The CleanTech Booster, the CleanTech Vallée d'Aramon business accelerator, celebrated its fifth anniversary on November 5, in Saint-Laurent-des-Arbres, in the presence of representatives of companies, start-ups, partner communities and the prefect of Gard.
For five years, the CleanTech Booster, launched by the CleanTech Vallée association based in Aramon, has supported innovative start-ups in the field of clean technologies with the objective of finding decarbonization solutions. This fifth anniversary was celebrated on Tuesday, November 5 at the Tour des Chênes estate in Saint-Laurent-des-Arbres, in the presence of institutional partners – State, Region, local authorities –, companies and start-ups, involved in this acceleration program businesses. “This step is importantunderlined the president of CleanTech Vallée, Isabelle Martin, in front of an audience of guests. We have demonstrated that we can combine economic development and the protection of the planet.”.
“The challenge of decarbonization is immense“recalled Anthony Cellier, member of the energy regulation commission and former deputy of the 3e constituency of Gard, which was at the initiative of the Aramon-Gard Rhone ecological transition contract (CTE), of which CleanTech Vallée is the operator. “CleanTech shows the capacity of men and women to take on a global and individual issue. Two urban areas – Pont du Gard and Rhone Gard – are working together for the collective benefit, state services have played their part…”
“A high unemployment rate in Gard and companies having difficulty recruiting”
The prefect of Gard, Jérôme Bonet, also welcomed the action of CleanTech. “This anniversary illustrates a vision, an energy“ which are in line with climate and economic issues, he notes while recalling that “the strengths of this territory come up against reality: a high unemployment rate in the Gard and companies which have difficulty recruiting. We still have a lot to do to develop the potential of this territory. There are synergies to be create. The role of the State is to facilitate the establishment of businesses and their expansion.
Among the forty “boosted” companies, some demonstrated the support they received thanks to the CleanTech Booster. Like Fadilec, an SME based in Laudun-L'Ardoise which is celebrating its 30th anniversary. “Our core business is automation and software. We had to innovate. We did two booster sessions” explains company founder Didier Farigoule. Thanks to the support of the CleanTech Booster, “we were able to develop a decontamination robot“, by joining forces with three other companies. “The CleanTech Booster also puts you in touch with other companies.” A winning synergy.
