The Carnot label

The Carnot network: research driving industrial innovation

Founded in 2006, the Carnot Label was designed to develop and address the needs of partnership-based research, namely research conducted by public laboratories in partnership with socio-economic players, primarily industry (from SMEs to large corporations).

Partnership research is an overriding factor of economic growth, fostering corporate innovation, and guaranteeing competitiveness and growth.


Carnot video (in french)

The Carnot Label is granted to public research structures, Carnot institutes, with proven, high level R&I competencies dedicated to fostering innovation with industrial partners. They concurrently conduct upstream research capable of renewing their scientific and technological skills, and an ambitious partnership research policy to the benefit of the socio-economic world. Carnot institutes are selected through a competitive call for applications.

The ministry in charge of research awards the label to the Carnot institutes following a very selective call for applications.

Carnot's commitments

  • Scientific excellence and industry/research partnership management and professionalism.
  • Compliance with the requirements of the Carnot Charter to guarantee satisfaction of partners, including: confidentiality/ balanced intellectual property/easy access to scientific skills and technological platforms.
  • Anticipating market requirements: To respond to companies' needs, all Carnots integrate industrial needs and associated research challenges into their research strategy.
  • Individually-tailored prompt response at every step of the project.
  • Maintaining the power of a multidisciplinary task network.
Published on October 23, 2020 Updated on January 20, 2021