Three innovative companies have won a prize at the regional innovation competition of CIC Sud-Ouest. The winners, who each receive €10,000, will also go to Vivatech in Paris in June to showcase their expertise. Here is the list of winners.
The 2026 CIC Start Innovation Awards ceremony was held on March 26. This year, the number of applications received was unexpectedly high. “We received a hundred applications from innovative companies! The prize has now become well established in the innovation ecosystem from Bordeaux to Montpellier and Toulouse,” said Samira Boukhala, innovation business manager. Out of the sixteen companies from the Grand Sud-Ouest selected to compete in the final phase, eight were able to proceed to the ultimate stage with a pitch in front of the expert jury and the public.
The ceremony took place at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Bordeaux after a day that allowed all companies to participate in workshops (international development, financing, structuring, employee savings, investor pitches) led by experts and complemented by meetings with the jury and targeted advisory sessions. The eight companies that reached the final had to convince the jury and the public. In the end, three winners received a prize:
– Rupture Category: Water Horizon, based in Toulouse and created by Jean-Emmanuel Faure, has developed a thermochemical device that recovers waste heat from waste incinerators in the Toulouse area and transforms it into industrial cold. It has recently raised €18 million to develop about ten projects. – Growth Category: Occical Therapeutics, in Montpellier, founded by Sarah Colombani. This biotech specializes in developing the first preventive treatment for diaphragmatic dysfunction induced by mechanical ventilation (VIDD), a little-known but significantly impactful condition. Each year, more than 20 million patients on respiratory support are at risk of developing this dysfunction, which significantly affects long-term prognosis. – Impact Category – Public Prize: Needemand, in Montpellier, launched “BorderAge,” a digital solution that verifies the user’s age through hand movements. It is deployed in 120 countries, ensuring security by preserving anonymity. It was represented by Jean-Michel Polit, commercial director, and Kaim Chamassi.
The winners will also receive €10,000 each to support their development and benefit from development support thanks to the Club CIC International, as well as international visibility at VivaTech 2026 in Paris from June 17 to 20, where they will present their innovation at the CIC booth.
The Rupture prize rewards innovations capable of transforming a market or sector. The Growth prize is for young companies in the acceleration phase, while the Impact prize, awarded by the public, recognizes initiatives that positively contribute to the technological ecosystem or the environment.
A student was recognized for his innovation at the event. Launched seven years ago by CIC Sud-Ouest, the CIC Start Innovation Awards innovated in 2026 by launching Start Innovation Awards At School, a competition for students aged 18 to 25. The 2026 winner is Circul’air, led by Simon Bediou, a student at Mines Alès in Gard. The project aims to protect children transported in cargo bikes from pollutants by creating a filter that allows air to pass through but filters out fine particles and pollutants.
