Extra&Co: support to R&D in the Extractive and Primary Industries sector

Extra&Co, a "Carnot Value Chain" project, is led by four research organisations (ISIFoR, BRGM, ICÉEL and M.I.N.E.S). This is a project targeting the "Extractive and Primary Industries" sector (EPI).

Coordinated services to the EPI sector

Extra&Co organises, proposes and facilitates access to a range of R&D services designed to boost the growth of micro-enterprises, SMEs and middle-market companies in key markets in the EPI sector.  To address this sector's innovation challenges, Extra&Co covers three market segments:

• exploration: knowledge, understanding, identification and explorations of deposits that are increasingly complex by virtue of their nature or their depth;
• extraction and operations: maximising the efficiency of extraction operations, i.e., optimising returns from deposits while minimising operating costs;
• environment: minimising the environmental footprint of exploration and extraction operations by developing operational monitoring and pollutant recovery.

This 6-year project covers the entire value chain for non-energy minerals (metallic and non-metallic) and subsoil energy resources (Oil and Gas sector).

Addressing the innovation needs of micro-enterprises, SMEs and middle-market companies

Main activities covered by the Extra&Co roadmap:

• identifying the needs and expectations of micro-enterprises, SMEs and middle-market companies in the EPI sector,
• developing a strategy for the deployment of a coordinated offer of services,
• developing and organising access to technological infrastructure (36 R&D platforms),
• developing R&D projects, including in collaboration with target businesses.

A further aim is to organise and mobilise a network of competitiveness clusters, technical centres, professional organisations, business clusters and others to supplement the services offered by Extra&Co.

To achieve these aims, Extra&Co is backed by the work of the committees making up its governance system and by a dedicated operational team of 7 people, including 4 project managers covering the whole of France.