French President Nicolas Sarkozy recently welcomed around a hundred small business leaders, members of trade federations and local councillors to the Élysée Palace to present the main thrusts of the ETIncelles program, designed to transform and accelerate the transition of small and medium-sized companies to the status of intermediate-sized enterprises (ETI).
Offering personalized support to high-potential SMEs
France is home to over 150,000 SMEs. These companies contribute to growth, innovation, job creation and the attractiveness of the region.
Through the ETIncelles program, Emmanuel Macron wants to offer personalized support to high-potential small and medium-sized businesses, with the aim of :
- Streamline their relations with the State,
- Remove administrative obstacles to growth
- Grow them into dynamic ETIs.
Selected SMEs will benefit from individualized support from a single point of contact (diagnostic interview, operational solutions, follow-up over time). Companies will also have access to :
- A network of 45 correspondents in public bodies and major administrations,
- Webinars,
- A collaborative platform,
- Time to share best practices.
Since 2017, the President of the Republic has been pursuing a policy aimed at boosting business competitiveness and France's attractiveness. This seems to be bearing fruit, as France is the top destination for foreign investment in Europe for the 4th year running. Emmanuel Macron has raised the bar, setting himself the target of creating more than 1,000 mid-sized companies by the end of his five-year term.
Three selection criteria
Two ETIncelles promotions have already been launched. To join them, companies were selected on the basis of three main criteria:
- Have experienced strong growth over the past two years and maintain a significant development trajectory;
- Have between 60 and 220 employees;
- Develop export markets or have the will to do so.
With regard to the 2023 edition, after a pilot phase launched at the beginning of the year with an initial group of 50 growing SMEs, the program was officially launched in November with the addition of 50 new companies. They will be supported for a minimum period of 12 months, after which a progress review will be carried out to assess the problems encountered and the actions taken. A second review will take place after 18 months to ensure that all issues have been properly addressed. Beyond this period, the ETIncelles team remains at the disposal of SMEs for any advice or recommendations they may require.
✨Launch of the #Etincelles program with President @EmmanuelMacron to simplify life for our SMEs.
- Olivia Gregoire (@oliviagregoire) November 21, 2023
For 12 to 18 months, 100 SMEs will receive individual support from government departments to remove bottlenecks and facilitate their growth and development. pic.twitter.com/OfpUtVQ7ow
Many companies have already benefited from the ETIncelles program. For example, a small business that had difficulty setting up its automated textile sorting plant was able to obtain the necessary permits and obtain the low-carbon label thanks to this support. Another company, which was planning to set up and move to a new plant in order to continue its development, was put in touch with the Direction régionale de l'environnement, de l'aménagement et du logement (DREAL), which helped it to close its current site.