Unitec was created in 1990 on the initiative of Alain Rousset and the municipalities of Pessac, Talence and Gradignan. Established on the university estate of the Bordeaux metropolitan area, Unitec wanted to anchor its action as close as possible to the scientific and university resources of its territory. Its specificity is to be a link between research, higher education, technological innovation and economic development. The association aims to promote the emergence, creation and development of innovative industrial and tertiary activities, in close symbiosis with the scientific and academic community. Following the merger in 2018 with AEC, the structure then developed support by sectors and incubators for an average of 150 start-ups supported per year.