Paris, France · IncubatorAgoranov is a Paris-based incubator that has been a cradle for many of France’s most successful deep-tech startups. Founded in 2000 as a public incubator by a consortium of universities and research institutions, Agoranov focuses on fostering startups in science and technology-intensive sectors – such as life sciences, energy, telecom, and digital – often spinning them out of academic labs. Over its two decades, Agoranov has supported 400+ startups which have raised over €1.5 billion and created 10,000+ jobs. Its roster of alumni is stellar: Doctolib (healthtech unicorn) was incubated at Agoranov in 2013, Alan (insurtech unicorn) in 2016, Criteo (adtech, IPO on NASDAQ) in 2005, Alderan (biotech, acquired by Sanofi), and Ynsect (insect protein, major funding) are just a few examples. Agoranov offers entrepreneurs office space in central Paris and a 6-month renewable incubation program that includes tailored mentorship from industry experts, access to researchers and tech infrastructure, help with grant applications (important in deep-tech), and investor introductions. As a public interest incubator, Agoranov takes no equity – its funding comes from the French government (via organizations like CNRS, INRIA) and the City of Paris, as well as corporate sponsors. This neutral, non-profit stance makes it attractive for academic founders hesitant to jump to the private sector. The incubator also runs sector-specific cohorts, like one for New Space and another for EdTech, aligning with national priorities. Deep tech requires patience, and Agoranov has adapted to support longer gestation – startups can stay up to 24 months and benefit from a large network of alumni who often return as mentors. Agoranov is situated near Paris’s research universities (Université Pierre et Marie Curie, etc.), reinforcing the academia-to-startup pipeline. Some signature practices include weekly progress meetings (“Monday Stand-ups”) and public Demo Days that attract France’s top VC and angel investors. Notably, in the French Tech ecosystem, Agoranov is revered for producing more than 5 unicorns (Criteo, Doctolib, Alan, etc.). Its success underscores the value of steady public support for high-risk, high-reward deep tech ventures, and Agoranov continues to be a cornerstone of Paris’s innovation landscape.
IncubatorDeep TechHealthGreenTechDigital
Rome, Italy · AcceleratorLaunched 2020 as Italy's National Innovation Fund with EUR 1.8B backed by CDP and the government. Generalist mandate to revitalize Italy's startup ecosystem across deep tech, digital, and impact.
AcceleratorSeed to GrowthGeneralistDeep TechDigitalImpact
Barcelona, Spain · AcceleratorFounded 2013 by prominent Spanish entrepreneurs. Runs 5-month batches for early-stage digital startups in media, gaming, and mobile; mentors take equity and support Demo Day. Notable alumni include Glovo and Meller. Scope: Regional (Barcelona & Madrid).
AcceleratorDigitalGamingMobile
Lille, France · IncubatorFounded 2009. One of Europe's largest incubators, hosting 200+ startups annually with multi-stage programs from incubation to acceleration, plus labs and funding access. Ranked a top French startup hub; alumni include fintech scaleups and AI firms. Scope: Regional (Hauts-de-France) with international reach.
IncubatorDigitalDeep TechAI
Madrid, Spain · AcceleratorEstablished 2014. EU-backed accelerator for mobile and digital startups (edtech, mobility, etc.) with online program, equity-free grants, mentoring, and international roadshows. Notable alumni include ChainGO. Scope: International (EU).
AcceleratorMobileDigitalEdTechMobility
Stockholm, Sweden · IncubatorLaunched 2018. Seed-stage fund backing Swedish digital startups.
IncubatorSeedFintechMarketplacesDigital
Paris, France · AcceleratorFounded in 2011 (originating from Le Camping), NUMA accelerates digital startups and runs open innovation programs for corporates. Support: 3–6 month acceleration with mentorship, community events, and investor demo days. Scope: International.
AcceleratorDigitalInnovation
Paris, France · Innovation HubNUMA is a storied name in the Paris startup scene – both an accelerator and an innovation hub that traces its origins to one of Europe’s first startup programs. Established in 2011, NUMA evolved from the famed “Le Camping” accelerator (run out of a historic building on Rue du Caire). As an accelerator, NUMA ran 3- to 6-month cohorts for digital startups, providing mentorship, community events, coworking space, and investor demo days. It was particularly influential in France’s early startup boom – alumni include successes like Dataiku (AI platform) and Algolia (search-as-a-service), which both passed through NUMA’s programs. Over time, NUMA expanded its scope beyond acceleration into corporate innovation. It launched NUMA Consulting to help large companies implement startup methodologies, and also opened international outposts (NUMA Bengaluru in India and NUMA New York were launched around 2015–2016). In Paris, NUMA’s space became an “innovation hub” – a vibrant campus hosting events, hackathons, and innovation programs for corporates and the community. NUMA was notable for being a public-private effort initially, supported by the City of Paris and corporates, which helped ignite the French ecosystem a decade ago. By the late 2010s, NUMA transitioned its accelerator model – focusing more on themed open-innovation programs (e.g. for smart cities or AI) rather than general batches. It also partnered with the European Commission on projects to spur startup-corporate collaborations. Though NUMA (the accelerator) concluded its last batch in late 2019, the brand still persists as a hub and network of innovation spaces. The legacy of NUMA is significant: it helped institutionalize French startup support and proved the value of mentorship-driven acceleration in Europe. In ecosystem terms, NUMA stands as a pioneer whose model of combining startup acceleration with corporate and community innovation has been emulated widely.
Innovation HubDigitalSaaSOpen Innovation
Milan, Italy · AcceleratorFounded 2013. Early-stage investor focused on Italian digital and consumer tech with initial tickets around EUR 0.5-3M.
AcceleratorSeed to Series ADigitalConsumerFintechMedia
Lisbon, Portugal · IncubatorState-backed VC founded 2012, funding early-stage Portuguese startups across multiple industries.
IncubatorPre-Seed to Series ADigitalEngineeringTourismLife Sciences
Milan, Italy · AcceleratorFounded 2016. Operates sector funds including Barcamper Ventures for digital and a SpaceTech fund for newspace.
AcceleratorSeed to Series AICTDigitalSpaceTech
Braga, Portugal · AcceleratorInnovation hub and accelerator supported by Microsoft, nurturing deep-tech startups in biotech, nanotech, and digital sectors. Provides acceleration, access to University of Minho labs, and corporate partners; backed 120+ companies. Scope: Regional (Northern Portugal).
AcceleratorDeep TechBiotechDigital
Stockholm, Sweden · AcceleratorHybrid VC fund and tech innovation hub founded in 2016 running accelerator programs at The Factory and investing in early-stage digital and fintech startups. Support: equity investment, mentorship from in-house experts, workspace access. Scope: National.
AcceleratorFintechDigitalE-commerce