Supponor focuses on innovation with new French R&D centre 

Supponor has opened a new R&D centre in the Sophia-Antipolis region of France as part of its focus on building and deploying AI-driven capabilities across its platform. The expanding AI R&D team will form a crucial part of Supponor’s growing product organisation, conducting both short-term and long-term AI research in the field of computer vision AI and natural scene rendering.

Leading this research for Supponor is Ali Mouizina, head of research. Mouizina brings extensive experience in the field and has already recruited a team of PhD and MSc researchers to join the pioneering facility.

“This is an exciting moment both for Supponor and for France,” said Mouizina. “We have an unparalleled team of experts in the field of AI/ML centric computer vision. The research this team conducts in Sophia-Antipolis will support Supponor in scaling up to new challenges and will be central to innovating Supponor’s product capabilities and enhancing our market expansion.”

Supponor celebrated the launch of the new R&D Centre when CEO James B Gambrell attended an Investors Gala function at French Ambassador Hélène Tréheux-Duchêne’s residence in London last November.

The French government has designated the Sophia-Antipolis region as a Centre-of-Excellence and an area for AI-related investment. Academic institutions in the region collaborate closely with local businesses to support this objective.

“France is the best location for us to execute our AI-focused R&D activity to support our product innovation and market expansion goals,” said Steve Plunkett, chief product officer, Supponor. “The Sophia-Antipolis region has a large and growing pool of AI talent and a dense network of research centres. This first year of operation will see us bring together a team of 10 AI research professionals, which we will continue to expand over the next several years, to support our ambitious technology and commercial goals.”