On July 2nd and 3rd, 2026, EBI was delighted to host the 33rd edition of the international CONFERE conference, a must-attend event for design and innovation sciences. Researchers, professors, PhD students, master’s students, and academic partners gathered in Malta to share their work and discuss major scientific, technological, and societal challenges.

For two days, participants enjoyed a high-level scientific lecture program, complemented by presentations of research work by PhD and master’s students, encouraging exchanges. The talks focused on topics at the heart of current transformations: artificial intelligence, innovations in biology, biomaterials, bioresources, sustainable development, risk management, user-centered design, and organizational innovation.

Three conferences at the heart of innovation challenges

The seminar was marked by three expert talks showing the connections between research, innovation, and industrial applications:

• “Innovation, design, and research: building the aerospace of tomorrow,” presented by Stéphane Menio, Director of Research & Technology Programs at Safran Landing Systems, who shared his vision of the challenges of innovation in the aerospace sector.
• “Bioinspired Innovation and Tissue Engineering: Towards a New Generation of Implantable Biomaterials,” led by Didier Lutomski, senior member of the University Institute of France (IUF) and holder of the Innovation chair at Sorbonne Paris Nord University, focusing on advances in biomaterials research.
• “The seas as sources of innovation in biotechnology,” proposed by Karim Senni, Head of the Bio4Tech Research Axis at EBI, who presented the potential of marine resources to develop the biotechnologies of tomorrow.

Young researchers in the spotlight

CONFERE is also a chance to highlight the dedication and work of PhD and master’s students. Every year, several awards recognize the best scientific contributions, rewarding both the excellence of the research conducted and the ability to communicate the results.

The winners of this 33rd edition are:

• Best Paper – PhD: Joonchul Hur (Arts et Métiers ParisTech)
• Best Paper – Master: Luiz Casagrande (Université de Technologie de Compiègne)
• Best Pitch – PhD: Quentin Plisson (ESTIA)
• Best Pitch – Master: Éloïse Drugmanne et Colombe Defay (EBI)
• Jury Award: Marco Chemoli et Álvaro Jesus Villagómez López (CentraleSupélec)
• Jury Award: Xinyu Liu (Arts et Métiers ParisTech)

Des établissements engagés pour la recherche et l’innovation

Thanks to all the participants from the establishments Arts et Métiers ParisTech – École Nationale Supérieure d’Arts et Métiers, CentraleSupélec, CY Cergy Paris Université, EBI, ESTA School, ESTIA – École Supérieure des Technologies Industrielles Avancées, Université de Lorraine, Université de Strasbourg, Université de Technologie de Belfort-Montbéliard, Université de Technologie de Compiègne (UTC).

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By hosting CONFERE 2026, EBI reaffirms its commitment to interdisciplinary research, open to industrial and societal challenges, encouraging collaborations between academia and businesses, in service of tomorrow’s innovations.