Led by the University of Nantes, the “New RD Partnerships” project is part of the Innovation component of the NeXT collective project (Nantes Excellence Trajectory) selected in 2017 by the State as part of the National Program for Future Investments (PIA 2). Next has the ambition to create in Nantes a New University of international renown recognised for its expertise in research, training and innovation on two major and interdisciplinary societal issues: the health of the future and the industry of the future. The “New R & D Partnerships” project aims to initiate bilateral research partnerships between a Ligerian laboratory and a company on a shared scientific topic related to one of the two areas of smart specialisation targeted by the NeXT project: advanced production technologies and therapies of tomorrow and health. Six scientific subjects have, at this stage, been selected as part of two calls for projects launched by the NeXT project team that will result in the recruitment of as many study engineers and post-doctoral fellows who will work on these topics with the R & D teams of companies over a period of 12 to 18 months.