AI and Quantum Technology Startups – The French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (the CEA) and Playground Global LLC, a Silicon Valley deep tech venture capital firm, today announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to explore a strategic collaboration focused on accelerating the commercialization of breakthrough deep technologies.
The agreement establishes a framework for the CEA and Playground to identify, develop, and support the next generation of deep technology companies spanning advanced computing, microelectronics, artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, energy, biotechnology and other strategically important sectors. The two organizations will explore cooperation across two main areas: research and development collaboration between the CEA’s institutes — including CEA-Leti, its microelectronics institute — and Playground’s early-stage portfolio companies; and joint evaluation of deep technology projects and startups originating in CEA laboratories, to support their technological maturation, commercialization and scaling.
The collaboration aims to strengthen the pathway from laboratory innovation to global commercial impact by combining Playground’s expertise in building and scaling frontier technology companies with the CEA’s world-class scientific research and technology-transfer capabilities.
The agreement also covers technology scouting, commercialization strategy and startup acceleration, connecting the CEA’s research ecosystem to Playground’s investment network.
From Institute to Industry
“This partnership reflects a shared conviction that the most significant technological advances happen through collaboration,” said Julie Galland, Director of the Technological Research Division of the CEA. “The CEA brings recognized expertise across microelectronics, digital technologies, photonics, health and the energy transition. Combined with Playground’s experience identifying, financing and accelerating deep technology companies, this collaboration can extend the reach of the CEA’s research and innovation ecosystem.”
“Some of the world’s most consequential companies begin with breakthroughs developed inside research institutions,” said Pat Gelsinger, General Partner at Playground Global. “But scientific achievement alone doesn’t guarantee global impact. By bringing together the CEA’s extraordinary technical depth and Playground’s experience building and scaling deep tech companies, we have an opportunity to help transform promising research into businesses that can define new markets and address major global challenges.”
Beyond the Signing
The MoU marks an initial step toward a longer-term partnership between the CEA and Playground, which intend to draw on their respective research, investment and industry networks as they work together to advance deep technology ventures.
The CEA, named the world’s most innovative public research organization on Clarivate’s 2026 Top 100 Global Innovators list, includes three institutes within its Technological Research Division dedicated to technology transfer: CEA-Leti, focused on semiconductors; CEA-List, focused on software and digital technologies; and a network of regional hubs that extend CEA technologies to small and medium-sized enterprises across France.
The CEA already supports the transition from laboratory to enterprise through its investment subsidiary, CEA Investissement, which takes stakes in many of the CEA’s spin-off companies. The CEA also co-founded Supernova Invest, an independent investment manager that advises CEA Investissement and has grown into one of the leading deep technology investors in France, with more than 800 million euros under management across over 100 investments in more than 70 portfolio companies.
For more information: www.cea.fr/en.
