The incubators and accelerators market - France (2024)

1.2 The global market is growing

The global market for business incubators and gas pedals was estimated at $***.** million in ****, and is expected to grow at a CAGR of *.*% to ****.

Sales growth projections for the global incubator market World, **** - ****, in $ millions Source: ****

Business incubators and gas pedals have gained in popularity for several key reasons. Firstly, they provide an environment conducive to business development, particularly crucial during the initial phases when founders determine which strategies work and which to avoid.

In addition, these structures offer access to essential resources such as mentoring, financing and networking opportunities. These advantages are particularly valuable for new businesses, which may lack the contacts and resources needed to progress on their own.

Finally, incubators and gas pedals create a sense of belonging to a community of entrepreneurs. This aspect is invaluable for those who work in isolation or feel disconnected in their entrepreneurial endeavors. Belonging to a group of like-minded peers can not only motivate and inspire, but also make the entrepreneurial journey less daunting[***].

The rise of startup incubators and gas pedals around the world represents a remarkable evolution in the entrepreneurial landscape. The incubator concept took root over ** years ago, with the first business incubator founded in Batavia, New ...

1.3 Investments in France are growing

France is an important market for venture capital;in the first half of ****, innovative companies raised €*.* billion in *** deals.This is **% less than the previous year in terms of volume, but **% more in terms of value. In the second half of ****, total funds raised amounted to *.** billion euros, up *.*% in volume (***), but down **% in value.

evolution of amounts raised by start-ups France, ****-****, in billions of euros Source: ****

In ****, *** companies helped raise this money, for a value **% higher than in ****, but a volume *% lower.France stands out positively within the European Union in terms of investment, notably outperforming its main competitor, Germany, where amounts raised fell by **% to **.** billion euros. However, despite a **% reduction in volume, the UK remains in the lead with amounts raised amounting to **.** billion euros, demonstrating its resilience as a major technology hub, despite Brexit and current economic and social challenges [***]. These figures in France can be partly explained by the number of incubators and gas pedals, as these structures help start-ups access capital, or companies improve their business strategy.

Investments by sector France, **** - ****, in € millions Source: ****

The most popular sectors for investment are those related to the Internet and new technologies. Internet services top the ...

2.1 France's high entrepreneurial potential

Entrepreneurial desire negatively impacted by the crisis

Entrepreneurial desire fluctuates greatly from one year to the next, rising from **% in **** to **% in ****. What's more, the following graph shows that this indicator dropped sharply between January **** and January ****, from **% to **%. This can be explained by the pandemic that struck the planet between these two dates. However, we can see that this desire for entrepreneurship is rather uncorrelated with actual business creation. In fact, business start-ups have peaked over the last decade in **** (***), while entrepreneurial desire has never been so low over the same period. However, French people's desire to start their own business has been reaffirmed since **** , with **% of them declaring that they want to start their own business.

Desire to start or take over a business | Actual number of business start-ups France, **** - ****, in % and thousands Source: ****

In ****, *% of French people will "certainly" start a business in the future, and **% will "probably" do so . Nevertheless, more than half of French people (***) say they have no desire to start their own business.

Answer to the question: would you like to start a business, take over a business or become self-employed? France, ****, in Source: ****

Over half (***) of the **% who have a business start-up ...

2.2 French start-ups feel the need for help

A study carried out by La boussole and BCG revealed that, in ****, **% of start-ups felt the need to be helped/accompanied. (***). Among those who responded positively to the need for help, we find the answers listed in the graph below.

What help do you think you need as entrepreneurs? France, ****, in Source: ****

We can see that a majority of start-ups feel they need a support structure such as an incubator or gas pedal (***). Even if this is not the most frequently mentioned form of support, it remains very much in vogue, demonstrating the attraction that entrepreneurs can have for these structures. The most frequently mentioned aid is the need for mentors, something that goes hand in hand with being in a structure such as an incubator or gas pedal.

2.3 Sources of financing: focus on fundraising

Incubators (***) are primarily used to access capital and obtain financing. Below you'll find an overview of the type of funding most sought after by start-ups worldwide.

What's likely to be your next source of funding? World, ****, in Source: Silicon Valley Bank Furthermore, it is clear from the graph above that a majority of start-ups (***) are indeed looking for financing, confirming the need for incubators.

Among the various forms of financing, fund-raising is gaining increasing ground. In ****, **% of strat-ups surveyed by BCG and La boussole said they had used this method. The benefits are as follows:

Has fundraising had a positive impact on the following? France, ****, in Source: ****

We can see that the most effective impact is on growth. Fund-raising can thus be seen as a real boost to the start-up's development. However, it may also be interesting to know why **% of start-ups surveyed did not use this method of financing.

Why didn't you raise funds? France, ****, in Source: ****

The overwhelming majority of start-ups surveyed have not raised funds because their development is not sufficiently advanced. This is where incubators and gas pedals come into their own, as they can provide an advantageous framework for start-ups by, for example, putting them in ...

3.1 Market overview

The incubator and gas pedal market in France is highly fragmented, with numerous players offering services in this field. Today, there are an estimated *** such players in France[***].

In addition, France boasts some of the world's most renowned incubators, including Montpellier's BIC incubator, which has already been in existence for ** years and was ranked second best incubator in the world in **** by UBI Global, and remained in the top * in ****. In addition, station F is the world's largest startup hub, and the NUMA incubator is known for its excellence and high demand from startup applicants. As of ****, NUMA has ended its acceleration services to focus on incubation and training for companies. Start-up support platform Shine has published the following rankings:

This entrepreneurial environment is helping to build France as a start-up nation. Indeed, France has been making a point of developing this environment for some years now. President Emmanuel Macron insisted on this point during the **** and **** presidential campaigns. In fact, the government has launched a project to fund the development of artificial intelligence in France to the tune of *.** billion euros by ****, which strongly favors the emergence of start-ups in this field.

France, for example, was the second most represented ...

3.2 General business model

**% of incubators and gas pedals do not ask for any quid pro quo (***), and among the remaining **%, the quid pro quo requested can vary. There are four main types of quid pro quo:

non-financial services: giving time, lending one's image, demonstrating the impact of the project ; prospect of future income; cash payments: rent, training, interest on loans, allocation of percentage of sales; capital allocation, equity investment[***].

Incubators generally opt for cash payment and set rates of between €*** and €***/month for general services, and between €*** and €*,***/month for support services.

Gas pedals, on the other hand, often take an equity stake in the start-up. The equity investment ranges from * to **%, and therefore concerns more advanced companies that have progressed beyond the start-up phase. Some private gas pedals even set up their own venture capital funds to finance start-ups at a later stage, enabling them to strengthen their portfolio and secure their model[***].

On the one hand, this equity investment must be made in exchange for the provision of key resources, and on the other, it must bequilibrated, i.e. the result of a calculation between the value provided by the gas pedal and the capital granted.

The gas pedal model is sometimes ...

3.3 Geographical distribution of incubators

To get an idea of the geographical distribution of incubators, we can rely on investment operations and amounts invested. The greater the number of deals, the more start-up incubators are likely to be present in the region. The following map shows the *** deals recorded in ****, resulting in a total investment of $**.** billion. The first map shows the number of deals by region.

Source: ****

There was an extremely high concentration in the Île-de-France region, with *** deals in **** (***).

This high level of concentration can also be seen in the geographical breakdown of amounts invested, as shown on the map below:

Source: ****

The same regions make up the top three, but Hauts-de-France is ahead of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes in terms of amounts invested.Île-de-France with *.*** billion euros invested in ****(***). Between **** and ****, the Hauts-de-France region posted a very impressive increase, rising from ** million euros to *** million.

4.1 Service overview

The main differences between incubators and gas pedals and their respective advantages:

Source: ****

Overview:

The main incubator structures are as follows:

Source: ****

Incubators and gas pedals as co-working spaces:

Incubators and gas pedals offer coworking spaces in * forms: for residents and non-residents. While the first offer concerns the vast majority of incubators and gas pedals, the second is becoming increasingly popular.in this case, there are several types of rates, depending on the offer chosen. Offers vary according to the length of time the offices are rented, with three types of offer in particular:

resident (***): unlimited access, individual storage, meeting room access ; nomadic (***): no assigned space; ephemeral (***): no assigned space.

Offers can also vary according to the space allocated, and in this case rates are generally per month:

open-space: assigned space in an open area ; closed office: assigned space in a closed area; made-to-measure: privatization of particular offices, a specific space, an entire floor, etc.

The value proposition of this coworking offer is not only material, but also based on the guarantee of a stimulating working environment. The role of the support structure in this case is to create an environment conducive to interaction and exchange between coworkers, for example by ...

4.2 A comparison of offers

Source: ****

Zoom on Station F:

Station F is the world's largest incubator and was created in ****. With five years of existence, this start-up campus has greatly contributed to France's development as a start-up nation. Its ecosystem includes a wide variety of players, including over *,*** start-ups, but also BigTechs such as Facebook, Microsoft and Amazon. The idea is to create an ecosystem in which ideas are exchanged between the various players[***].

The company offers two main training programs: the Founder's Program, where start-ups benefit from advice (***)[***]. In addition, established residents can offer tailor-made programs. This often takes the form of brainstorming events or hackathons between large companies and start-ups.

Xavier Niel is backing the project with a personal investment of $*** million. He has the backing of the French government, which aims to make France a country that attracts and develops this type of business. Indeed, it's not arbitrary that Station F is located in Paris; France is investing heavily in start-ups and tech, with, for example, a commitment of €* billion in **** for tech start-ups through venture capital and asset managers[***].

To cover the costs of Station F, entrepreneurs must pay €*** per month for office space, and potential candidates must complete an application ...

4.3 Tomorrow's trends and how to prosper

Tomorrow's model could be summed up in three strategies: specialization, diversification of services and internationalization.

Specialization

One way to stand out from the crowd is to specialize in a particular sector of activity, in order to provide more precise support. Specialization has the advantage of creating a stimulating competitive environment and increasing the incubator's perceived value to companies.a number of incubators and gas pedals have succeeded in distinguishing themselves from their competitors through a strategy of specialization.cialisation, such as Bel Air Camp and Usine IO (***).

On average, this specialization is based around three technologies or four sectors. This specialization can prove to be a real competitive advantage, as it provides start-ups with precise, expert support capable of addressing the most cutting-edge issues in the field.among those focusing on specific technologies, there is a clear preference for the Internet of Things (***).in terms of business sectors, the four most popular are healthcare, finance, e-commerce and urban mobility[***].

A number of sectors also offer significant growth potential, and are characterized by a significant number of start-ups.

Offer diversification

More than * out of ** incubators offer "classic" services such as mentoring, coaching, contacts with experts or access to workspaces, which are no ...

5. Current regulations

The big picture

France is investing heavily in its start-up ecosystem. Between mid and late ****, *** million euros have been invested with the ambition of financing promising start-up creation studios, start-up creation gas pedals and venture capital funds including an acceleration program. [***]

There are no specific regulations relating to incubators and gas pedals in France, but they are subject to ordinary company law. The EU legal framework can be consulted here.

Incubators and gas pedals can be financed by private or public funds. The latter has become more common in France, thanks to government investment that began around ****. What's more, the government's role in the start-up ecosystem is clear, as evidenced by this year's pandemic, which triggered major stimulus packages. For example, in March ****, * billion euros were allocated to start-ups and technology. In August ****, a further ** billion euros were allocated to support investment and relocation. [***]

Impact of COVID-**

Le Figaro reports that a study by Station F reveals that young companies have been less affected than older ones. In fact, **.**% of start-ups that have not yet raised seed capital (***) have been affected.

In addition, *% of start-ups surveyed (***) in June **** said they would cease operations in the next * months, while **% would change markets. ...

6. Segmentation

• Station F
• NUMA
• 104FACTORY
• 1KUBATOR
• 3DEXPERIENCE LAB - DASSAULT SYSTÈMES
• 42VALLEY
• EXECUTIVE BUSINESS ACCELERATOR
• BUSINESS ACCELERATOR
• ACCELERATOR EMLYON
• ACCELAIR - AIR LIQUIDE
• AGORANOV
• AIRBUS BIZLAB
• ALACRITÉ FRANCE
• ALTER'INCUB
• ANTROPIA
• APPLIED INNOVATION EXCHANGES - CAPGEMINI
• ARGOBIO STUDIO
• IMT ATLANTIQUE INCUBATEUR
• ATLANPOLE
• SCALER - ATOS
• AVRUL
• AXELEO
• BEAUTY TECH ATELIER - L'ORÉAL
• BETTER LIFE FACTORY (BLF)
• BIC de MONTPELLIER
• BLUE FACTORY
• BNP Paribas - CIB Consulting & Transformation
• BNP PARIBAS WAI
• BOP INNOVATION LAB - ESSILORLUXOTTICA
• BOUYGUES TELECOM INITIATIVES
• BUSINESS STARTER Co working
• BUSINESS NURSERY
• STELLANTIS BUSINESS LAB
• BUSI By CAI
• INCUBATEUR CENTRALE-AUDENCIA-ENSA
• CENTRALESUPÉLEC INCUBATEUR
• PRÉ-INCUBATEUR 66
• INCUBATEUR RÉGIONAL DE LA RÉUNION
• INCUBATEUR PACA EST (IPE)
• INCUBATEUR MANUFACTORY
• INCUBATEUR LORRAIN
• INCUBATEUR IPAG
• INCUBATEUR HEC
• INCUBATEUR EMLYON
• INCUBATEUR DE LA TECHNOPOLE DU GRAND POITIERS
• INCUBATEUR DAUPHINE
• INCUBATEUR BY OSV
• INCUBATEUR ARTS ET MÉTIERS
• INCUBATEUR APUI
• IMT MINES SAINT-ÉTIENNE INCUBATEUR
• IMT MINES ALÈS INCUBATEUR
• IMT MINES ALBI INCUBATEUR
• Incubateur IMPULSE
• CRÉ'INNOV
• CREATIV'LABZ
• DANONE MANIFESTO VENTURES
• DECA-BFC
• DIGILITYX
• DOJO GROUP
• DRAHI X-NOVATION CENTER
• EDHEC ENTREPRENEURS
• EFOUNDERS
• EMERGYS Bretagne
• ENTREPAU
• ESSEC Ventures
• ESTIA ENTREPRENDRE
• EURATECHNOLOGIES
• FOODSHAKER
• GLOBAL MARKETS INCUBATOR (SG)
• MH-LAB 78 (Moet Hennessy)
• IBIONEXT
• IMAGINATION MACHINE
• IMT STARTER
• TONIC INCUBATION
• NORMANDIE INCUBATION
• INCUB'ESSCA
• INCUBATOR PROGRAM OFFICE - MICHELIN
• INCUBALLIANCE
• INCUBAGEM
• INCUBA'SCHOOL
• INCUB'13
• INCUB'INSEEC
• INNOSTART
• MD START (Sofinnova)
• STMICROELECTRONICS INNOVATION BOOSTER
• IONIS 361
• KAMET VENTURES
• KMØ
• ZEBOX - CMA CGM
• Y COMBINATOR
• WEST WEB VALLEY
• WILCO
• WILLA
• L'ESCALATOR
• LA MAISON DES START-UP – LVMH
• LA PAILLASSE
• STARTUP LAB
• MOONSHOT LABS
• LAB'O VILLAGE BY CA ORLÉANS
• SQUARELAB
• LIBERTÉ LIVING LAB
• LE CONNECTED CAMP
• LE TARMAC
• LE VILLAGE BY CA
• LEONARD - VINCI
• LES PREMIÈRES
• LINKSIUM
• NETANGELS
• NEXTSTARS
• NOVA BY SAINT-GOBAIN
• NUBBO
• ORANGE FAB FRANCE
• OSS VENTURES
• THALES DIGITAL FACTORY
• P.FACTORY
• PARIS BIOTECH SANTÉ
• PARIS&CO
• PARTECH SHAKER
• POP UP BY VEOLIA
• PULSALYS
• QUATTROCENTO
• STATION FLINS - RENAULT
• SCHNEIDER CAPITAL VENTURE
• SCIENCES PO
• SEMIA Technologie
• SOFTWARE RÉPUBLIQUE
• SQYCUB
• STAND UP – ARTEM
• STARBURST AEROSPACE
• STARTUP NURSERY
• STARTUP MAKER
• STUDIO KER
• SUDRI'CUB
• TBSEEDS
• TECHNOFOUNDERS
• TECHSTARS
• TÉLÉCOM PARIS ENTREPRENEUR
• THE ENTREPRENEURIAL GARDEN
• UBEE LAB
• URW LAB
• Vivalley Campus
• Port de Bordeaux
• Elastolab Elanova
• Welcome City Lab