The companies in Nord with in-house R&D are primarily large organizations, including several higher education institutions and healthcare providers. Key players include DECATHLON FRANCE, a global sports retailer, and CHU de Lille, a major hospital-university campus. Other significant entities are Decathlon Digital, specializing in software solutions, and Exotec, which designs robotic systems for warehouses.
Many of these organizations are headquartered in Lille, such as the University of Lille 1 Sciences and Technology and Université catholique de Lille. There is also a strong presence of companies in the healthcare and education sectors, indicating a regional focus on these areas. The founding dates range from the 19th century to more recent years, with several established in the mid-20th century.
| # | Company | Employees | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
DECATHLON FRANCErecrutement.decathlon.fr
A global sports retailer offering affordable world-class products for beginners to professionals, making sports accessible worldwide |
27,349 | |||
| 2 |
University of Lille 1 Sciences and Technologyuniv-lille.fr
Public university specializing in science and technology education, research, and innovation, offering diverse programs and fostering academic excellence. |
8,043 | |||
| 3 |
CHU de Lillechu-lille.fr
A leading hospital-university campus in northern Europe, specializing in healthcare, research, innovation, and sustainability with over 15,000 professionals and 14 million patients yearly |
5,567 | |||
| 4 |
Université catholique de Lilleuniv-catholille.fr
An innovative university offering a wide range of programs focusing on teaching, research, and societal service, with a strong emphasis on sustainability and internationalization |
1,720 | |||
| 5 |
Valenciennes's General Hospitalch-valenciennes.fr
Provides extensive healthcare services with nearly 2000 beds, serving as a key regional hospital and referral center for 800,000 residents. |
1,655 | |||
| 6 |
Decathlon Digitaldecathlon.fr
Designing innovative software, data, security, and robotics solutions for a seamless, secure ecosystem of sports products and services to empower sports lovers and athletes. |
1,488 | |||
| 7 | 1,227 | ||||
| 8 |
Exotecexotec.com
Designs and supplies integrated hardware and software robotic systems for warehouses, enhancing efficiency, resilience, and operator conditions. |
1,122 | |||
| 9 |
Macopharmamacopharma.com
Provides innovative, safe blood transfusion products and services for collecting, processing, and storing blood components, supporting life and sustainable development. |
956 | |||
| 10 |
JEUMONT Electricjeumontelectric.com
A major player in the electricity production and conversion market, manufacturing alternators and specific electric motors for various applications with industrial expertise |
646 | |||
| 11 |
Santélyssantelys.fr
A non-profit organization specializing in healthcare, home care, and training Providing solutions for patients with chronic illnesses and offering healthcare education and research |
589 | |||
| 12 |
Dewavrin Cosmeticsdewavrin.com
French industrial group specializing in health and beauty, focusing on innovation, customer service, employee well-being, and entrepreneurship. |
587 | |||
| 13 |
Centre Oscar Lambretcentreoscarlambret.fr
Specialized cancer treatment, research, and education center with multidisciplinary professionals dedicated to improving patient outcomes and advancing oncology knowledge. |
561 | |||
| 14 |
Junia_ingénieursjunia.com
Engineering school providing rigorous, human-centered education and applied research to prepare students for industrial, digital, and environmental challenges. |
540 | |||
| 15 |
IMT Nord Europeimt-nord-europe.fr
Collaboration between Mines Douai and Télécom Lille created IMT Lille Douai, the largest engineering school in northern France, focusing on research and education in various fields including Big Data, cybersecurity, 3D printing, energy, and environment |
490 | |||
Want more companies than this list?This page shows the largest ones only. Connect to Tamtam to see every company that matches, filter by size, industry or growth, and reach their decision-makers. | |||||
| 16 |
Bigben Interactivebigben.eu
Design development and sale of gaming products mobile accessories and audio equipment with global distribution and in-house game development studios. |
481 | |||
| 17 |
Ankamaankama.com
A French game company specializing in transmedia strategies, developing online games, console/mobile games, animations, publishing, merchandise, and toys for immersive experiences |
478 | |||
| 18 |
Fives ECLfivesgroup.com
A global leader in aluminum smelter technology, offering high-quality equipment, solutions, and support through every stage of projects worldwide |
470 | |||
| 19 |
Sciences Po Lillesciencespo-lille.eu
Teaches students social sciences and politics through a five-year curriculum, granting a Master's degree. One of nine French Political Studies Institutes. |
416 | |||
| 20 |
VPK Packaging Francevpkgroup.com
Integrated European group producing paper, corrugated, and compact cardboard packaging. Controls entire manufacturing chain, enabling reactivity, meeting deadlines, and competitive technical solutions. |
411 | |||
| 21 |
Gnosis by Lesaffregnosisbylesaffre.com
Develops innovative health products using microorganisms to improve human health, partnering with nutraceutical and pharmaceutical brands for sustainable solutions. |
404 | |||
| 22 |
Institut Pasteur de Lillepasteur-lille.fr
A foundation focusing on fundamental research and prevention in infectious diseases, cancer, cardiovascular, and neurodegenerative diseases to improve health and longevity |
383 | |||
| 23 |
HEI - Hautes Etudes d'Ingénieurjunia.com
This company specializes in professional training across 13 domains including architecture, mechanical design, healthcare engineering, IT, and sustainable chemistry |
362 | |||
| 24 |
Rabot Dutilleul Constructionrabotdutilleul.com
Specializes in new construction and rehabilitation across residential, healthcare, industry, and public sectors with strong engineering and sustainable practices. |
361 | |||
| 25 |
SASAsasa-industrie.com
Provides furniture and customized solutions for bakery and pastry markets, focusing on technology, innovation, and customer satisfaction. |
349 | |||
| 26 |
Institut Catholique de Lilleuniv-catholille.fr
Higher education institution with 13 establishments, research activities, and healthcare services including hospitals and medico-social centers across multiple campuses. |
343 | |||
| 27 |
Laboratoires Aniosanios.com
A global leader in professional disinfection and hygiene, with strong growth and expertise in fighting microbes through specialized teams and resources |
319 | |||
| 28 |
CMD Gearscmdgears.com
Design production installation maintenance of high torque low speed gear drives for energy steel sugar cement mining rubber industries worldwide. |
280 | |||
| 29 |
SARBEC COSMETICSgroupe-vabel.com
Designs manufactures and sells a wide range of cosmetics perfumes and wipes with focus on safety and innovation worldwide. |
258 | |||
| 30 |
Groupe HOLDERgroupeholder.com
Operates bakery and restaurant chains like PAUL, PAUL LE CAFE, and provides B2B bakery expertise to other food businesses. |
241 | |||
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How this list is built
Every company on this list has a Tamtam company profile. The industry is the one the company gives on LinkedIn; categories such as SaaS or fintech are classified by Tamtam's AI from the company's website and LinkedIn page; and the headquarters city must match the company's own address. Companies are ranked by the number of employees on LinkedIn, and the list is refreshed every night. Classifications can be wrong, so treat the list as a starting point rather than an official ranking. Last updated Nov 12, 2026.
More company lists in the Nord department
- The largest companies in the Nord department 2,806
- Multinational companies in the Nord department 332
- Retail chains in the Nord department 268
- Manufacturers in the Nord department 204
- Professional services firms in the Nord department 178
- IT services companies in the Nord department 170
- IT Services and IT Consulting companies in the Nord department 169
- SaaS companies in the Nord department 163
- Family-owned companies in the Nord department 156
- Software Development companies in the Nord department 141
- Public sector organisations in the Nord department 135
- Distributors and wholesalers in the Nord department 133
- Hardware manufacturers in the Nord department 124
- Consulting firms in the Nord department 115
- Retail companies in the Nord department 108
- Education providers in the Nord department 103
- Real Estate companies in the Nord department 92
- Critical infrastructure operators in the Nord department 87
- Companies with a mobile app in the Nord department 83
- Healthcare providers in the Nord department 82
- E-commerce companies in the Nord department 81
- Financial services firms in the Nord department 81
- Business Consulting and Services companies in the Nord department 81
- Advertising Services companies in the Nord department 68
The same list elsewhere in France
- Companies with in-house R&D in France 8,749
- Companies with in-house R&D in Île-de-France 2,695
- Companies with in-house R&D in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes 1,460
- Companies with in-house R&D in Occitanie 680
- Companies with in-house R&D in Grand Est 640
- Companies with in-house R&D in Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur 612
- Companies with in-house R&D in Nouvelle-Aquitaine 566
- Companies with in-house R&D in the Hauts-de-Seine department 510
- Companies with in-house R&D in the Rhône department 509
- Companies with in-house R&D in Pays de la Loire 480
- Companies with in-house R&D in Hauts-de-France 410
- Companies with in-house R&D in Brittany 366
- Companies with in-house R&D in the Haute-Garonne department 323
- Companies with in-house R&D in the Bouches-du-Rhône department 320
- Companies with in-house R&D in the Isère department 304
- Companies with in-house R&D in Bourgogne-Franche-Comté 261
- Companies with in-house R&D in Normandy 227
- Companies with in-house R&D in the Gironde department 225
- Companies with in-house R&D in the Loire-Atlantique department 207
- Companies with in-house R&D in the Essonne department 198
- Companies with in-house R&D in Centre-Val de Loire 195
- Companies with in-house R&D in Paris 1,249
- Companies with in-house R&D in Lyon 192
- Companies with in-house R&D in Toulouse 172