Mapping of the Ecosystem around French startups
Update (12/09/2016): after many comments, suggestions, and iterations, you’ll now find corporate and regional initiatives in the mapping. I still surely missed some, so please don’t hesitate to mention so in the comment section :)
So many things happen around French startups these times. I almost feel lucky of taking so little holidays this summer. Some things are sad — cofounders leaving, hyped startups placed under judicial supervision, tiny exits — but some are really cool, with foreign Tier-1 funds betting heavily on French projects, the multiplication of the number of exits (my two cents on this topic) and a renewed ambition.
What’s in the non-startup startup ecosystem?
Those news about French startups made me wonder about a broader view of the startup ecosystem, ie everything that enables or helps (or defocuses) French startups.
I listed them in 3 categories, obviously highly questionable :
Talent. What are the main identified sources of talent to French startups, in both Technical and Business positions? How do they link with startups?
Financing. Maybe it’s the most visible pillar of the ecosystem. It’s basically the mapping of the large buckets of means of financing for startups. It ranges from non-dilutive financing to crowdfunding to BAs, VCs, and even startup studios.
Support. This part is maybe the most subjective one. So many people are working on, around or with startups in France, be it as a lawyer, a banker, an incubator, or an externalized resources.
Below these, as a platform, I listed some startup-oriented media and organizations.
Of course, many players fulfill several of these missions, the most prominent example being maybe TheFamily. I tried to take into account this multitasking.
Disclaimer: this mapping is non-exhaustive (please help me add some in comments), although I tried to put in every player that came across my mind. And this is an important thing as well: I would be lying to you if I said I recommend working with each and every institution of this map. It’s just purely descriptive.