About Me
Florian Picard is the CEO and co-founder of ImproveHeat, a deep-tech startup specializing in innovative thermal measurement solutions to optimize energy efficiency in industrial systems. With a PhD in thermal engineering and business training (HEC Challenge+ 2023-2024), Florian brings over 15 years of experience in R&D, industrial partnerships, and technology commercialization.
Before joining ImproveHeat, Florian spent 10 years as an R&D engineer and innovator at Fives Cryo, where he developed advanced thermo-hydraulic simulation software for plate-fin heat exchangers (handling up to 20 fluids simultaneously) and designed a new generation of compact stainless-steel heat exchangers. He led the full product lifecycle—from design and material selection to manufacturing, validation, and commercialization—selling three units for natural gas liquefaction applications. As Fives Cryo’s representative, he actively participated in technical committees (HTRI in the USA, HTFS in the UK) and energy efficiency networks (PS2E, Paris Saclay), and spoke at international conferences (Gas Processor Association, Technip Seminars, GRETH, Gastech).
From 2019 to 2024, Florian served as a Business Developer at the CEA’s Regional Technology Transfer Platform (PRTT) in Metz, where he negotiated and secured approximately €5 million in industrial partnerships. His expertise spans business development, management, finance, marketing, and coaching, all aligned with his entrepreneurial vision.
In June 2022, Florian joined the Improv’Heat project (a CEA spin-off) as a co-founder alongside Olivier Braillard (CTO), the inventor of the Coef h thermal measurement technology. Since January 1, 2024, he has been fully dedicated to launching ImproveHeat, focusing on strategy, financial management, and commercial development. The company, backed by the CEA’s Magellan program, aims to revolutionize thermal efficiency across industries by providing non-intrusive, real-time, and high-precision thermal sensors and proprietary software for heat transfer characterization.
Florian’s complementary profile—combining technical expertise, business acumen, and leadership—makes him a driving force in ImproveHeat’s mission to accelerate the energy transition through smarter, greener thermal solutions. A father of two and a passionate Ironman finisher (Embrun 2015, 15h30), he embodies the values of resilience, innovation, and teamwork that define the startup’s culture.