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
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
Paris, France · AcceleratorFounded 2012 by 50 entrepreneurs. Accelerator offering hands-on mentorship and seed investment for tech, impact, and healthtech ventures; founders gain access to experienced entrepreneur partners. Support: equity investment, mentorship, Paris workspace. Scope: National.
AcceleratorTechImpactHealthTech
Paris, France · StartupModern health insurance platform streamlining getting care for European employees.
StartupGrowthHealthSoftware
Paris, France · StartupBlaBlaCar is the world’s leading long-distance carpooling platform, often hailed as France’s flagship startup success. Founded in 2006 by Frédéric Mazzella (along with Francis Nappez and Nicolas Brusson), BlaBlaCar was born from Mazzella’s realization that countless car journeys had empty seats. The platform (named after users’ self-described chattyness level – “Bla”, “BlaBla”, or “BlaBlaBla”) connects drivers with spare seats to passengers traveling the same way, so they can share the ride and costs. Today, BlaBlaCar has a 100 million-member community across 22+ countries, serving over 25 million travelers per quarter pre-pandemic. It operates in most of Europe and parts of Latin America and Asia, having successfully localized carpooling in markets like Germany, Russia, Brazil, and Turkey. The company also branched into bus travel: in 2018, BlaBlaCar acquired Ouibus from SNCF, rebranding it BlaBlaBus, to offer intercity bus routes alongside carpool rides. BlaBlaCar’s business model charges a roughly 10–20% booking fee from passengers in mature markets, though in new markets it often launches free to build liquidity. Known for its strong community culture, BlaBlaCar emphasizes trust – it introduced verified profiles, ratings, and even an optional “Ladies Only” carpool option. The company achieved unicorn status in 2015 when it raised $200 million at a $1.6 billion valuation and later was valued around $2 billion. Despite the pandemic’s impact on travel, BlaBlaCar rebounded by 2022, even reporting profitability. In 2023, it raised €100 million in financing to fuel growth. BlaBlaCar is often cited in case studies (Harvard, etc.) as a pioneer of the sharing economy in Europe, proving that a people-powered platform can transform intercity transport. By bringing cost-effective travel to millions and fostering new friendships on the road, BlaBlaCar has truly brought “ridesharing” into the mainstream – and stands as one of Europe’s few consumer-tech unicorns with global reach.
StartupGrowthMobilityMarketplace
Copenhagen, Denmark · Venture CapitalbyFounders is a founder led venture fund backed by a collective of Nordic and Baltic entrepreneurs. The team invests from pre seed to Series A and provides portfolio founders with direct access to experienced operators across the region. byFounders is known for strong community support, rapid founder feedback, and deep connections to the Nordic ecosystem. It has become one of the most influential early stage funds headquartered in Copenhagen.
Venture CapitalPre-Seed to Series AGeneral TechFintechSaaS