The Foundry School
Encyclopedia
The Foundry School is a private advanced training, research and development center based in Pau, France
and established to develop retraining programs, promote technology research and launch new ventures. It was created in 2000 by Chris Cantell
and started in France with his partner Frédéric Artru
after a European site selection for the appropriate site. Pau was chosen based on the Pau Broadband Country initiative, a broadband fiber optic development to cover the whole city. The Foundry School became the training center for Pau Broadband Country initiatives.
The Foundry School is the second such initiative. Chris Cantell
had previously launched another center in Montreal
, Quebec
in 1999, from which his partner Frédéric Artru
graduated.
Today, The Foundry School has spun off its methodology to additional locations in Eastern Europe
to deploy SigEx Ventures, Inc., developments.
. These µ-Foundries were tied to academic and research partnerships in each area. The six locations are Cambridge, England; Munich, Germany; Yverdon-les-Bains, Switzerland; Paris and Sophia-Antipolis, France.
and Frédéric Artru
launched in 2001 SigEx Ventures, Inc. The privately held investment fund provides operational financing as well as professional services to support the projects in their development.
(Simplified Stock Corporation) in June 2002. SigEx SuperPBX, branded as SigEx Telecom, is a global carrier for entertainment and telecom broadcasting. The company started selling its stock on the private equity market to high wealth individuals and has since closed 22 rounds of financing at growing stock value.
In 2002, then in 2003, SigEx SuperPBX received innovation technology certification for its work on Enhanced Communications.
and Frédéric Artru
launched SigEx Ventures Euro Fund, SAS, a French based private investment fund to provide financing support to matured projects of The Foundry School. The fund has also developed its own activity in company restructuring and financing. Since 2007, SigEx Ventures Euro Fund has been offering secured wealth tax fiscal placements.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and established to develop retraining programs, promote technology research and launch new ventures. It was created in 2000 by Chris Cantell
Chris Cantell
Christopher M. Cantell is an American entrepreneur born in St Albans, Vermont. He is best known for his work in supercomputers in the 80s, his public relations and advertising businesses and most recently his technology and investment ventures in the telecommunications industry.-Multipath...
and started in France with his partner Frédéric Artru
Frédéric Artru
Frédéric Artru is a French entrepreneur born in Pau, France. He is best known for his work as co-author of the Versit CTI Encyclopedia and the specifications of Versit's protocols as well as the founder of Odisei, a French-based software company that achieved the highest return on investment on a...
after a European site selection for the appropriate site. Pau was chosen based on the Pau Broadband Country initiative, a broadband fiber optic development to cover the whole city. The Foundry School became the training center for Pau Broadband Country initiatives.
The Foundry School is the second such initiative. Chris Cantell
Chris Cantell
Christopher M. Cantell is an American entrepreneur born in St Albans, Vermont. He is best known for his work in supercomputers in the 80s, his public relations and advertising businesses and most recently his technology and investment ventures in the telecommunications industry.-Multipath...
had previously launched another center in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
in 1999, from which his partner Frédéric Artru
Frédéric Artru
Frédéric Artru is a French entrepreneur born in Pau, France. He is best known for his work as co-author of the Versit CTI Encyclopedia and the specifications of Versit's protocols as well as the founder of Odisei, a French-based software company that achieved the highest return on investment on a...
graduated.
Today, The Foundry School has spun off its methodology to additional locations in Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe is the eastern part of Europe. The term has widely disparate geopolitical, geographical, cultural and socioeconomic readings, which makes it highly context-dependent and even volatile, and there are "almost as many definitions of Eastern Europe as there are scholars of the region"...
to deploy SigEx Ventures, Inc., developments.
The Foundry’s Methodology
The Foundry School bases its program on a set of methodologies structured by The Foundry School, Inc. which include management, business development and engineering practices well established in the industry.µ-Foundry
After the launch announcement of The Foundry School in Pau, an additional six µ-Foundries (pronounce micro Foundries) were announced. These µ-Foundries were tied to academic and research partnerships in each area. The six locations are Cambridge, England; Munich, Germany; Yverdon-les-Bains, Switzerland; Paris and Sophia-Antipolis, France.
SigEx Ventures, Inc.
In order to provide seed financing for The Foundry School projects, the founderChris Cantell
Christopher M. Cantell is an American entrepreneur born in St Albans, Vermont. He is best known for his work in supercomputers in the 80s, his public relations and advertising businesses and most recently his technology and investment ventures in the telecommunications industry.-Multipath...
and Frédéric Artru
Frédéric Artru
Frédéric Artru is a French entrepreneur born in Pau, France. He is best known for his work as co-author of the Versit CTI Encyclopedia and the specifications of Versit's protocols as well as the founder of Odisei, a French-based software company that achieved the highest return on investment on a...
launched in 2001 SigEx Ventures, Inc. The privately held investment fund provides operational financing as well as professional services to support the projects in their development.
SigEx SuperPBX, SAS
SigEx SuperPBX was the first project to successfully launch from The Foundry School. It was incorporated as a French SASSociété par actions simplifiée
Société par actions simplifiée is the first hybrid law enacted under French law and based on common law principles rather than civil. It is similar to a limited liability company under United States law, as the Delaware limited liability company was the model used by the French Government...
(Simplified Stock Corporation) in June 2002. SigEx SuperPBX, branded as SigEx Telecom, is a global carrier for entertainment and telecom broadcasting. The company started selling its stock on the private equity market to high wealth individuals and has since closed 22 rounds of financing at growing stock value.
In 2002, then in 2003, SigEx SuperPBX received innovation technology certification for its work on Enhanced Communications.
SigEx Ventures Euro Fund, SAS
In 2004, the founderChris Cantell
Christopher M. Cantell is an American entrepreneur born in St Albans, Vermont. He is best known for his work in supercomputers in the 80s, his public relations and advertising businesses and most recently his technology and investment ventures in the telecommunications industry.-Multipath...
and Frédéric Artru
Frédéric Artru
Frédéric Artru is a French entrepreneur born in Pau, France. He is best known for his work as co-author of the Versit CTI Encyclopedia and the specifications of Versit's protocols as well as the founder of Odisei, a French-based software company that achieved the highest return on investment on a...
launched SigEx Ventures Euro Fund, SAS, a French based private investment fund to provide financing support to matured projects of The Foundry School. The fund has also developed its own activity in company restructuring and financing. Since 2007, SigEx Ventures Euro Fund has been offering secured wealth tax fiscal placements.