Insights and trends

Discover the history of biomimicry through articles and the iconic technologies surrounding it.

Bionnov tells you a story

From Leonardo da Vinci's ornithopter to modern termite-inspired architecture, you will discover in these articles the hidden side of biomimicry .

Its history, its evolution, the portraits of the great actors and actresses who have enabled and continue to enable its development... It's all there!

And even a set of articles that will serve as a how-to guide for becoming a biomimicry expert yourself!

Biomimicry, a strategic approach

Biomimicry is an innovation methodology that draws inspiration from the forms, mechanisms, and strategies developed by living organisms over 3.8 billion years of evolution to design high-performing, sustainable, and efficient solutions to contemporary technological challenges.

This approach is no longer simply a source of inspiration: it is internationally recognized as a lever for scientific and industrial innovation, with growing interest from universities, research centers and industrial sectors worldwide.

Bio-inspired innovations cover diverse fields such as aeronautics, healthcare, energy, robotics, architecture, and materials. This cross-cutting nature illustrates biomimicry's ability to overcome complex technical challenges and generate technological breakthroughs.

Some examples of emblematic technologies inspired by living organisms

Velcro – self-gripping closure system

Inspired by the hooks of burdock seeds observed by George de Mestral, this system perfectly illustrates the transposition of a natural mechanism into industrial technology.

Aerodynamic design inspired by birds

From the shape of the nose of certain high-speed trains to the optimization of aircraft wing profiles, the study of biological structures has made it possible to improve energy efficiency and transport performance.

Bio-inspired materials and surfaces

In other related examples, the texture of shark skin or the structures of butterfly wings have inspired low-friction materials or innovative optical coatings.

Overview of research centers and global trends

Since the 2000s, biomimicry has experienced exponential growth in basic and applied research, with dedicated programs in universities, public laboratories, and international consortia, such as:

Initiatives such as research indexes and networks promote the sharing of tools and data between academic institutions working on biomimetic issues.
Environmental and industrial challenges are driving public and private actors to integrate biomimicry into their R&D strategies to reduce emissions, optimize performance and design more sustainable products.

This overall assessment shows that biomimicry has become a structuring R&D method, with concrete applications in many sectors and a research dynamic that is amplifying every year.