NEW YORK, July 8 - French biotech advocate Philippe Pouletty and a host of industrial and scientific leaders in France have teamed up to create a council to improve the legal and economic climate for high-tech business.
The Strategic Council for Innovation, which includes entrepreneurs, investors, research institute directors, economists, and lawyers, will promote legislation and governmental programs designed to ease regulations and increase R&D spending.
Its aims include:
· Monitoring and ranking French and European high-tech performance;
· Pressing for new legislation to ease regulations on the high-tech sector and encourage private medical research foundations;
· Doubling government research funding within five years;
· Increasing international mobility and networking; and
· Boosting government subsidies for entrepreneurs.
Members include former French Minister of Research François d'Aubert, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale Director General Cedric Bannel, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique Life Sciences Director Bernard Pau, and Pasteur Institut Licensing Director Christian Policard.
Pouletty is president of the trade organization France Biotech and of Objectif 2010, a biotechnology entrepreneur group.
Last fall, the French government pledged €150 million, or roughly $148 million, in loan guarantees and venture funding for biotech as part of an effort to bring the country's medical technology industry up to snuff.