At the awards ceremony on September 16, 2026, two projects from Lyon 1 University's laboratories were honored in the State innovation competitions. OncoShift, led by Firas BASSISSI from the Lyon Cancer Research Center, won the i-Lab Grand Prize. Anthony TACNET, from the Catalysis, Polymerization, Processes and Materials laboratory, was awarded the i-PhD Prize for his project Alka Thin Tech. These distinctions highlight the dynamism of research and innovation at Lyon 1 University.
The i-Lab competition segment values public research through the creation of innovative technology companies, offering financial aid and support. The 2026 i-Lab Grand Prize was awarded to the startup OncoShift, which develops targeted therapies against resistant metabolic cancers. These therapies aim to block tumor growth by targeting oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS), a key pathway for the survival of certain aggressive tumors. The startup, building on research conducted since 2016, aims for a first clinical trial in adults in early 2030.
The Alka Thin Tech project, led by Anthony TACNET, was recognized with the 2026 i-PhD prize. This competition supports doctoral students and recent PhD graduates in creating startups. Alka Thin Tech develops innovative molecules for manufacturing thin layers of lithium niobate, a material essential for microelectronics and telecommunications. The developed process promises to be more efficient and industrially viable, meeting the demands of future technologies.
Lyon 1 University also congratulates Charles Javerliat, a researcher at LIRIS, a laureate of the i-PhD competition for his project Kineo, a precise and cost-effective 3D motion capture software. The university also commends the support of PULSALYS – SATT in transforming these projects into innovations and entrepreneurial initiatives.
