In just 10 years, the IRT (Institute of Research and technology) b<>com has become a global leader of digital innovation. It has positioned itself as a key player in several leading markets, providing products and technological solutions to large corporations, SMEs and start-ups in the fields of infrastructure and networks, sound and image processing/distribution, and cybersecurity, working towards the main goal of digital sovereignty for France and Europe. b<>com is now focusing its ambition on the development of a European sovereign, responsible digital industry and on further establishing its brand as one of the flagships of tech in France and in Europe.
More than ever it is of fundamental importance that France and Europe regain their digital sovereignty. b<>com can be proud, after just 10 years of existence, of the key role we are playing and of our considerable contribution to bringing new innovation to market and to the forging of new industrial partnerships, says Bertrand Guilbaud, CEO of b<>com.
Major technological innovations in digital technology
Since its creation, b<>com has brought together the best of academic and industrial research to design, publish, develop, and deliver major technological innovations in the fields of infrastructure/networking, sound and image processing/distribution, and cybersecurity. In total, some thirty products and services designed for manufacturers have been put on the market.
"We are broadening the entire value chain we cover, expanding our position as an explorer and developer, to include a mission as a publisher and distributor in the markets we serve," Bertrand Guilbaud went on to say.
Spotlight on landmark solutions:
Infrastructure and networks, sovereign private 5G solution:
In 2021, with the support of the French Government, b<>com accelerated its efforts to help France regain technological sovereignty to meet the needs of companies in deploying and operating private cellular networks. This technology, called *Dome*, is a connectivity bubble that addresses the challenges of private 5G in terms of security, latency, saturation, flexibility, and network operating costs.
The use cases are varied, just like the customers where the private 5G solution is already deployed: EDF is testing the maintenance of high-risk industrial sites, Lacroix is working on optimizing water distribution networks, SNCF is looking to optimize connectivity on large production and industrial maintenance sites, and the University Hospital of Rennes is making progress on remote diagnosis assistance and the wireless operating room project.
Image and sound processing and distribution:
b<>com has rare skills related to the new characteristics and properties of images (resolution, volume, colorimetry, light, etc.) and sound (spatialized audio).
*Sublima* is a system that enhances the viewer's experience by significantly widening the dynamic range of light (HDR) and the colorimetric spectrum of the image. Awarded the Innovative Technology of the Year in 2017, then voted Product of the Year at the 2019 NAB show in Las Vegas, this solution is now marketed globally by Harmonic and EVS.
Cybersecurity:
Cybersecurity is a cross-cutting issue for b<>com's various areas of expertise, just like Artificial Intelligence. The IRT meets the needs of industry by offering sovereign solutions to secure networks, data flows, content and terminals:
- *Tag* allows for fast identification of live video content piracy. This technology has been included in Viaccess-Orca's catalog since 2020.
- *Serenity* replaces the traditional password by offering a high level of protection for Internet transactions.
These solutions are easily transferable to players in the cultural and creative industries, the healthcare sector, defense, security and Industry 4.0 and have a high level of technological maturity.
10 YEARS OF INNOVATION IN FIGURES
- 20 awards and prizes
- 25 products & services
- 40 clients
- 400 patents
- 120 software
10 years of aiding French and European technological sovereignty
Regaining digital sovereignty for France has been at the heart of b<>com's ambitions since its creation. In addition to its technology business, b<>com:
- is working to ensure a French presence in nine global standardization bodies (DICOM RTV, MPEG LA, VVC, etc.)
- has booths at major international trade shows (MWC in Barcelona, NAB show in Las Vegas, IBC in Amsterdam, etc.)
- is a major contributor to European projects.
- deploys an international branding strategy to facilitate the export of its solutions,
10 years of digital sovereignty in figures
- 9 standardization bodies
- 7 professional alliances
- Contributor to 15 European projects: 5G TOURS, Hexa-X, ARTwin, etc.
- 3 open source organizations: Solar, OpenAirInterface, O-RAN
- 30 global broadcast, networking and medical trade shows: NAB Show, MWC, IBC, Medica, Le Bourget, Vivatech, etc.
- 25 international delegations received
A success story driven by the effectiveness of the Institute of Research and Technology's hybrid model
The success of b<>com is based in particular on its hybrid private/public model which has enabled it, in just 10 years, to combine the best of the academic and industrial research worlds. The IRT's founding shareholders include major corporations (Orange, Harmonic, Airbus, Naval Group, etc.), small and medium-sized businesses (TDF, Viaccess-Orca, Ekinops, etc.) and renowned research and educational institutions (IMT Atlantique, Insa, Inria, CHU Rennes, CHRU Brest, Université Rennes 1, etc.).
b<>com is one of the eight Institutes of Research and Technology (IRTs) created by the French Government as part of the "Investissements d'avenir" program. Its mission is to design, develop and provide innovative technologies to manufacturers that wish to increase their competitiveness in the digital field.
FOCUS ON b<>com's GROWTH
- 400 employees - workforce doubled since inception
- 1,000 b<>comians since 2012
- 26 nationalities
- 170 direct jobs
- 70 students
- 17 industrial members
- 10 academic members
A strong commitment to digital responsibility
b<>com intends to be a forerunner in responsible digital innovation by including consideration of the environmental and social impact of future technologies, prior to their design.
"The next 10 years of this human adventure will be dedicated to the development of digitally responsible technologies. The Sustainable Development Goals will be central to our strategy: They must guide our research and innovations, and they must be a source of path-shaping innovations so that tomorrow's digital technology is compatible with our social challenges and those of the planet.” says Bertrand Guilbaud.
