Cover image credit: Guyane Développement Innovation
From July to September 2024, the University of French Guiana, in partnership with Guyane Développement Innovation (GDI) and the Office Français de la Biodiversité (OFB), supported and actively participated in the BIG INN innovation competition, organised around the development of Guiana's biodiversity.
Supported by an ambitious initiative to help create spin-offs - companies based on the results of research - this competition is part of the AIBSI project. The AIBSI project aims to transform scientific discoveries into economic and social opportunities for the region.
The University of Guyana is proud to have had three of its researchers and doctoral students among the winners of this year's competition.
Three innovative projects to promote biodiversity and the region
(From left to right: Rudy COVIS, Weiwen JIANG).
Rudy Covis and the HEEMA project
A lecturer and researcher at the University of French Guiana, Rudy Covis, who is passionate about plant chemistry, presented HEEMA, a project that focuses on the recovery of plants endemic to French Guiana and organic waste. The aim is to transform these natural resources into innovative, sustainable solutions.
Weiwen Jiang and the BeeHeal project
A doctor trained at the University of Guyana, Weiwen Jiang has made a name for himself with BeeHeal, a project focusing on beehive products. Thanks to his scientific expertise, he hopes to make the most of local natural resources while developing the beekeeping industry in French Guiana. His long-term ambition? To create a university spin-off specialising in innovative applications for products derived from honey and bees.
Maëva Leroy and her eco-construction project
Trained as an architect and a doctoral student at the UMR ECOFOG, Maëva Leroy is exploring new avenues in eco-construction with a project focusing on the development of roundwood. By integrating sustainable and local approaches, her work is helping to rethink construction practices while at the same time making the most of Guyana's forest resources.
Congratulations to Rudy Covis, Weiwen Jiang and Maëva Leroy, who embody the scientific excellence and creativity of our institution. The University of Guyana is proud to support their careers and their ambitions.
We do everything we can to provide fertile ground for our students and researchers, so that they can flourish and realise their projects.
What if you were our next winner?
