PEPR VDBI

What PEPR VDBI does

PEPR VDBI (Programme d'Excellence Prioritaire \u2014 Ville Durable et B\u00e2timent Innovant) is a French national research acceleration program established in 2023 under the France 2030 investment plan, jointly operated by Universit\u00e9 Gustave Eiffel (UGE) and the CNRS. It is endowed with \u20ac40M, channeled through the Agence Nationale de la Recherche (ANR) via competitive calls for projects (AAPs). The program funds interdisciplinary research consortiums (academic, territorial, and enterprise partners) working on sustainable cities and innovative buildings, targeting five major challenges: climate change adaptation, urban resilience, sober/frugal urbanization, inclusive urbanization, and urban health/well-being. Each funded project receives between \u20ac1M and \u20ac3M over 4\u20136 years.

Its core \u201cproduct\u201d consists of three Operational Centers that produce research infrastructure rather than commercial software: CO SIVDBI provides data management, spatial analysis, and geomatics tools for urban data; CO MISCIB focuses on urban modeling and simulation, producing thematic reports (Cahiers and Palabres series); and CO MESAP develops public-policy evaluation methodologies with territorial actors. Together with nine funded projects (NEO, RESILIENCE, TRACES, VF++, VILLEGARDEN, WHAOU, and Paris-R\u00c9USS-I with sub-projects inteGREEN and URBHEALTH), the program has built a national community of researchers, local authorities, enterprises (e.g., Lafarge Holcim, CSTB, Banque des Territoires), and citizens.

The business model is non-commercial: the program is funded entirely by government grants and distributes research outputs free of charge. Its go-to-market is event-driven \u2014 calls for projects, annual scientific days, webinars, newsletters, and a Scientific Event Support Program. Customers are not paying buyers but rather funded research consortiums and participating territorial stakeholders. Governance is exercised through a Scientific Council, Strategic Institutional Committee (with ANR and SGPI), and a Stakeholder College with industry co-presidents. The program operates with a lean central team of approximately 5 staff and is headquartered at Universit\u00e9 Gustave Eiffel\u2019s Champs-sur-Marne campus, with a second operational site at CNRS LIRIS in Villeurbanne.

Name

PEPR VDBI

Legal name

PEPR VDBI (Programme de Recherche Prioritaire - Ville Durable et Bâtiments Innovants)

Website

https://pepr-vdbi.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

2023

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

PEPR VDBI is a French national research funding program under France 2030, endowed with \u20ac40M and operated jointly by Universit\u00e9 Gustave Eiffel and CNRS. It funds interdisciplinary consortiums and operates three research infrastructure centers addressing sustainable cities and innovative buildings.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Research Programs - Sustainable Cities

NAICS

Scientific Research and Development Services (5417), Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172)

SIC

Federal & Federally-Sponsored Credit Agencies (6111), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

National Development Banks & State Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) (BPADACAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Housing & Urban Development Banks (Public) (FSABAKAG), Infrastructure & Project Finance Advisory (BPAHADAO)

Keywords

• Urban research funding
• Sustainable city research
• Innovative building studies
• Public research programs
• Interdisciplinary research coordination

Headquarters

HQ city

Champs-sur-Marne

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Government Research Funding (France 2030 / ANR): PEPR VDBI is a government-funded research acceleration program under France 2030, operated by ANR. Total endowment is €40M. First AAP mobilizes up to €18M for multi-year research projects (€1M-€3M per project, 4-6 year duration). Second AAP mobilizes approximately €9M. Funding is directed to academic research consortiums involving French universities, CNRS, and research institutions. Non-academic partners (collectivities, enterprises, associations) can participate but cannot receive direct funding.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

PEPR VDBI is a French national research acceleration program under France 2030 that funds interdisciplinary research projects (€1M-€3M each over 4-6 years) on sustainable cities and innovative buildings. It operates three Operational Centers (CO SIVDBI for data infrastructure and geomatic tools, CO MISCIB for urban modeling, CO MESAP for public policy evaluation methods) that provide research infrastructure and methodologies to academic researchers, territorial authorities, enterprises, and citizen associations. Funding is distributed through ANR-managed calls for projects, with the first AAP mobilizing €18M and the second mobilizing approximately €9M.

Product overview

PEPR VDBI (Programme Prioritaire de Recherche - Ville Durable et Bâtiments Innovants) is a national research acceleration program focused on sustainable cities and innovative buildings. The program is led by CNRS and Université Gustave Eiffel, funded by France 2030 with a budget of €40M. The portfolio consists of three Operational Centers (CO SIVDBI for information systems, CO MISCIB for urban modeling, CO MESAP for public action evaluation methods), seven major research projects (NEO, RESILIENCE, TRACES, VF++, VILLEGARDEN, WHAOU, and Paris-RÉUSS-I comprising inteGREEN and URBHEALTH), plus interdisciplinary project calls (PITT). The program operates through annual scientific days, webinars, newsletters, and publishes deliverables including thematic booklets and scientific reports.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CO SIVDBI - Système d'Information pour la Ville Durable et le Bâtiment Innovant Operational center that accompanies research teams nationally by providing data, methodologies for crossing, processing, analysis, and interpretation. It identifies, qualifies, stores, and makes available original quantitative and qualitative data related to sustainable cities and innovative buildings, including geographic information, environmental data, socio-economic indicators, and urban morphology data.
• CO MESAP - Méthodes d'Évaluation des Scénarios d'Action Publique Scientific knowledge and methods operator for evaluating urban policies, providing methods and frameworks that enable co-construction of knowledge between researchers and territorial actors. It focuses on the replicability and scalability of urban experiments, supporting public policy evaluation needs at the territorial level.
• CO MISCIB - Centre Opérationnel de Modélisation pour la Ville Durable et les Bâtiments Innovants Operational center focused on modeling for sustainable cities and innovative buildings, publishing thematic reports and scientific Cahiers (including 'De la ville durable: les voies de l'action', 'Modéliser pour l'abr Eve de l'urbain', and 'De l'abr Eve des modélisations urbaines') on urban modeling topics.
• Projet NEO - New Environmental Observatory Integrated environmental observation project that hybridizes academic knowledge with territorial innovation approaches, focusing on relations between water, soil, air, and vegetation in urban environments. Deployed across French metropolises through the SNO Observil national observation network.
• Projet RESILIENCE - Robust Evaluation of Solutions for Climate Impacts on Ecocities Transdisciplinary project evaluating urban planning policies for improving living conditions and co-benefits, focusing on urban heat islands, biodiversity, mobility transitions, and environmental health inequalities. Collaborates with Lille and Marseille metropolitan areas as contrasting case studies.
• Projet TRACES - Transform to Adapt: Multiscalar and Systemic Approach Systemic and multiscalar approach project examining transformation of existing built heritage, addressing material, environmental, socio-economic, and institutional factors across building to territory scales.
• Projet VF++ - Villes Fraîches (Fresher Cities) Project focused on designing and implementing adaptation strategies for urban overheating using green, grey, and soft solutions to improve citizen health.
• Projet VILLEGARDEN - Residential and Shared Green Spaces Project evaluating ecological performance of residential green spaces (EVRs) and their contributions to biodiverse and permeable city transitions. Involves 9 cities: Angers, Dijon, Lyon, Marseille, Montpellier, Nancy, Nantes, Paris, and Toulouse.
• Projet WHAOU - Well-being and Health Observatory within Urban Trajectories Project creating a plurithematic observatory for urban well-being and health, analyzing matter flows in sanitation networks and census data.
• Projet inteGREEN (sub-project of Paris-RÉUSS-I) Project providing holistic scientific evaluation of integrated urban services from greening solutions, bringing together experts from urban policies, economics, geography, ecology, and atmospheric chemistry.
• Projet URBHEALTH (sub-project of Paris-RÉUSS-I) Project characterizing health influences of spatial heterogeneities of multi-pollutants in urban zones, integrating socio-demographic dimensions and environmental justice concepts.

Quantifiable outcome

• 40M€ total endowment under France 2030
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

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

• Université Gustave Eiffel (UGE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversité Gustave Eiffel is one of the two pilot organisms (with CNRS) of PEPR VDBI. It hosts the program at its Champs-sur-Marne campus, provides administrative infrastructure, and contributes governance leadership through Corinne Blanquart (President of UGE, Co-President of CSI) and Anne Ruas (Co-pilote). UGE staff includes the Cheffe de programme (Lucile Mendoza), an Assistant de direction (Gabriel Gros), and staff from the CO SIVDBI and CO MESAP operational centers.
• CNRS (Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCNRS is one of the two pilot organisms (with Université Gustave Eiffel) of PEPR VDBI. It contributes governance leadership through Gilles Gesquière (Co-pilote), and staff including Joud Sarkis (Gestionnaire), Solène André (Responsable Éditorialisation), Diego Vinasco-Alvarez (Responsable de la veille), and team members across the three Operational Centers. The scientific monitoring data controller (Diego Vinasco-Alvarez) is based at CNRS LIRIS (UMR 5205) in Lyon.
• ANR (Agence Nationale de la Recherche)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerANR is the operator of PEPR VDBI, managing the calls for projects, evaluation process, and fund disbursement under France 2030. ANR is represented in the CSI (Comité Stratégique Institutionnel) and is responsible for validating pre-proposals and detailed proposals. ANR's logo is required on all program publications alongside the PEPR VDBI logo.
• SGPI (Secrétariat Général pour l'Investissement)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSGPI (Secrétariat Général pour l'Investissement) is represented in the CSI (Comité Stratégique Institutionnel) of PEPR VDBI, overseeing program alignment with France 2030 investment priorities. A representative from SGPI participates in the strategic governance of the program.
• ADEME (Agence de la Transition Écologique)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerADEME is represented in the Scientific Council (Jonathan Louis) and participates in the Collège des Parties Prenantes through Anne Grenier. ADEME co-funding is possible for PhD theses within PITT projects (e.g., CIFRE doctoral funding, ADEME co-financing). The agency contributes to the program's environmental and sustainability focus.
• Banque des TerritoiresmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBanque des Territoires is represented in the Collège des Parties Prenantes (CPP) by Emmanuelle Obligis as Co-President. It provides co-financing for PhD theses and participates in program governance. The Banque des Territoires is involved in sustainable city demonstrator programs (DVD) and supports events such as the 'Massification de la Rénovation du Bâtiment' seminar.
• CSTB (Centre Scientifique et Technique du Bâtiment)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCSTB is represented in the Collège des Parties Prenantes by Julian Soula. CSTB brings technical expertise in building innovation and sustainable construction, contributing to the program's focus on innovative buildings.
• Lafarge HolcimmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLafarge Holcim is represented in the Collège des Parties Prenantes by Isabelle Dubois-Brugger as Co-President of the CPP. As a major building materials company, Lafarge Holcim contributes industry perspective to sustainable building innovation research.
• France Universités (formerly CPU)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrance Universités is represented in the Collège des Parties Prenantes by Patrice Barbel. The organization was a co-organizer of the 'Massification de la Rénovation du Bâtiment' seminar alongside PEPR VDBI, CSF IPC, ACTEE-FNCCR, and others.
• ANRT (Association Nationale de la Recherche et de la Technologie)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerANRT is represented in the Collège des Parties Prenantes by Clarisse Angelier. ANRT contributes expertise on research-technology relationships and industrial innovation.
• SNO Observil (Système National d'Observation)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe NEO project leverages the national observation network SNO Observil, deploying environmental measurement devices and monitoring systems in partner metropolises. The network provides observational infrastructure for urban environmental data (water, soil, air, vegetation) across French territories.
• CO SIVDBI Partners (IGN, and others)coreTechnology or IntegrationCO SIVDBI (Système d'Information pour la Ville Durable et le Bâtiment Innovant) is coordinated by Férielle Goulamhoussen (Université Gustave Eiffel) with Ana-Maria Raimond (IGN) as the System Information Pilot. The center involves IGN (Institut National de l'Information Géographique et Forestière) for geographic data management and geomatic expertise. CO SIVDBI team includes Lou Hamonic (data mission), Ophélie Templier (spatial analysis), Tasnîme Louartani (geomatic engineering), and other staff.
• CO MESAP Partners (Université de Bordeaux, BSE)coreTechnology or IntegrationCO MESAP (Méthodes d'Évaluation des Scénarios d'Action Publique) is coordinated by Guillaume Pouyanne (Université de Bordeaux, BSE - Bordeaux Sciences Économiques) with Laetitia Patillet as project manager and Océane Lecomte as communication assistant. The center develops public policy evaluation methods and engages with territorial actors.
• Local Authorities and Metropolitan Governments (Lille, Marseille, Lyon, Paris, etc.)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMultiple metropolitan governments are actively involved in PEPR VDBI. The RESILIENCE project collaborates with Lille and Marseille metropolitan areas as contrasting case studies. The VILLEGARDEN project involves 9 cities: Angers, Dijon, Lyon, Marseille, Montpellier, Nancy, Nantes, Paris, and Toulouse. The NEO project works with SNO Observil metropolises. Collectivities participate in the Collège des Parties Prenantes and co-construct research solutions.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• NSF (National Science Foundation): US national research funding agency supporting basic and applied research across all scientific disciplines, including dedicated programs on urban sustainability and infrastructure. Comparable as a national-scale federal research funder, though operating across all domains rather than focused on urban transitions.
• ANR (Agence Nationale de la Recherche): National research funding agency that operates PEPR VDBI directly and channels France 2030 funds to dozens of PEPR programs. ANR is the institutional parent for funding operations and shares the same model of competitive calls for projects across all scientific domains.
• Horizon Europe (European Commission): The EU's primary research and innovation framework program with ~€95B budget, funding projects on climate, energy, and cities. PEPR VDBI explicitly references Horizon Europe alignments (Green Deal, Fit for 55), making it both a complement and a competing source of urban sustainability research funding at a larger scale.

Direct peers

• Banque des Territoires: Caisse des Dépôts subsidiary financing local authority projects in sustainable cities and building renovation. Co-President of PEPR VDBI's Collège des Parties Prenantes and co-funder of PhD theses; operates comparable programs on sustainable city demonstrators (DVD) and building renovation massification.
• JPI Urban Europe (Joint Programming Initiative): European joint programming initiative coordinating national research funding on urban sustainability across member states. Directly comparable to PEPR VDBI's mission of mobilizing interdisciplinary research for sustainable cities, with explicit alignment to European policy frameworks referenced by the program.
• CSTB (Centre Scientifique et Technique du Bâtiment): French scientific and technical center for buildings, a partner in PEPR VDBI's Collège des Parties Prenantes. CSTB conducts applied research, evaluation, and certification for sustainable construction and innovative buildings—the same thematic focus as PEPR VDBI's building innovation stream.
• CEREMA (Centre d'Études et d'Expertise sur les Risques, l'Environnement, la Mobilité et l'Aménagement): French public agency providing expertise and applied research on urban planning, environment, infrastructure, and territorial development. CEREMA serves local authorities with scientific and technical support directly comparable to PEPR VDBI's CO MESAP policy evaluation mission.
• ADEME (Agence de la Transition Écologique): French national agency for ecological transition, including urban sustainability and building innovation. ADEME participates in PEPR VDBI's Scientific Council and co-funds PhD theses, and operates comparable applied-research funding and expertise programs targeting cities, buildings, and environmental performance.
• Mistra (Swedish Foundation for Strategic Environmental Research): Swedish national research foundation funding multi-year, interdisciplinary programs on strategic environmental challenges including sustainable cities. Mistra operates a comparable model of long-horizon programmatic funding with built-in stakeholder engagement, paralleling PEPR VDBI's structure.

Regional players

• Institut Paris Région: French urban planning agency producing research, data, and analysis for the Île-de-France region on metropolitan planning, housing, mobility, and environment. Directly comparable to CO SIVDBI and CO MESAP functions but scoped to a single region rather than national.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@peprvdbi
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pepr-vdbi

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about PEPR VDBI