Atos has inaugurated its new Iseran campus in Echirolles, near Grenoble (France), its second largest site in France and a leading research and development (R&D) center in Europe.
The new 19,200 square meter site brings together three areas of expertise (energy, high-performance computing (HPC) and artificial intelligence) and 1,000 Atos employees who were previously based at Grenoble and the historic site in Echirolles. With a capacity of up to 1,320 people, the new site will be able to accommodate the 250 new hires planned for 2023.
An Artificial Intelligence Skills Center
With this new campus, Atos reinforces its innovation strategy as the new European R&D center will promote local excellence on a worldwide scale. Funded by the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Region, through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), and by Grenoble-Alpes Métropole, this center and its 300 employees are mainly focused on Artificial Intelligence. Atos’ teams have already partnered with the MIAI@Grenoble Alpes program from the Grenoble Interdisciplinary Institute of Artificial Intelligence (3IA), which has received government support.
A site committed to Decarbonization
Through its design and the work of its R&D center, the site plays an active role in the Group’s CSR and decarbonization strategy. The building has been awarded the EFFINERGIE 2013+ label and meets all the latest insulation standards. It also has nearly 500 square meters of photovoltaic panels and reuses heat from the servers. The R&D center is already working on several projects to reduce energy consumption, including projects to aggregate the building’s data to improve the site’s energy consumption, and to supervise and reduce its IT carbon footprint using AI and low-tech.
Three areas of Expertise to serve International Customers
Atos Worldgrid, an international subsidiary of Atos, has activities which address energy operators in water, wind, electricity, oil and gas, with solutions ranging from critical infrastructure maintenance to real-time operation of distributed smart grids.
The site’s HPC and AI teams work on critical issues regarding national sovereignty in the current race for computing power, as well as the development of AI algorithms and the energy optimization of these technologies.
The site also includes teams specializing in cloud and cybersecurity, as well as the Technical Services unit, which supports the digital transformation of manufacturers and organizations in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region.
Atos management reiterated its regional roots and commitment at the inauguration ceremony, which was attended by Catherine Staron, Vice President of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, responsible for higher education, research and innovation; Guy Jullien, Vice President of Grenoble-Alpes Métropole, in charge of the economy, industry and economic resilience; Renzo Sulli, Mayor of Echirolles and Steven Perron, Founding President of Foncière Magellan.
Yannick Tricaud, CEO Southern Europe, Atos commented: “The Iseran campus is part of the GrandAlpe project and the revitalization of the south of Grenoble, to which we are contributing with this site marked by innovation and technological expertise. Now the Group’s second largest site in France, it is proof of Atos’ commitment to the region and the metropole. Our 1,000 employees are at the heart of French sovereignty issues, both economic and industrial, by developing the technologies of tomorrow in the energy, high-performance computing and artificial intelligence sectors. These fast-growing sectors are a lever for economic development and international influence for Atos, the Region and the Metropole.”
Catherine Staron, Vice President of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Region, said: “Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes is the leading industrial region in France and one of the most successful in Europe in terms of research and innovation. The Atos Iseran campus is the Group’s Center of Excellence for research, particularly in artificial intelligence. By supporting it, the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Region is helping to strengthen the regional ecosystem and the company’s links with our academic players. It is therefore a major asset, which contributes greatly to the policy sealed with the President of the Region Laurent Wauquiez in terms of relocation, reindustrialization and technological and economic sovereignty.”
Christophe Ferrari, Président de Grenoble Alpes Métropole also commented: “We are proud to welcome the new Atos campus within the GrandAlpe urban project. This is a global digital services giant confirming its presence in our region. And beyond the technological solutions and innovations that Atos will create, it is also a hotbed for jobs, which further strengthens the metropolitan trademark in this area: a territory of talent, diversified industries, in a territory that is also diversified and where life is good. The arrival of Atos is part of the revitalization and metamorphosis of the GrandAlpe sector, which is now home to jobs, business and housing, with the support and impetus of the metropolis. We are very happy to have accompanied Atos in this new adventure. May they be satisfied with their establishment in the middle of our jewel cases. I would like to thank them for their confidence, for their choice of our agglomeration and GrandAlpe, which is also part of the RER project for the Grenoble area.”
