“Research as a driving force, innovation as the outcome: our response to ecological, digital, and industrial challenges.”
Research
At IMT Nord Europe, we develop world-class research structured around three Centers and two departments, focused on major challenges: Digital Systems, Energy & Environment, and Materials & Processes. Our approach combines innovation, multidisciplinary expertise, and close collaboration with industrial and academic partners to address the challenges of tomorrow.
We have laboratories, technological platforms, and state-of-the-art equipment, and we stand out through our scientific output, including top-tier (A-ranked) publications, as well as our support for PhD students and postdoctoral researchers. Our geographic location, at the crossroads of Europe, strengthens our ability to build long-term partnerships and expand our international reach.
Our mission: to anticipate, innovate, and educate in order to actively contribute to industrial and societal transformation.
Innovation
We turn ideas into concrete solutions and collaborate with companies and socio-economic stakeholders to address the technological and industrial challenges of our modern society. Our high-level platforms, collaborative projects, and partnership ecosystem provide fertile ground for the emergence of solutions that combine technological breakthroughs with sustainable models.
Our agile, open, and real-world approach enables us to support and accelerate the transition of technologies from laboratories to the market. Because innovating also means anticipating, testing, and deploying solutions adapted to everyone’s needs.
Discover the five pillars of innovation at IMT Nord Europe:
Prototyping / Training / Technology transfer / Incubation / Innovation support
IMT Nord Europe supports innovative projects through dedicated prototyping facilities, enabling ideas to be turned into concrete solutions. Whether for technical parts, technological demonstrators, or collaborative projects with companies, our platforms provide access to state-of-the-art tools. The expertise of our teams makes it possible to deliver pragmatic and efficient solutions to real-world challenges.
In addition to our FabLab, the future House of Innovation will further strengthen these capabilities by expanding the machine park and creating a unique space dedicated to design and development, fully aligned with the prototyping needs of businesses in the region.
IMT Nord Europe offers training dedicated to innovation, including practical modules on innovation project management and business design. Among the key tools used, the ISMA 360 method is applied to structure and manage Deeptech projects while integrating market needs.
The training modules enable students, researchers, and professionals to master the challenges of innovation, from the initial idea through to market launch, including business aspects, financial considerations, and intellectual property (IP). Drawing on real-world case studies, feedback, and the resources of the learning center, these programs prepare learners to tackle the challenges of technological and industrial projects.
The House of Innovation will further enhance this offering by centralizing educational resources and fostering interdisciplinary collaboration.
Technology transfer is a key mission of IMT Nord Europe. It enables academic research to be transformed into industrial solutions. Our laboratories are constantly innovating and already collaborate with companies to turn these inventions into innovations.
The House of Innovation will strengthen this dynamic by bringing together technological demonstrators and collaborative research spaces, thereby facilitating the transition from research results to concrete applications.
IMT Nord Europe supports project leaders within its Deeptech incubator. It provides personalized mentoring and access to a rich ecosystem dedicated to breakthrough technological innovation.
Each project benefits from regular coaching, access to technological platforms, and high-level scientific support to help overcome technical barriers. Project leaders also have access to the learning center and all its knowledge databases, collaborative or private workspaces, and a network of experts, students, and alumni to tackle the many challenges ahead.
The incubator also facilitates the preparation of grant applications and access to specific funding opportunities, such as the IMT Foundation’s honorary loans or Bpifrance support schemes.
Companies must improve efficiency to ensure long-term sustainability and establish strategic barriers in order to maintain their position in competitive markets. Innovation is a key lever to address these two challenges.
In this context, IMT Nord Europe positions itself as a major partner for industry, supporting companies in defining tailored roadmaps and bringing their projects to fruition, relying on a wide range of resources: internships, student assignments, feasibility studies, prototype development, scientific support, collaborative research, and the creation of joint laboratories.
The available tools are numerous and accessible to any company presenting a project with a technical and/or scientific dimension.
The House of Innovation will serve as an additional springboard, offering a space for exchange and collaboration to further support project development and maximize their impact.
House of Innovation
The IMT Nord Europe House of Innovation, opening in 2027, will centralize education, technical expertise, and science to boost innovation, with the support of the City of Douai, Douaisis Agglo, the Hauts-de-France Region, and the French State.
COMPOLIS program
COMPOLIS, a dynamic initiative at IMT Nord Europe, accelerates industrial innovation in advanced materials, smart structures, and connected technologies, delivering sustainable and high-performance solutions.
PUI Lille
The Lille University Innovation Cluster brings together research, higher education, healthcare, and innovation to turn ideas into concrete projects, in collaboration with businesses and society.