Grenoble is mainly famous for its science and technology. Thanks to genuinely complementary operations between research centres, academic and scientific players and companies, it has established itself as a major centre of research and innovation in Europe.

Research centres
• 15 000 people work in research.
• 3 500 doctorants and interns working in laboratories
• 450 patents registered every year.
• 200 public research laboratories, of which :

3 european laboratories :
• European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL).
• Grenoble High Magnetic Field Laboratory (GHMFL).
• Institute of Millimetric Radio Astronomy (IRAM).

2 major international facilities :
• Institut Laue-Langevin (ILL).
• European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF).

Innovation centres of European stature
Minatec
The European centre for micro and nanotechnology innovation brings together research, teaching and industry at the same location.
• Area : 45 000 sq m, of which 11 000 sq m clean room space.
• 1 000 students, 120 reseachers and faculty members.

Nanobio
This innovation cluster focuses on the application of advances in micro and nanotechnology, developed in particular at Minatec, to medical technology and life science.
• It occupies three locations: the university campus (Saint-Martin-d’Hères – Gières), the science park (Grenoble) and the healthcare complex at La Tronche.
• Area : 9 000 sq m.

Private research
Several R&D centres operated by major international firms complement local applied research :
Schneider Electric Industries, ST Microelectronics, Philips, Freescale Semiconductor, Pechiney, Xerox, Sun Microsystems, Hewlett Packard, France Telecom, Air Liquide…