Michelin looks to house 20 startups at sustainability centre

Clermont-Ferrand, France – Michelin expects to welcome three new startups at its sustainability centre Parc Cataroux, Clermont-Ferrand in early 2025, the French group has announced.

In the first quarter of next year, Capillum, specialising in hair recycling; Numtech, which helps companies reduce their environmental footprint, and Biotech Open Platform, a Michelin-Danone supported US startup (ERJ report) are to relocate to the centre.

This brings the total of companies at the site to six, in addition to biochemicals company Carbios (ERJ report), Michelin Engineered Polymers, and chemical recycler bobine.

According to Michelin, another open platform dedicated to recycling is also currently under study.

Parc Cataroux is a ‘collaborative innovation centre’ set up by Michelin at its historical Cataroux tire factory in Clermont-Ferrand, central France.

Described as "a city within a city", the space provides opportunities to work, sleep, dine, relax and discuss ideas for cleantech startups.

Over the 2021-2024 period, the €61-million facility has created 170 jobs and attracted €22 million of investment spread across three companies installed: Carbios, Michelin Engineered Polymers and bobine.

Over the long-term to end of the decade, Michelin said it expected to create another 700 jobs and house up to 20 ‘pre-industrialisation’ projects at the site.