The Carnot label

The Carnot Label

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.

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 by the French Ministry of Research.

The originality and efficiency of the Carnot system is based on 4 rules:

• Ongoing basic research for future innovation needs
• A detailed, yearly action plan to reach these commitments
• Financial support from the French government based on measurable results
• A structured network for increased efficiency and impact

Each Carnot institute commits to attaining specific progress targets.

• Ensure scientific production prepare the responses of tomorrow;
• Improve professionalism (awareness-raising about intellectual property, better project management structuring, internal organisation, etc.);
• Develop socio-economic partnerships;
• Foster network-based functioning of the Carnot institutes.

In 2023, 107 M€ were dedicated to the Carnot system

The Carnot network

A structure to coordonate the 39 Carnot institutes.

The Carnot Institutes association, always in contact with the 39 members, is here to facilitate the network between the Carnot Institutes. For example, it encourages the sharing of best practices to enhance the professionalism of partnership relations.

Carnot Institutes Association

The 39 Carnot Institutes are members of the Carnot Institutes Association (AiCarnot) through their supervising institutions, in order to create a real operating dynamic, leverage synergies and take full advantage of their shared commitment to partnership research and business innovation. AiCarnot federates all Carnot institutes and is responsible for coordinating and structuring the network.

One of Carnot's strengths is their effective and dynamic networking, which enables them to leverage their complementarities to develop high-quality research partnerships, and their ability to work together in support of business innovation. Networking requires close relations and exchanges between Carnot managers, as well as shared values. To this end, a number of brainstorming sessions are organized, as well as meetings to share best practices and experience feedback, with the aim of building ever more professional partnerships with companies.

In addition to the numerous meetings organized within the network, the strategy of the Association des instituts Carnot aims to promote the network to companies on a regional, national and international level, to promote and defend the system vis-à-vis decision-makers and supervisory bodies, and to stimulate the network to demonstrate and exploit the strength of the collective. This strategy is broken down into 5 main areas of action:

• Economic sectors
• SMEs and Start-ups
• International
• Regional presence and recognition
• Communication

A network of 4 Carnot Institutes at the service of the blue economy sector

Carnot MERS has joined forces with Carnot ARTS, Carnot ESP and Carnot Énergies du Futur to meet the major challenges facing the blue economy sector. For that, the Carnot institutes use the multidisciplinary expertise of the network to propose tailor-made solutions. This collaboration strengthens our ability to meet your expectations, notably by developing inter-Carnot projects.

Thematic networks

Thematic networks bring together Carnot Institutes to pool their efforts and provide R&D solutions to companies in the same economic sector. In concrete terms, these are Carnot consortia that co-construct, mutualize and synergize their expertise and resources (technological platforms, demonstrators, etc.).