Dassault Systemes is a European company that develops software for the fields of mechanical engineering, medicine, high-tech, and others. Among its clients are companies such as Boeing, Airbus, Renault-Nissan, and ExxonMobil. What’s more, Dassault Systemes does not only sell patents and organize services but also offers support to universities and promising startups.
For one, young entrepreneurs can participate in the Dassault Systemes Incubator Collaboration Program. Florence Verzelen, the company’s executive vice-president, expanded on the program during the recent meeting. Apart from access to industrial software, its participants gain access to a network of business contacts and get help in bringing their projects to the international market. This March, the company’s representatives have already met with authors of startup projects developed at ITMO University during a seminar by ITMO’s Future Technologies accelerator and ITMO.TECH.
The goal of the first agreement with Dassault Systemes is to stimulate the development of the startup community by offering them instruments for creating and launching their projects. ITMO University and the company will choose several teams and give them access to several 3D modeling programs: CATIA (3D design, computer-aided engineering and product lifecycle management), SIMULIA (tools for virtual engineering analysis), DYMOLA (tools for virtual testing on the design stage) and 3DEXCITE (virtual marketing and creation of presentation materials for an item).
According to Anton Gopka, dean of the Faculty of Technological Management and Innovations and one of the agreement’s signatories, ITMO University understands the importance of development and support of innovative entrepreneurship in modern education. It is for this purpose that the university redesigns its programs and offers students more opportunities for promoting their ideas and implementing them in modern business projects. In such a situation, it’s essential to get direct orders from the industry and react to the demands of the market, which is why the new agreement with Dassault Systemes has much significance in regard to the development of corporate engagements.
ITMO University and Dassault Systemes will collaborate on working with startups, and the most promising projects will be offered a unique opportunity to become part of the European company’s ecosystem. Its representatives noted that they are especially interested in solutions that have to do with natural sciences, hi-tech, and transport.
As of today, ITMO works with over 40 small innovative enterprises that were launched with the use of the university’s intellectual property. Their number is expected to grow next year thanks to rearrangements in the university’s structure: the new corporate center that works with startups will become part of the Faculty of Technological Management and Innovations and announce a new draft of projects for the new program conducted in collaboration with Dassault Systemes. You can get more detailed information by writing to spin-off@itmo.ru.
“We are planning to develop our interaction with the small innovative enterprises and startups that are part of ITMO’s ecosystem, and offer them services from our partners. We will also attract new industrial partners and investors for the development of the university’s entrepreneurial community and creation of new instruments aimed at supporting its startups,“ comments Alexander Ostroukhov, head of ITMO’s Corporate Center.
