“Archipel S”: the innovation pathway for building a health business in Nantes
At the heart of the Île de Nantes, in immediate proximity to the future university hospital, the new health campus, and research institutes, Archipel S is part of a unique 320,000 m² ecosystem dedicated to research, education, care, and health innovation.
The goal is to connect academic, medical, and entrepreneurial excellence to foster the emergence of tomorrow’s healthcare solutions. Archipel S is built on several complementary components working together.
Starting with the “GINA” building (5,500 m²), inaugurated in 2025 and dedicated to companies innovating in the healthcare of tomorrow. This business hub offers fitted offices from 10 to 800 m², rents adapted to startups as well as mid-sized companies, and shared services: meeting rooms, showroom, recording studio, event space, and convivial areas. To date, 27 companies and 200 employees have already settled there. “Around 40 companies and 350 employees will eventually be installed there,” specifies Joëlle Martin-Gauthier, Archipel S coordination officer at Nantes Métropole.
Support for health entrepreneurs
Archipel S also offers an integrated range of services designed for health entrepreneurs. Beyond the square meters, the strength of Archipel S lies in supporting health entrepreneurs. In connection with Nantes University Hospital and the Health Innovation Factory, project leaders benefit from design thinking approaches with caregivers, patients, researchers, and investors, from prototyping (3D and digital), from experimentation in real conditions, as well as support on regulatory issues, CE marking, medico-economic evaluation, and access to the market.
The animation of the site also plays a key role: competitions, hackathons, pitch sessions, B2B, training sessions, and professional events make Archipel S the headquarters of the health sector. It allows partnerships to be formed, investments to be made, and collaborative projects to be carried out.
Nantes Biotech and Bio Ouest, a complementary offer in health
Within Archipel S, Nantes Biotech and Nantes Bio Ouest Île de Nantes offer plug-and-play spaces ready for use from 60 m² to 600 m² for companies in biotechnology and medical technologies that require technical specifications from BSL1 to BSL3 at affordable rents.
A second building planned in 2029
By 2029, a second building named ROSA (10,000 m²) will complete the offer with offices, laboratories, and workshops, particularly for biotech, medtech, and digital health companies.
Archipel S Laënnec: a move to industrial scale
And to meet the needs of health companies in the industrialization phase, the Archipel S scheme plans to extend to the west of the Nantes metropolitan area. In the long term, the development of the Laënnec biopark in Saint-Herblain will make it possible to support these companies with 100,000 m² of land for businesses in radiopharmacy, bioproduction, foodtech, pharma, and medtech.
Through this complete pathway, from the laboratory to the startup, then to the production plant, Nantes Métropole affirms its intention to position itself among the leading French and European territories in the healthcare of the future. For entrepreneurs, it is the guarantee of being able to plan ahead, secure their growth, and establish themselves sustainably in this territory that gives pride of place to global health.
Learn more about global health
Do you have a project in healthcare?
Sandrine GAUVRY
Business Development Manager – Health & Real estate
+33 (0)6 08 61 34 93
