Ways to Get Involved

The most promising health innovations often stall not because the science fails, but because researchers lack the industry perspective to move them forward. As a SPARK-Bordeaux partner, you bring exactly that. There are several ways to get involved, from mentoring researchers locally and internationally, to speaking at our seminars, to participating in SPARK Europe events. This page walks you through each option and what the collaboration looks like in practice.

Become a SPARK Advisor

This is the most direct way to contribute. As a SPARK Advisor, you work alongside researchers to help them navigate the gap between scientific discovery and clinical or commercial reality.

The commitment is light by design: around 2 to 3 hours per month, with no set minimum duration. You choose the projects that match your expertise, and you engage at a pace that works for you.

As an advisor, you might mentor one or two SPARK projects, offer strategic guidance at key decision points, review data and help researchers overcome specific challenges, or make introductions when the right contact can make a real difference.

We look for expertise across drug discovery and development, regulatory strategy, intellectual property, market access, business development, diagnostics, medical devices, and manufacturing. If you have built, assessed, or commercialised health innovations, you likely have something valuable to contribute.

Guest Speaker or Workshop Leader

If you prefer a more focused engagement, sharing your expertise with the SPARK community as a speaker or workshop leader is an excellent option. Sessions take place through our monthly SPARK Europe Education webinars, our local SPARK-Bordeaux seminar series, and panel discussions at SPARK events in France and abroad.

You propose the topic, we handle the logistics. Recent sessions have covered Target Product Profiles for MedTech, out-licensing versus startup creation for academic inventors, translational pharmacology, and team building for early-stage ventures.

If you have a topic that would sharpen how researchers think about development, regulation, or commercialisation, we want to hear from you.

Attend a SPARK Showcase or Event

Several times a year, SPARK-Bordeaux researchers present their projects to an audience of experts, partners, and peers. These events are an excellent way to see what is emerging from Bordeaux's research ecosystem, meet researchers at an early stage, and connect with other industry professionals in the SPARK network.

Events include local SPARK showcases, SPARK Europe gatherings, and international SPARK Global conferences.