScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint laboratory (Laboratoire Commun) funded by ANR, part of the LabCom program that associates public laboratories with SMEs on shared research visions and strategies for sustainable innovation.
• LabCom RÉSILIENCE (ANR-24-LCV2-0023)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint laboratory (Laboratoire Commun) funded by ANR (project ANR-24-LCV2-0023), part of the LabCom program supporting sustainable innovation partnerships between public research and SMEs.
• ICTLAB (International Joint Laboratory)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational mixed laboratory with University of Science and Technology of Hanoi (USTH), Vietnam. Active since 2014, facilitating joint research, doctoral student exchange, and collaborative projects between L3i and Vietnamese institutions.
• Computer Vision Center, Universitat Autònoma de BarcelonanotableTechnology or IntegrationAcademic partnership with the Computer Vision Center (CVC) at UAB, Spain, for collaborative research in computer vision and image analysis.
• Intelligent Media Processing Laboratory, Osaka Prefecture UniversitynotableTechnology or IntegrationAcademic research partnership with Osaka Prefecture University, Japan, focusing on intelligent media processing and related fields.
• Research Laboratory on Intelligent Machines, University of SfaxnotableTechnology or IntegrationInternational academic partnership with the REGIM research laboratory at University of Sfax, Tunisia, for intelligent machines and signal processing research.
• MAIFnotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerCIFRE and research contract (since 2025) supporting PhD research on AI and document processing applications in the insurance sector.
• OnePointnotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerCIFRE and research contract (since 2024) on intelligent mobility, data solutions, and digital transformation consulting.
• COVEAnotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerCIFRE industrial PhD partnership (2018-2022) on document analysis and artificial intelligence solutions for the insurance group.
• YooznotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerCIFRE PhD partnership (ongoing) with Yooz on intelligent table extraction from financial and administrative documents using deep learning and semi-supervised learning methods, contributing to the RAPTOR table detection method.
• ItesoftnotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing France 2030 and CIFRE industrial PhD partnership (since 2011) on document analysis and recognition technologies.
• IKOMIAnotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch and development contract (2021-2024) on computer vision and AI solutions, combining L3i academic research with IKOMIA's applied technology platform.
• IMDSnotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrance 2030 funded partnership (since 2022) with IMDS on advanced document analysis and identity document processing technologies.
• Shift TechnologynotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrance 2030 research contract (since 2022) on fraud detection in insurance using AI and machine learning technologies.
• IDnownotableTechnology or IntegrationFUI-funded research project (2014-2023) on identity verification and document analysis technologies.
• VISIOONnotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch collaboration (since 2017) with VISIOON, a New Caledonian company, developing underwater video analysis algorithms for fish species tracking and counting using 360-degree underwater cameras at 5-20m depth.
• TeklianotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrance 2030 and ANR funded partnership (since 2022) on document analysis and recognition, including contributions to the DAI-CReTDHI historical demographic research project.
• Square ManagementminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCIFRE and research contract (since 2021) supporting doctoral research on management and AI applications.
• RMD TechnologiesnotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrance 2030 CIFRE industrial PhD partnership (since 2021) on advanced document and image analysis technologies.
• SystelminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership funded by FEDER (2016-2018) and CPER (since 2024) on communication systems and technology solutions.
• aYalineminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partnership funded by FEDER (January 2017 to July 2020) and continued as contract research since 2020, focused on digital solutions.
• OrangenotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerCIFRE industrial PhD research partnership (2018-2022) on telecommunications and digital services optimization.
• Bibliothèque Nationale de FrancenotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for digitization, analysis, and preservation of historical document collections held by France's National Library.
• Institut National d'Études Démographiques (INED)notableStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborating institution in the DAI-CReTDHI project (ANR-funded, 2024-2027), applying AI and document analysis to historical French demographic data from the 16th-19th centuries.
• Centre d'Études Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC, UMR 7372 - CNRS & Université de La Rochelle)notableStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational academic partnership with CEBC (CNRS/Université de La Rochelle) on coastal and marine environmental monitoring, collaborating on drone and sensor platform research.
• Multimedia University, MalaysianotableTechnology or IntegrationFrance-Malaysia Collaboration Programme for Joint Research (MyTIGER 2023) on automated shadow removal for outdoor surveillance monitoring using deep learning on aerial CCTV images.
• Hokkaido University, JapannotableTechnology or IntegrationAcademic collaboration with the Marine Bio-resources and Fishing Technology Laboratory at Hokkaido University, involving seminar presentations on fish behavior, sea cucumber studies, and fishing gear digital twin simulations.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• INRIA: France's national computer science and applied mathematics research institute. Comparable as a publicly funded CS research organisation conducting AI, CV, and HCI work, though at substantially larger scale than L3i.
• CEA List: French public R&D institute focused on digital systems. Comparable as a large publicly funded applied AI/CV research organisation with industry partnerships.

Direct peers

• LaBRI (Laboratoire Bordelais de Recherche en Informatique): Bordeaux-based CNRS UMR 5800 CS laboratory. Comparable regional peer working on image, vision, and AI research with industry partnerships in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region.
• LIRIS (Laboratoire d'InfoRmatique en Image et Systèmes d'information): French university CS laboratory (CNRS UMR 5205) covering image, vision, and AI research. Directly comparable to L3i in size, team structure, and applied CV/document-analysis focus.
• LS2N (Laboratoire des Sciences du Numérique de Nantes): CNRS UMR 6004 CS research laboratory based in Nantes. Comparable multi-team French public CS lab with similar CNRS-affiliated research structure.
• IRIT (Institut de Recherche en Informatique de Toulouse): CNRS UMR 5505 computer science research institute at Université Toulouse III. Comparable as a multi-team French public CS lab working on AI, document analysis, and HCI.
• Laboratoire d'Informatique de Grenoble (LIG): Major French CS research lab (CNRS UMR 5217). L3i already collaborates with LIG's Steamer team, making it a directly comparable peer in image analysis and AI research.
• GREYC (Groupe de Recherche en Informatique, Image et Instrumentation de Caen): CNRS UMR 6072 computer science laboratory. Directly comparable peer given overlapping focus on image processing, document analysis, and instrumentation research.
• COMIX AI: Direct LabCom SAIL partner and spin-off arising from L3i's comic-book analysis research. Closest comparable company given its origin from L3i's E-BDthèque project.
• IKOMIA: French computer vision AI company that held an R&D contract with L3i from 2021–2024. Comparable peer given direct prior partnership and overlapping CV/AI technology focus.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/L3i_LaRochelle
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCfrOntVQlUCcMSq-RHr7KbQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/L3i.LaRochelle
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/l3i-la-rochelle-universit%C3%A9-france

Compliance1 record

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 L3i, La Rochelle Université, France