Edito - August 2018

Time flies… It has been (almost) 5 years that I took over the role of Scientific director of Inria@SiliconValley, one of the Inria International Labs under the umbrella of the Inria European and International partnerships Department (aka Inria DPEI). This leads me to write a more personal Edito as it is time for me to say “au revoir” in my role of scientific director.

Thanks to the support of former Inria Chairman and CEOs, Michel Cosnard and then Antoine Petit, I was able to expand the activities of Inria@SiliconValley regarding both Research and Innovation as well as across California, which increasingly challenges the very name of “Inria@SiliconValley” ;)

I further take the opportunity of this edition of the newsletter to thank all the people involved in the development of Inria@SiliconValley over the last 5 years. Of course, it is impossible to name them/you all!! Nonetheless, I would like to express special thanks on my behalf but more broadly on behalf of Inria@SiliconValley for the fruitful collaboration to: The CITRIS and the Banatao Institute at UC Berkeley, which has been hosting Inria@SiliconValley over the past 5 years,  the Consulate General of France in San Francisco and its science office which has been instrumental in the development of  Inria@SiliconValley activities, especially regarding innovation, and Prof. Alexandre Bayen at UC Berkeley who is a great supporter of French-USA collaborations.

Obviously, Inria@SiliconValley is a team work so let me acknowledge the colleagues of Inria DPEI for their support, which a 9 hours time difference sometimes challenges… 

And, let’s close these 5 years with a number of news that summarize and highlight well the collaborations taking place in the context of Inria@SiliconValley:

• As now customary, the newsletter features a presentation of one of the Inria@SiliconValley Associate Teams, which, this month, is GOAL. I recall that a presentation of all the associate teams may be found on the Inria@SiliconValley web site.

• Further, while an Associate team may not last more than 6 years, the “Inria International Partner” allows giving visibility to a strategic on-going, long-lasting, international collaboration. See the related news about the follow-up of the ORESTE team.  Also, to acknowledge the evolution of the teams’ research focus, teams are now grouped under 2 themes: (1) Digital Sciences & Technologies for Smart & Connected Communities, and (2) Digital Sciences & Technologies for Health.

• The 2019 call for Associate Teams is now open, deadline for application is 27 September! Also, calls for individual research fellowships are open with deadlines in September: Inria International chairs and EU MSCA.

• The partnership with NETVA (New Technology Venture Accelerator), which is Supported by the scientific and technological services of the French embassies to the US and Canada, is in its 3 year. This year, 2 “made in” Inria start-ups are laureates: InSimmo and Ekinnox.

• The IOT is one of the research topics investigated as part of the collaborations ongoing within Inria@SiliconValley. As part of it, I am happy to report about Inria signing a Memorandum of Agreement with the I3 consortium, led by USC, toward the development of an Intelligent IOT Integrator.

Again, it is time for me to say “au revoir” in my role of scientific director of Inria@SiliconValley and to thank all the people with whom I had the opportunity to collaborate and interact, for the great experience. It is thanks to them/you that Inria@SiliconValley is what it is and allows for fruitful transatlantic collaborations!

As for what’s next, I let you discover it in the next edition of the newsletter, in relation with the change of management at Inria, including: Dr. Christine Morin who became head of the Inria DPEI back in February and the appointment of Dr. Bruno Sportisse, as Inria chairman and CEO, starting June 27.

In the meantime, have a nice summer, at work or on holiday…