I-PhD Innovation competition : Two winners from FEMTO-ST in 2025

Valentin Reynaud (microforce metrology) andGaultier Gibey (predictive maintenance of hydrogen sytems) are the winners of this sixth edition of the national innovation competition .

Launched in July 2019 by the Ministry of Higher Education, Research, and Innovation, in partnership with Bpifrance, the i-PhD competition aims to promote entrepreneurship among young researchers, particularly in the creation of “deep tech” startups that offer disruptive innovations based on scientific and technological advances.

Since the launch of this annual innovation competition, 234 winners have been awarded prizes and 78 startups have been created by winners.

The 2025 winners include 40 winners, two of whom are from Bourgogne-Franche-Comté and more specifically from FEMTO-ST:

Valentin REYNAUD (SensiTips project) is developing a new generation of instruments capable of quantifying forces that were previously inaccessible to human perception. These instruments are based on ultra-sensitive MEMS sensors and high-precision robotics.
The goal of SensiTips is to enable the precise measurement of forces on a very small scale, thereby meeting the growing needs of cutting-edge fields such as robotics, microtechnology, and life sciences.

Contact : valentin.reynaud@femto-st.fr

Gaultier GIBEY ( SupervHyse project – Hydrogen system maintenance) offers a predictive maintenance software tool dedicated to hydrogen systems, which monitors equipment status in real time and predicts the optimal date for intervention, much like a doctor monitoring a patient. The result is a longer service life, enhanced reliability, and lower maintenance costs.

Contact : gaultier.gibey@femto-st.fr

These two projects are supported by PUI BFC, la SATT SAYENS and the Researcher-Entrepreneur Program In the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté Region

Our two winners this year join the list of four previous winners in 2019 (Maya Geagea – micro fuel cell and Gael Matten – programmable noise absorption systems), in 2021 (Giacomo Clementi – vibration energy recovery through piezoelectric effect) and in 2023 (Julien Dufourmantelle – acoustic sensor for online monitoring of milk coagulation).

Our six winners thus illustrate the diversity of skills and innovative capabilities present at FEMTO-ST.

Two best student paper awards for Ishamol Labbaveettil
Awards for her PhD work on KNbO₃ films
Read more
Dissociating Nitrogen Molecules Using Silicon Atoms
Researchers from FEMTO-ST have just demonstrated a novel process for dissociating nitrogen molecules through low-energy footprint processes, a crucial step towards the decarbonized production of high-value-added molecules.
Read more
DESCROIX-VERNIER ETHICSCIENCE award for Agathe FIGAROL
An innovative tumor model on a microchip to fight brain cancer
Read more
A novel approach to filling miniature atomic clock cells
This new method, which gains flexibility, paves the way for large-scale production of atomic sensors.
Read more
National Days on Emerging Technologies in Micro-Nanofabrication
These scientific days, which take place from November 30 to December 2 in Besançon, France, bring together the major French players in micro-nanotechnologies, process engineering, physics and modeling of manufacturing processes.
Read more
16th International Symposium on Distributed Autonomous Robotic Systems
Nearly a hundred scientists from all over the world will meet under the auspices of FEMTO-ST, in Montbéliard from November 28 to 30 to exchange on an interdisciplinary field in full expansion.
Read more
Fei Gao wins the "Sustainable Future Visionary Award"
Full professor at UTBM and researcher at FEMTO-ST institute, Fei Gao is today one of the world's leading specialists in fuel cells and digital twins.
Read more
Gold micron award at MICRONORA trade fair 2022
FEMTO-ST is awarded a gold micron for its three-dimensional nanorobotic structure, which is precisely and continuously actuated according to the power of light for the gripping of nano objects.
Read more
FEMTO-ST at MICRONORA trade fair 2022
From September 27th to 30th, more than 600 direct exhibitors and 15000 professional visitors are expected in Besançon on the international microtechnology exhibition. FEMTO-ST and FEMTO Engineering will be present.
Read more
The fastest pick-and-place robot in the world
A research team has developed a miniature robot capable of manipulating micrometric objects at unprecedented speeds. This work has been published in the prestigious American journal "Science Robotics"
Read more