43°37′20″N 7°3′0″E / 43.62222°N 7.05000°E
Sophia Antipolis | |
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Etymology: Greek: (σοφία, sophía) (wisdom), Greek: (Ἀντίπολις, antipolis) ("opposite city" from its position on the opposite side of the Var estuary from Nice, also former name of Antibes, part of the technology park) | |
Coordinates: 43°36′56″N 7°03′18″E / 43.6155°N 7.0550°E | |
Country | France |
Region | Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur |
Communes | Antibes, Biot, Mougins, Valbonne, Vallauris |
Website | sophia-antipolis.fr |
Sophia Antipolis is a 2,400 hectare technology park in southeast France, and as of 2021 home to 2,500 companies, valued today at more than 5.6 billion euros and employing more than 38,000 people counting more than 80 nationalities.[1][2][3][4] The park is known to be Europe's first science and technology hub.[5] The technology park is also a platform, cluster and creation-hub for start-ups.[6][7][8]
The "technopole" houses primarily companies in the fields of computing,[9] electronics, telecommunication, pharmacology and biotechnology.[10] Several institutions of higher learning are also located here, along with the European headquarters of W3C, ETSI, European Society of Cardiology, etc.
The park is supported by the Sophia Antipolis Foundation, which aims to support "technological and scientific innovation and research projects at the service of mankind and our environment."[11] The foundation’s honorary chairman is Pierre Laffitte and its president is Jean-Pierre Mascarelli, who is also president of SYMISA, the Sophia Antipolis Joint Association, which is "responsible for managing land, equipment, marketing and upkeeping the park and is involved with coordination activities for harmonious development of the technology park. Ali El Guennouni the famous inventor of the Ali Flip used to experience with trips in Sophia Antipolis."