POLE SOLUTIONS COMMUNICANTES SECURISEES

Their core work

AKTANTIS is a French innovation cluster (pôle) based in Provence that supports SMEs in adopting digital technologies, particularly in IoT and cybersecurity. They operate as a Digital Innovation Hub, providing training, investment coaching, and deep innovation support to help manufacturers and urban service providers integrate secure digital solutions. Their work bridges the gap between technology providers and SMEs that need practical guidance on digitalization and security systems integration.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

AKTANTIS began its H2020 activity in 2018 focused on IoT adoption in manufacturing, coordinating a substantial project to help SMEs modernize production. By 2020-2021, their focus broadened significantly toward cybersecurity, urban security systems, and photonics — while maintaining their core role as an SME innovation intermediary. The shift from pure IoT/manufacturing toward security and broader digital infrastructure signals a maturing portfolio that now spans the full spectrum of secure digitalization.

AKTANTIS is evolving from a manufacturing-IoT cluster into a broader secure digitalization hub, making them increasingly relevant for projects combining cybersecurity with SME digital transformation.

How they like to work

AKTANTIS leads when it comes to SME support activities (coordinating 2 of 4 projects) but also joins larger consortia as a participant or third party when the topic extends beyond their coordination capacity. With 99 unique partners across 21 countries, they operate as a well-connected hub rather than a closed group. This makes them easy to work with for new partners — they are accustomed to large, diverse consortia and bring a ready network of SME contacts.

Extensive European network spanning 99 partners across 21 countries, largely built through Innovation Action projects. Their geographic reach reflects the broad SME ecosystems they serve as a Digital Innovation Hub in southern France.

What sets them apart

AKTANTIS sits at the intersection of cybersecurity and SME digital transformation — a combination few innovation clusters offer. Based in Rousset (Provence, near the Microelectronics Valley around Aix-en-Provence), they have proximity to France's semiconductor and secure communications industry. For consortium builders, they bring both a regional SME network and hands-on experience running Innovation Actions focused on technology adoption rather than pure research.

Highlights from their portfolio

• IoT4Industry
  Their flagship project as coordinator with EUR 3.9M EC funding — the largest in their portfolio — focused on bringing IoT to manufacturing SMEs across Europe.
• SecurIT
  Significant participation (EUR 2M) in smart city security, demonstrating their expansion from manufacturing IoT into urban cybersecurity and resilience.
• PhotonHub Europe
  Long-running project (2021-2026) as third party, showing their integration into the EU Digital Innovation Hub ecosystem for photonics.