Start in France program
About the program
To this end, through an annual call for applications, the program selects US-based researchers and entrepreneurs, regardless of nationality, with a disruptive innovation project; it offers its laureates a two-stage training program:
- a virtual preparation seminar, consisting of workshops organized by French innovation experts, to familiarize laureates with the specific features of the French deeptech ecosystem and its academic and administrative particularities;
- an immersion in France, during which the laureate entrepreneurs take part in workshops, one-to-one meetings with key players in their field, and networking events. The aim of this immersion is to draw up, with the support of local players, a roadmap for a potential move to France, in order to add value to their disruptive innovation project through the creation of a startup or collaboration with a research laboratory.
Eligibility requirements
Participation fees
Calendar
- Submission of applications:
- Selection interviews:
- Announcement of winners:
- Virtual training seminar:
- Immersion week:
Apply for the Start in France program
History
Initially offered in the USA, under the name Young Entrepreneurs Initiative, and primarily aimed at expatriate French researchers with an innovative entrepreneurial project that would enable them to re-establish themselves in France, the YEi program has evolved over the years to open up to more mature companies; in 2016, it was extended to other countries. Between 2005 and 2019, the program brought together 199 participants in 15 editions, not only from the USA but also from 9 other countries: Canada, Finland, Germany, Italy, Norway, Singapore, South Africa, Sweden and Taiwan. Between 2018 and 2020, the program was led directly by the French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs. Suspended since 2021, due to the pandemic, the program will be offered again in the United States by La Synapse during 2023-2024, under the Start in France name.
Startups origin
![](https://la-synapse.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/USA_map_dark.png)
Fields of activity
The 199 laureates of the program since 2005 are mainly in three sectors:biology, medicine and healthcare (48%), ICT and artificial intelligence (33%), energy and environmental challenges (15%). Nevertheless, the new program format will pay particular attention to diversifying the scientific fields of the projects, in order to better represent the expertise of American research institutions, in line with the cutting-edge fields of the French deeptech ecosystem and the objectives of the “France 2030” plan.