Eco-innovation in Aquitaine

The search for a new sobriety in our habits of consumption, housing or traveling, is an essential objective. However, it is not synonymous with a qualitative decline, since many numerous practices can now be replaced by more ethical technical or organizational alternatives.


The ability of stakeholders to respond to this issue will determine the attractiveness of the territories and the competitiveness of businesses.

New products and systems, stimulated by research, are to be invented in all sectors of activity, in order to secure the most socially acceptable transition towards sustainable lifestyles: building on the interests of our environmental heritage rather than wasting its capital. The development of these new eco-services and eco-technologies, which are booming globally, is becoming a major competitive factor for companies.

It should be noted that, in Aquitaine, three clusters of competitiveness, qualified as such or under consideration, directly deal with environmental issues and will contribute to regional innovation in this sector: XYLOFUTUR, Avenir Energie Environnement (AVENIA), Construction et Aménagement Durables (CREAHD).

So as to specifically accompany the development of eco-innovation in Aquitaine, the regional Council has already issued a call for innovative projects, involving all of the public financing agencies (Oséo, ADEME, Agence de l'Eau, DRIRE).

This event was cited as particularly innovative at the national and European level (forward-thinking workshops of the ANR - National Research Agency, European program on the regional tools to support eco-innovation, etc.). By following up on these initial winning programs and on a study conducted with the INSEE (National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies) on eco-businesses relations, the main strategic goals of Aquitaine regarding eco-innovation have been identified.

In this context, the Aquitaine Region implements an integrated policy allowing project initiators to identify the territory as being relevant for their purposes, as well as helping them to realise their projects and to develop and disseminate them.

The support mechanism, set up by the regional Council of Aquitaine for this plan of action, is structured around 4 main themes: