Start in France program

In 2005, the Office for Science and Technology (SST) of the Embassy of France in the United States created the Young Enterprise Initiative (YEi) program, also known as YEi – Start in France. Initially launched in the United States under the name Young Entrepreneurs Initiative, the program was primarily aimed at French researchers living abroad with innovative entrepreneurial projects, to help them re-establish themselves in France. Over the years, YEi evolved to include more mature companies; in 2016, it expanded to other countries. Between 2005 and 2019, the program brought together 199 participants across 15 editions, originating not only from the United States but also from nine other countries: South Africa, Germany, Canada, Finland, Italy, Norway, Singapore, Sweden, and Taiwan. From 2018 to 2020, the program was directly managed by the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, before being suspended in 2021 due to the Covid-19 health crisis.

In 2025, La Synapse relaunched the program in a new format under the name Start in France (first edition), refocusing on innovation talents. Through an annual call for applications, Start in France selects candidates based in the United States—regardless of nationality—who carry an innovation project with proof of concept. Since 2025, three French innovation ecosystems have partnered with the program and host the laureates.

The Start in France program is organized by the Office for Science and Technology (SST) of the Embassy of France in the United States, with the support of the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs.

This program aims to introduce selected laureates to the French innovation ecosystem and allow them to benefit from France’s expertise and dynamism in this field.

Through Start in France, laureates will be able to assess France’s attractiveness in terms of innovation and research, as well as identify relevant support programs and mechanisms for their potential development.

The Start in France program is open to PhD candidates, postdoctoral researchers, scientists, engineers, professors, entrepreneurs, and others carrying out an innovative project and wishing to explore the French ecosystem with the possibility of developing their entrepreneurial venture in France. The project must be supported with a proof of concept.

To be eligible, candidates must reside in the United States, and the project must not be carried by a startup incorporated in the United States at the time of application and participation in the program.

No age or nationality restrictions apply.

Start in France offers its laureates a training and immersion program in three stages:  

• Virtual preparation seminar (one full day or two half-days), consisting of
  workshops led by French experts (innovation, intellectual property, regulation,
  etc.) to raise awareness among laureates about French specificities,
  administrative procedures, and existing support programs.
• Immersion in France (1 week) within one of the three French partner innovation ecosystems. During this week of immersion, rich in personalized meetings, laureates take part in workshops, individual meetings with various stakeholders (such as scientists, startups, local actors in economic development, innovation, attractiveness, international relations, etc.), and, when relevant, local events related to their technological field. The objective of this immersion is to develop, with the support of local stakeholders, a roadmap for a possible future establishment in France or for building collaborations with scientific actors.
• Individual follow-up three months after the immersion.

During this first edition, the four 2025 laureates, from California, Georgia, North Carolina, and Massachusetts, carried out their immersion week between September
and October 2025 in Grenoble and Toulouse.

• Application period: January 5 – March 31, 2026
• Selection interviews: Late April – early May 2026
• Announcement of laureates: Mid-May 2026
• Virtual training seminar: June 2026
• Immersion week in France within the host ecosystem: Between August 31, 2026 and October 30, 2026