François Pellegrini, Chairman, Aquinetic

Federating a Regional Libre Ecosystem ̶̶̵ The Case of Aquinetic

Analysis (1) [as of 2008]

● Players in the “Libre” ecosystem belong to five distinct groups that interact too loosely to create effective synergies– Businesses

● Mostly VSMEs at the local scale● Run after contracts and money

– Associations: LUGs, etc.● Animate project- or vision-based communities● Evangelize the general public

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Analysis (2)

– Research institutes● Produce more and more software, either as means or

ends for research● “Openness” is key to scientific reproducibility

– Higher education bodies: universities, engineering schools, etc.

● Meddling with the code is a huge added value● Considerable workforce: interns, tutored projects, etc.● Hatchery for future entrepreneurs

– “Chick effect”: first image seen is “mommy”

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Analysis (3)

– Local administrations● Have a lot more power than one thinks!

– Well, more precisely, not of the kind one thinks● Data processing is a strategic activity

– In order to enlighten political decisions● Everybody interacts with administrations● Are software purchasing advisers● Encourage industrial policies

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Vision (1)

● Create a new class of entity in the Libre ecosystem that would:– Serve as a catalyst between the five

aforementioned groups

– Foster the growth of the Libre ecosystem● Through the economic perspective

– This is what matters so as to keep the ecosystem alive● Enact the digital revolution at the regional scale

– Coopetitive work on non-rival goods, etc.– Think global, act local

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Vision (2)

● Project-based strategy– Gather expertise and lever effects from the five

groups to promote projects

– Further lever effect● Specific resources offered to project leaders

● Aiming at turning “solutions” into “products”● Structure inspired from the French

“competitiveness clusters”

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Aquinetic

● Non-profit– “Loi 1901”

● Focusing on the Aquitaine area– But we do not hesitate to:

● Bring projects from abroad● Go abroad to push forward our projects

– Both urban, rurban and rural areas

● Member of CNLL

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Missions (1)

● Favor the creation and development of Libre (pure-)player businesses– Detect promising projects at very early stages

● Well before traditional business incubators● Pro-active meshing of the whole Aquitaine territory

– Favor the settlement of existing companies in Aquitaine

– Collaborate with existing business incubators● It would be useless to duplicate existing structures!

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Missions (2)

● Assist projects in their growth– Providing resources

● Servers, etc.

– Applying for grants● The “Aquitaine Proto” is a great grant program !

– Accessing foreign markets● Envisioning international development● “OSA Export” label

– Booth at OSCON'2013 with UbiFrance

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Governance

● Board– Executive steering

● Administration council– Global strategy planning

● Scientific and strategic committee (COSS)– Project selection and guidance

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Regional implantation

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● Traditional innovation:– “You have a great idea,

come to Bordeaux / Paris / the SV / Aldebaran”

● Our view:– “You have a great idea, stay

where you had it”

Assessment (1)

● Over the 01/2012 ̶̶̵ 2014 time frame...● Aquinetic has become a renowned local

player– Specificity acknowledged with respect to

“traditional” business fostering structures

– Expertise acknowledged regarding software licensing and coopetitive business models

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Assessment (2)

● 20+ projects already labeled by COSS– Fields such as: brain-computer interaction, education

software, elderly safety, Internet website quality, IP telephony, information system supervision, drone-based Asian hornet nest destruction, etc.

● Some highlights– “Shinken Solutions” was the first Libre project

awarded by the French Research Ministry in the Innovative technology company creation contest (2013)

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Assessment (3)

● Partnership agreements with official “competitiveness clusters”– Aerospace Valley

– System@tic (GTLL)

● Occasional joint workshops and mission teams

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Assessment (4)

● Cooperation with local authorities on economic development dossiers– Participation to the definition of the activity

sectors of the Marsan technopole area● Aquinetic opened an office at La Fabrik incubator

launched by Marsan Agglomération

– Participation to the architectural design competition for the upcoming Nord-Béarn technopole area

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Assessment (5)

● A dedicated accélérateur for Libre businesses has been set-up in Pessac:

“La Banquiz”– In collaboration with Bordeaux Unitec

– Can host 3 to 4 start-ups

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On-going tasks

● Favor connections with investors– Investors most often work alone

– Need to promote a collaborative model

● Diversify funding– Most of Aquinetic resources come from the

public sector● Investors can pay to have access to projects

● More projects, more start-ups, more fun !

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