Le Mans Innovation
Le Mans Innovation is a public technopole offering free innovation accompaniment to startups, SMEs, students, and territories across the Le Mans Métropole and Sarthe region, funded by Le Mans Métropole, Région Pays de la Loire, and the CCI, with programs spanning incubation, digital transformation, and AI.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2010
- HeadquartersLe Mans, France
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Le Mans Innovation does
Le Mans Innovation (legal name: LE MANS INNOVATION; SIRET 257 201 608 00011) is a public technopole service operating under SMAT (Syndicat Mixte d'Aménagement et de promotion de la Technopole), a mixed syndicate created in 1987 by Le Mans Métropole, the Ville du Mans, the Département de la Sarthe, and the CCI du Mans et de la Sarthe. SMAT created Le Mans Innovation in 2010 to address the digital and innovation economy; the structure was officially designated a technopole in 2017. The entity is staffed by 13 personnel — a director, communications lead, administrative/financial manager, and approximately nine chargés de mission — and operates out of a 1,400 m² equipped plateau at 57 Boulevard Demorieux, 72100 Le Mans, comprising offices, a Fablab, coworking space, conference rooms, and a lounge.
The technopole delivers sector-agnostic accompaniment services to four principal constituencies: entrepreneurs and startups (from idea emergence to commercial success), SMEs seeking to develop innovative products/processes/services, territorial collectivities building innovation strategies, and higher-education students (via partnerships with Le Mans Université, IN&MA, ISMANS CESI, ENSIM, ITEMM, TALM, and Pépite Pays de la Loire). Core program offerings include individualized accompagnement, the DIVA European Digital Innovation Hub (EDIH) program focused on data and AI, the SelanC SME dormant-project revival program, the Challenge Compétences student-business sprint, and a periodic Bootcamp Vibe-coding event teaching no-code and AI prototyping. The entity is a member of the MOBIS health-innovation consortium (funded via France 2030 and Banque des Territoires) and the national Réseau de Développement de l'Innovation (RDI) network, alongside partnerships with BPI France, Images et Réseaux, EMC2, IRT Jules Verne, ID4Mobility, Atlanpole Biotherapies, Réseau Initiative Sarthe, Réseau Entreprendre, and INPI.
Le Mans Innovation operates on a non-commercial revenue model: all services are provided free of charge to beneficiaries. The entity is financed by three public funders — Le Mans Métropole, the Région Pays de la Loire, and the CCI du Mans et de la Sarthe — with supplementary European funding through FEDER grants (€172,412 HT for the main innovative-company-creation project and €136,000 HT for the Challenge Compétences program, both beginning January 2021). Distribution is direct and field-based through the chargé de mission team, supported by organic social channels (LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X), newsletters, blog content, partner referrals, and recurring events such as the Journée de l'innovation and Startup Weekend. There is no proprietary technology product, API, software, or app; the offering is fundamentally a service-plus-physical-infrastructure model rather than a software or venture-backed technology business.
Le Mans Innovation firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Le Mans Innovation
- Legal name
- LE MANS INNOVATION
- Website
- https://lemansinnovation.fr
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2010
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Le Mans Innovation is a public technopole offering free innovation accompaniment to startups, SMEs, students, and territories across the Le Mans Métropole and Sarthe region, funded by Le Mans Métropole, Région Pays de la Loire, and the CCI, with programs spanning incubation, digital transformation, and AI.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Le Mans Innovation industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Business Incubation Services
- akta.pro primary industry
- Makerspace, Innovation Lab & Fab Lab Operations (Tools, Safety, Programming) (EDAEAGAI)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Innovation & Design Thinking Programs (EDAMAHAD)
Keywords
Where Le Mans Innovation is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Le Mans
- HQ country
- France
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Le Mans Innovation business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Public funding (service is free): Le Mans Innovation is a free public service financed by Le Mans Métropole, the Region Pays de la Loire, and the CCI du Mans et de la Sarthe. It is also supported by European FEDER funds. No revenue is generated from clients; services are entirely free for project holders, entrepreneurs, and businesses.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
Le Mans Innovation product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Le Mans Innovation is a public technopole service that provides free individualized accompaniment to entrepreneurs, SMEs, territories, and students developing innovative projects. Its team of chargés de mission guides project holders from idea emergence through to commercial success, offering services including project detection, evaluation, incubation, and maturation, along with physical hosting on a 1,400m² plateau containing offices, a Fablab, coworking space, conference rooms, and a lounge.
Product overview
Le Mans Innovation is a public technopole service offering innovation support programs and physical hosting solutions. Its core offerings include individualized accompaniment services for startups, SMEs, territories, and students; hosting/coworking facilities on a 1400m² equipped plateau; collective programs including the DIVA European Digital Innovation Hub (focusing on data and AI), the SelanC program for SME innovation, the Challenge Compétences student-business collaboration program, and periodic events like the Vibe-coding bootcamp. These services are free and aim to support innovative project development from idea emergence to commercial success.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- DIVA: European Digital Innovation Hub (EDIH) for Pays de la Loire, accompanying SMEs in their digital transformation, particularly in data and AI.
- SelanC
- Challenge Compétences
Products and services
- Accompagnement Startups (Startup Accompaniment)
Quantifiable outcome
- Supported companies obtain millions in aid through the technopole's accompaniment
Companies that use Le Mans Innovation
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Le Mans Innovation technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Le Mans Innovation partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
19 partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.
- MOBIS Consortium (11 partners including CHU d'Angers)coreLe Mans Innovation is a member of the MOBIS (MOBilités Intelligentes en Santé) consortium, a Tiers-Lieu d'Innovation Numérique en Santé initiated by CHU d'Angers and funded by France 2030 and Banque des Territoires. The consortium includes CHU d'Angers, Images et Réseaux, GCS e-santé Pays de la Loire, Angers Loire Métropole, Angers Technopole, Laval Mayenne Technopole, Le Mans Innovation, Atlanpole Biotherapies, VYV 3 Pays de la Loire Centich, Coalition Next/Digital Pharma Lab, and AFM-Téléthon. LMI contributes detection of startups with relevant solutions, technological accompaniment, and facilitation of links between the medical world and enterprises.
- Réseau Initiative SarthecorePart of the INITIATIVE FRANCE network, the 1st associative network for financing business creators in Le Mans and Sarthe. Provides financing solutions to entrepreneurs accompanied by LMI.
- Réseau EntreprendrecoreRéseau Entreprendre provides personalized accompaniment to project holders wishing to create or take over a business, working with LMI's ecosystem.
- INPI (Institut National de la Propriété Intellectuelle)coreINPI provides an e-procedures portal for business formalities and protection of creations, serving as an accompaniment partner for LMI-supported projects.
- Le Mans UniversitécoreLe Mans Université (University of Le Mans) is a key educational partner collaborating on student project detection and accompaniment, as well as research-business linkages.
- ENSIMsupportingENSIM is an engineering school habilitated by CTI to deliver engineer titles with a master's degree level. A higher education partner for LMI's student accompaniment.
- ISMANS CESIsupportingISMANS CESI is a mechanical engineering, industrial performance, and materials training center that participates in automotive industry development. A higher education partner for LMI's student accompaniment.
- ITEMMsupportingThe European Technological Institute of Musical Trades — a unique school and resource center with comprehensive training offerings — is a partner for student accompaniment and music/creative sector innovation.
- In&MasupportingIn&ma Le Mans is a business school managed by the CCI du Mans et de la Sarthe, forming business engineers. A higher education partner for student accompaniment.
- TALMsupportingÉcole supérieure d'art et de design at Tours, Angers, and Le Mans. A higher education partner for creative and design-oriented student projects.
- Le Village by CA Le Mans La RuchesupportingAn initiative of the Caisse du Crédit Agricole Anjou Maine, the Village by CA is a space dedicated to entrepreneurship and innovation. Works with LMI as an accompaniment ecosystem partner.
- Solution&CosupportingSolution&Co is the economic development agency of Pays de la Loire, serving businesses and territories. A regional development partner.
- Images et RéseauxsupportingWorld-vocation competitiveness cluster gathering expertise in telecoms, internet, television, and image. A technology and R&D partner for digital innovation projects.
- EMC2supportingPôle Européen des Technologies de Fabrication (European Manufacturing Technologies Cluster) accompanies businesses and academic actors toward industry of the future through collaborative innovation.
- Atlanpole BiotherapiessupportingCompetitiveness cluster located in Nantes focused on biotherapies. A technology partner for health and biotech innovation, notably in the MOBIS consortium.
- ID4MobilitysupportingCompetitiveness cluster helping project holders in Brittany, Pays de la Loire, and Nouvelle-Aquitaine design, develop, experiment, and industrialize impact solutions for future land mobility.
- IRT Jules VernesupportingA shared technological research center dedicated to manufacturing, aiming to improve industrial competitiveness. A technology partner for advanced manufacturing projects.
- Réseau de Développement de l'Innovation (RDI)coreLe Mans Innovation is a member of the RDI network, a development and innovation network connecting technopoles and innovation structures across France.
- Laval Mayenne TechnopolesupportingLaval Mayenne Technopole is a partner for the Challenge Compétences program, which was originally created by Laval Mayenne Technopole and Arts et Métiers ParisTech de Laval in 2011 and duplicated by LMI in Sarthe since 2020.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Le Mans Innovation competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Competitive moat5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Le Mans Innovation social profiles
Digital presenceLe Mans Innovation financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Le Mans Innovation leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
Le Mans Innovation funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Le Mans Innovation M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Le Mans Innovation
What does Le Mans Innovation do?
Le Mans Innovation is a public technopole service that provides free individualized accompaniment to entrepreneurs, SMEs, territories, and students developing innovative projects. Its team of chargés de mission guides project holders from idea emergence through to commercial success, offering services including project detection, evaluation, incubation, and maturation, along with physical hosting on a 1,400m² plateau containing offices, a Fablab, coworking space, conference rooms, and a lounge.
Is Le Mans Innovation a public or private company?
Le Mans Innovation is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was Le Mans Innovation founded?
Le Mans Innovation was founded in 2010. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Le Mans Innovation based?
Le Mans Innovation is headquartered in Le Mans, France, in the Europe region.
How does Le Mans Innovation make money?
One revenue line is on record: public funding (service is free).
Does Le Mans Innovation have an API?
No public API is recorded for Le Mans Innovation.
What industry is Le Mans Innovation in?
Le Mans Innovation's product category is Business Incubation Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAEAGAI, Makerspace, Innovation Lab & Fab Lab Operations (Tools, Safety, Programming), with a secondary code of EDAMAHAD, Innovation & Design Thinking Programs.