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The OliKrom nugget wants to see more

In 2009, when Jean-François Létard, an engineer at the CNRS, left the prestigious scientific institution to create his own small company in Pessac, he knew that the road ahead would be complicated. However, in less than 10 years, his start-up has become one of the world's top 10 "smart" materials with the creation of a revolutionary paint.

"We are the only ones in the world to master this technology, which we design 100% in our laboratory," says the boss.

OliKrom has developed a paint that captures and stores light via intelligent pigments. Once night falls, it becomes illuminating in any weather and increases visibility by 50 to 100 m compared to a conventional paint. "The test we carried out on a cycle track in the city was largely conclusive, as was the one on the RN 2 in Soissons, in the Aisne region.

Bluffed, the Eiffage group has joined forces with OliKrom to market this paint of the future with multiple applications for road safety. "We are now waiting for certification from the Ministry of Transport to validate its use on French roads on a large scale.

The Gironde-based start-up employs about 15 people, but its founder is ready for a change in dimension. "If our forecasts come true, with an active industrialization phase, we should grow to a staff of 100 to 150 employees within five years. And more innovations should give us even more clout in the future."