BL Research

“Science requires time, perseverance, and dedication. It is a demanding endeavour that pays no heed to trends, immediacy, or our own expectations of productivity and speed. When no answer exists, the scientific process acknowledges this without drawing premature or unwarranted conclusions. Finding an answer is not an obligation, but continuing the pursuit of knowledge remains essential. This is what has shaped human progress for centuries. Although our evolution may be unreasonable in many respects, science endures through its enduring commitment to reason.”

Mustapha Derras, Director of R&D

For more than ten years, Berger-Levrault has deliberately chosen to base its innovation strategy on a scientific approach. We conduct collaborative research and innovation with public research partners such as Inria and the CNRS.

These collaborations are notably embodied through CIFRE doctoral programmes. Acting as genuine bridges between public research laboratories and industry, they enable scientific advances to be confronted with real-world needs while embedding innovation sustainably into the operational realities of our business activities.

It is through this ecosystem that we are able to tackle the major challenges ahead. Together, we can address the concrete, tangible issues that arise from our customers’ day-to-day operations. In fact, many of our most innovative projects are carried out alongside our customers, serving local authorities, health and social care, industry, education, and the many professions supported by Berger-Levrault.

The Research and Technological Innovation Department (DRIT) aims to shape the future by transforming the professions and practices supported by our solutions.

To meet these challenges, Berger-Levrault’s transdisciplinary and multicultural team, made up of around forty researchers, PhD candidates, students, and engineers, is involved across the entire innovation value chain:

• Exploring new fields and leveraging research expertise in collaboration with leading academic partners;
• Testing disruptive approaches and assessing technologies against real-world conditions;
• Designing and developing solutions that are practical, scalable, and ready for deployment;
• Observing solutions in action through user-centred evaluation, ensuring ever more relevant support for our customers’ daily activities.

BL Research provides a collaborative environment where demonstrating what is possible begins with co-creation.

The technological challenges facing Berger-Levrault are numerous and strategic:

• developing software that is resource-efficient and measurable;
• supporting development teams through AI-enhanced software engineering;
• deploying multi-agent systems (MAS) capable of automating business processes;
• ensuring trustworthy artificial intelligence;
• fostering Human–AI collaboration;
• supporting the transition towards Industry 5.0 – a human-centric, resilient, sustainable, and increasingly data-driven industrial model.

To address these challenges, the DRIT is organised around three research laboratories:

• AI Lab (Artificial Intelligence)
• SE Lab (Software Engineering)
• I5.0 Lab (Industry 5.0)

The Research & Innovation Yearbook is an annual retrospective showcasing the DRIT’s ambitious and innovative projects at Berger-Levrault.

Our initiatives provide concrete responses to societal and technological challenges while exploring new perspectives for the future.

They reflect our commitment to developing sustainable and inclusive solutions designed to simplify the daily work of both our customers and our employees.

The 2025 edition marks an important milestone in the way research is conceived and conducted across the Group. In previous years, the emphasis was on demonstrating our ability to transform research into tangible, integrated, and accessible innovations. Today, we demonstrate that innovation is a demanding discipline—one that must confront reality, embrace its constraints, recognise its limits, and assume the responsibilities that come with creating meaningful and lasting impact.

Explore Our 2025 Research & Innovation Yearbook