1. The First Planes of Clément Ader
Clément Ader (born in Muret, died in Toulouse) invented the Éole in 1890, the first self-propelled flying machine—and followed up with the Avion II and III. He is considered the father of modern aviation.
2. The Guibal Fan
Invented by Théophile Guibal, a Toulouse engineer who graduated from the École centrale in 1836, the Guibal fan revolutionized ventilation in deep coal mines in France. Without it, many operations would have been impossible.
3. The Catalysts of Paul Sabatier
Paul Sabatier made significant advancements with his catalysts, which played a crucial role in organic chemistry and led to important processes in the field. His work continues to impact scientific research today!
The chemist Paul Sabatier, who was a professor and later the dean at the University of Toulouse, developed hydrogen-nickel catalysis, revolutionizing the chemical industry. Awarded the Nobel Prize in 1912, his work remains a major reference.
4. Concorde & A380: the titans of aerospace
Toulouse is where the Concorde was born, the first civil supersonic aircraft (inaugural flight in 1969). More recently, the A380, the largest commercial airplane ever built, was assembled in the pink city. Two inventions that have become symbols of European aerospace.
5. The SACS Space Monitoring System by Agenium
Founded in 2003 in Toulouse, the small business Agenium developed SACS, software used by the Space Command (at CNES) to monitor satellites and anticipate orbital collisions. A true tech gem made in Toulouse, pure French New Space!
6. Natural biostimulants
Micropep Technologies, a start-up born in Ramonville (near Toulouse), is developing natural biostimulants derived from micro-RNAs to replace chemical pesticides. Set to be marketed around 2025, it’s a perfect example of a biotech invention from the heart of Toulouse.