MORFO, a company committed to the restoration of forest ecosystems, has been awarded the prestigious Grand Prix I-Lab in the "Decarbonizing our daily lives" category. This distinction crowns the sustained efforts of our teams and our scientific partners, notably IRD, INRAe and CIRAD in France, over the past two years. It marks a major step forward in our growth and our commitment to preserving the environment.
The I-Lab competition, a catalyst for innovation and business creation
Since its creation in 1999, the I-Lab competition has established itself as a strong symbol of support for innovation and the creation of innovative companies. Initiated by the French Ministry of Higher Education and Research, the competition aims to identify and promote business start-up projects based on innovative technology . It also encourages the transfer of research results to the socio-economic world.
Indeed, the I-Lab competition has already contributed to the creation of 2,224 companies since its inception. After 24 years of existence, the survival rate of award-winning companies has reached 65%, testifying to the solidity and durability of the projects supported. Some companies have even been taken over by major manufacturers, confirming their potential and market value.
Financial support to accelerate research and development
The 25th i-Lab innovation competition, run by Bpifrance as part of the France 2030 plan, has proved an invaluable opportunity for MORFO. Thanks to this i-Lab program, we will benefit from financial support and tailored coaching that will enable us to accelerate our commercial and operational development on a global scale.
In particular, this financial recognition will strengthen our VEGE+ research program over a 24-month period. This program includes a second research collaboration with UMR LSTM (IRD/CIRAD/INRAE) called VEGEDRONE II, aimed at developing innovative solutions for forest restoration. In addition, we will be collaborating with the LASEM laboratory at the University of Sao Carlos in Brazil, a leading reference in the field of forest restoration in the country. Last but not least, we will be strengthening our in-house laboratory by multiplying our analysis capacities 5-fold and expanding our teams.
At MORFO, we are resolutely focused on excellence and will continue to push back the boundaries to preserve our environment. This prestigious recognition from the Grand Prix I-Lab inspires us with immense gratitude to all our supporters.
