# French Tech & Public Grants Guide for Call Me Maybe

> **Last updated:** February 2026
> **Audience:** CMM founding team (Aaron + Ata)
> **Context:** AI daily phone coaching for weight loss, France-first, 2-person team, pre-seed stage

---

## Table of Contents

1. [La French Tech Ecosystem & Label](#1-la-french-tech-ecosystem--label)
2. [BPI France Grants](#2-bpi-france-grants)
3. [AXA Health Patronage Fund](#3-axa-health-patronage-fund)
4. [Tax Credits (CIR & CII)](#4-tax-credits-cir--cii)
5. [Other French Funding Sources](#5-other-french-funding-sources)
6. [European Funding](#6-european-funding)
7. [Regional Grants (Ile-de-France)](#7-regional-grants-ile-de-france)
8. [Action Plan & Timeline](#8-action-plan--timeline)
9. [Document Preparation Checklist](#9-document-preparation-checklist)

---

## 1. La French Tech Ecosystem & Label

### What Is La French Tech?

La French Tech is the French government's initiative to promote and support the startup ecosystem in France. It operates through several layers:

- **Mission French Tech** -- the government body that coordinates everything (under the Ministry of Economy)
- **French Tech Capitals & Communities** -- local hubs (16 Capitales + 31 Communautes in France, 66 abroad) accredited every 3 years
- **Named programs** -- French Tech Next40/120, French Tech 2030, French Tech Tremplin, etc.

**Key distinction:** There is no single "La French Tech label" that individual startups apply for. Instead, startups participate in specific programs or join local French Tech communities. The label system applies to the regional hubs themselves (Capitales and Communautes), not to individual companies.

### How CMM Can Engage with La French Tech

#### A. Join Your Local French Tech Community

- **What:** Become a member of your local French Tech Capital (e.g., French Tech Paris if based in Ile-de-France)
- **How:** Visit the local community website, attend events, register as a member
- **Cost:** Free
- **Benefits:**
  - Access to networking events and mentorship
  - Visibility within the ecosystem
  - Connection to partner organizations (Bpifrance, Business France, INPI, CNIL, etc.)
  - Referrals to funding programs
- **Tip for a 2-person startup:** This is a no-brainer first step. Join, show up at events, build relationships with the local ecosystem managers

#### B. French Tech 2030 Program (Aspirational -- Not Immediate)

- **What:** A 2-year support program for emerging startups developing solutions in strategic sectors (AI, health, cybersecurity, quantum, etc.)
- **Cohort size:** ~80 startups per cohort
- **Benefits:** Dedicated support, connections to public/private buyers, international visibility, access to a network of 60+ government departments and partners
- **Eligibility requirements:**
  - Company created after January 1, 2012
  - Headquarters in France
  - Independent (max 39.9% ownership by another entity)
  - At least 3-5M EUR accumulated (revenue or funding) over the last 3 years
  - Demonstrable commercial or industrial traction
- **Application cycle:** Candidature opens annually; expert committee examines applications; final selection typically in September
- **CMM relevance:** This is a medium-term target. CMM would need to raise a seed round and demonstrate significant traction before being competitive. Target the 2028 cohort at the earliest.
- **URL:** https://lafrenchtech.gouv.fr/en/programme/french-tech-2030/

#### C. French Tech Tremplin

- **What:** An incubation and funding program for entrepreneurs from underrepresented backgrounds
- **Benefits:** 12-month incubation + up to 42,000 EUR grant
- **Eligibility:** Refugees, residents of priority neighborhoods (QPV), people with disabilities, beneficiaries of social minima, etc.
- **URL:** https://lafrenchtech.gouv.fr/en/programme/french-tech-tremplin/
- **CMM relevance:** Check if either founder qualifies

#### D. French Tech Visa

- **What:** Simplified 4-year residence permit for non-EU tech talent
- **Benefits:** Fast-track visa for founders, employees, and investors
- **How to access:** Through a French Tech-accredited organization or incubator
- **CMM relevance:** Useful if you need to recruit international talent later

### Timeline for La French Tech Engagement

| Action | When | Effort |
|--------|------|--------|
| Join local French Tech community | Now | 1 day |
| Attend monthly events | Ongoing | 2-3h/month |
| Apply to French Tech Tremplin (if eligible) | Next open call | 1 week |
| Build toward French Tech 2030 candidature | 2028+ | Ongoing |

---

## 2. BPI France Grants

Bpifrance is France's public investment bank and the primary source of startup grants. In 2025, Bpifrance announced a massive 10 billion EUR AI investment plan through 2029, covering foundation models, AI infrastructure, and AI-integrating companies. CMM is squarely in this strategic focus area.

### A. Bourse French Tech (Standard)

**The #1 grant CMM should apply for immediately.**

- **Amount:** Up to 30,000 EUR (subsidy, non-repayable)
- **Coverage:** Up to 70% of projected expenses
- **Duration:** Up to 24 months
- **Purpose:** Validate technological concept, test a prototype, refine go-to-market strategy, prepare business plan
- **Eligibility:**
  - Company registered in France for less than 1 year, OR natural person accompanied by an incubator/accelerator
  - Fewer than 50 employees
  - Innovative project with real growth potential
- **Application process:**
  1. Contact a Bpifrance regional advisor (direction regionale)
  2. Present your project, innovation interest, and financing plan
  3. Receive and complete the Bourse French Tech application file
  4. Submit dossier for review
- **Payment:** Two installments -- 70% upon project validation, 30% after verification of fund usage at project end
- **URL:** https://www.bpifrance.fr/catalogue-offres/bourse-french-tech
- **CMM fit:** Excellent. AI phone coaching for weight loss is clearly innovative. The grant would cover early development costs, user testing, and market validation.

### B. Bourse French Tech Emergence (Deeptech)

- **Amount:** Up to 90,000 EUR (subsidy, non-repayable)
- **Coverage:** Up to 70% of eligible expenses
- **Duration:** 12-18 months
- **Purpose:** Finance the initial phase of a deeptech innovation project
- **Eligibility:**
  - Company registered in France for less than 1 year
  - Fewer than 50 employees
  - Project with high technological content based on Bpifrance's deeptech reference framework
  - Technology from a research lab (public/private) and/or team with strong ties to the scientific world
  - Strong barriers to entry with difficult technological locks
- **URL:** https://www.bpifrance.fr/catalogue-offres/bourse-french-tech-emergence
- **CMM fit:** Potentially applicable if you can position the AI voice model, behavioral psychology algorithms, or health outcome prediction as deeptech. You would need to demonstrate that the AI component involves genuine research-level work, not just API integration.

### C. Subvention Innovation

- **Amount:** Up to 50,000 EUR (subsidy)
- **Coverage:** Up to 70% depending on company type
- **Duration:** Up to 24 months
- **Purpose:** Innovation projects in maturation and feasibility phase
- **Eligibility:** Small enterprises (<50 employees, <10M EUR turnover or balance sheet)
- **Application:** Rolling basis, until September 30, 2026 (or until budget is exhausted)
- **URL:** https://www.bpifrance.fr/catalogue-offres/subvention-innovation
- **CMM fit:** Good fit for the feasibility/maturation phase of the AI coaching product

### D. Aide pour le Developpement de l'Innovation

- **Amount:** Up to 3,000,000 EUR (repayable advance or loan)
- **Coverage:** 25-65% of eligible R&D expenses
- **Purpose:** R&D projects with concrete industrialization and commercialization prospects
- **Eligible expenses:** Prototypes, pilot installations, IP costs, testing, pre-series production
- **Eligibility:**
  - PME (<250 employees, <50M EUR turnover or <43M EUR balance sheet)
  - Independent (not >25% owned by non-PME entity)
  - Company with fewer than 2,000 employees
- **URL:** https://www.bpifrance.fr/catalogue-offres/aide-pour-le-developpement-de-linnovation
- **CMM fit:** This is a later-stage instrument. Target this once you have a validated prototype and want to scale the R&D. Note: this is a repayable advance, not a pure grant.

### E. Pret d'Amorcage (Seed Loan)

Two variants exist:

#### Pret d'Amorcage Invest EU (Pre-fundraise)
- **Amount:** 50,000-100,000 EUR (up to 300,000 EUR with regional guarantee)
- **Terms:** 8 years, 3-year grace period on principal repayment, fixed rate
- **Purpose:** Bridge financing before a fundraise
- **Eligibility:**
  - Innovative PME (<250 employees)
  - Less than 5 years old
  - Must have previously received an innovation grant (RDI regime)
  - In seed phase
- **No personal guarantee or collateral required**

#### Pret d'Amorcage Investissement Invest EU (Post-fundraise)
- **Amount:** 100,000-1,000,000 EUR (up to 2M EUR with derogation)
- **Terms:** 8 years, 3-year grace period, quarterly repayments
- **Purpose:** Complement a seed fundraise
- **Eligibility:**
  - Innovative PME less than 8 years old
  - Completed a seed round of at least 200,000 EUR
- **Fee:** 0.40% of loan amount (min 500 EUR)

- **URL:** https://www.bpifrance.fr/catalogue-offres/soutien-a-linnovation/pret-damorcage-investissement
- **CMM fit:** The pre-fundraise variant is interesting once CMM has received the Bourse French Tech (which qualifies as the required prior innovation grant). The post-fundraise variant becomes relevant after a seed round.

### F. AI-Specific Programs

#### AI Booster France 2030
- **What:** Program to accelerate AI adoption in French companies
- **Context:** Part of the 10B EUR Bpifrance AI investment announced in 2025
- **URL:** https://www.bpifrance.fr (search for "IA Booster")
- **CMM relevance:** Monitor for new calls targeting AI health startups

#### France 2030 Digital Health Acceleration
- **What:** Calls for projects to evaluate digital medical devices (including AI)
- **Budget per project:** 300,000-1,200,000 EUR over 12-24 months
- **Focus:** Real-life impact studies of digital health tools
- **CMM relevance:** Very relevant once CMM has a functioning product. The call specifically targets AI-based health solutions.

### Documents Needed for Bpifrance Applications

1. **Business plan** (executive summary, market analysis, competitive landscape, financial projections)
2. **Innovation description** (technical specification of what makes the solution novel)
3. **Team CVs** with emphasis on relevant expertise
4. **Financial projections** (3-year P&L, cash flow, funding plan)
5. **Company registration documents** (Kbis, statuts)
6. **Tax and social compliance certificates** (attestation de regularite fiscale et sociale)
7. **Most recent financial statements** (if the company already exists)
8. **Detailed budget** for the innovation project
9. **IP strategy** (patents filed or planned, trade secrets)

---

## 3. AXA Health Patronage Fund

### Overview

The Mutuelles AXA health patronage program (Mecenat Sante) funds health research and innovation projects. The program was created in 2022 for a 3-year period and renewed in April 2024, with an overall budget of 45 million EUR.

In 2025, 14 new projects were funded for a total of 13.9 million EUR.

### Priority Themes (Directly Relevant to CMM)

The program covers:
- **Chronic diseases in young people** (obesity, asthma, allergies) -- directly relevant
- **Mental health**
- **E-health for young people and elderly** -- directly relevant
- **New technologies and AI for improving patient care** -- directly relevant
- **Prevention in health** -- the core of CMM's mission

### How to Apply

The program operates exclusively through competitive calls for projects (appels a projets).

**Process:**
1. **Phase 1 -- Pre-selection:** Submit a preliminary project description via an online form when the call opens
2. **Phase 2 -- Full application:** If pre-selected, receive a link to submit a complete dossier
3. **Final selection:** Projects reviewed and selected by a jury

**Key dates (based on 2025 cycle -- monitor for 2026):**
- Call for projects launch: Typically March
- Phase 2 form opens: June 11 (2025 date)
- Phase 2 deadline: July 14 (2025 date)
- Results: Announced after jury review

**Contact:** service.mecenatsante@axa.fr

### Important Caveats for CMM

- The program traditionally funds **research institutions, hospitals, and non-profit organizations**, not commercial startups
- To be eligible, CMM would likely need to **partner with a research institution** (university hospital, INSERM lab, etc.) and submit a joint project
- The partnership angle could work: CMM provides the AI coaching technology, a research lab runs a clinical study on its efficacy for weight loss
- This is a medium-term play requiring relationship-building with academic partners

### URLs

- https://mutuelles-axa.fr/mecenat/mecenat-sante.html
- https://www.axa.fr/qui-sommes-nous/mecenat.html

---

## 4. Tax Credits (CIR & CII)

### A. Credit Impot Recherche (CIR) -- Research Tax Credit

The CIR is France's flagship R&D incentive and one of the most generous in Europe.

**Rate:** 30% of eligible R&D expenses (up to 100M EUR; 5% above that threshold)

**Eligible expenses:**
- Salaries of R&D personnel (engineers, researchers working on the AI model)
- Operating expenses (calculated as a percentage of salary costs -- 40% since 2025, down from 43%)
- Subcontracted R&D (to approved research organizations)
- Depreciation of R&D equipment
- Note: Patent fees and technological surveillance expenses are **no longer eligible** as of 2025

**Key benefit for startups:** PMEs, new companies, and Jeunes Entreprises Innovantes (JEI) can claim **immediate cash reimbursement** of the CIR (rather than waiting to offset against future taxes). In practice, the treasury processes this within 3-6 months after filing.

**Declaration:** Filed with annual tax return (form 2069-A-SD), within 3 months of fiscal year-end.

**CMM fit:** Excellent. Any R&D work on the AI voice model, behavioral algorithms, personalization engine, and health outcome prediction qualifies. For a 2-person team where one founder does primarily technical work, a significant portion of that salary can be CIR-eligible. At 30%, if you spend 100K EUR on eligible R&D, you get 30K EUR back from the state.

**URL:** https://entreprendre.service-public.fr/vosdroits/F23533

### B. Credit Impot Innovation (CII) -- Innovation Tax Credit

The CII is an extension of the CIR that covers innovation (not just research).

**Rate:** 20% of eligible expenses (since January 1, 2025; was 30% before). In Corsica: 35-40%.

**Cap:** 400,000 EUR of eligible expenses per year (= max credit of 80,000 EUR/year)

**Eligible expenses:** Creation of prototypes and pilot installations of new products that are superior to existing offerings in terms of technical performance, eco-design, ergonomics, or functionality.

**Eligibility:** EU-definition SMEs only (<250 employees, <50M EUR turnover or <43M EUR balance sheet)

**Duration:** Expenses incurred until December 31, 2027.

**Key rules:**
- Expenses already claimed under CIR cannot also be claimed under CII
- Production-phase expenses are not eligible
- Immediate reimbursement available for PMEs (same as CIR)

**CMM fit:** The prototype of the AI phone coaching system (before it becomes a production product) qualifies. The innovation must be "new to the market" (not just new to the company), which CMM's approach clearly is.

**URL:** https://entreprendre.service-public.fr/vosdroits/F35494

### Combined CIR + CII Strategy for CMM

| Expense | Credit | Rate |
|---------|--------|------|
| AI model R&D (NLP, voice synthesis, behavioral algorithms) | CIR | 30% |
| Health outcome prediction research | CIR | 30% |
| Prototype development of the phone coaching system | CII | 20% |
| UX/product design of novel features | CII | 20% |

**Practical tip:** Hire a CIR/CII consulting firm (they typically charge 10-15% of the credit obtained, success-fee only) to handle the filing and defend the dossier if audited. For a 2-person startup, this is worth it.

---

## 5. Other French Funding Sources

### A. Jeune Entreprise Innovante (JEI) Status

Not a grant, but a powerful tax status that stacks with everything else.

**Benefits:**
- Full exemption from employer social charges on R&D personnel salaries for 8 years (gradually decreasing)
- Full corporate tax exemption for the first profitable year, 50% for the second
- Local tax exemptions (CFE, CVAE) for 7 years (subject to local government approval)

**Eligibility:**
- Company less than 11 years old (extended from 8 in recent reforms)
- Fewer than 250 employees
- R&D expenses represent at least 15% of total deductible expenses
- Independent (not >25% owned by a non-qualifying entity)
- Genuinely new (not created from restructuring)

**CMM fit:** Almost certainly eligible. The R&D spend ratio should easily exceed 15% at this stage. The social charge exemption alone can save thousands per year per employee.

**URL:** https://entreprendre.service-public.fr/vosdroits/F31188

### B. French Tech Seed (OC French Tech Seed)

- **What:** Convertible bonds (obligations convertibles) to amplify seed fundraising
- **Amount:** Co-investment alongside private investors
- **Purpose:** Accelerate development of highly technology-intensive innovation projects
- **Eligibility:** Startups less than 3 years old
- **How it works:** When you raise a seed round, Bpifrance can co-invest via convertible notes, effectively increasing your round size
- **URL:** https://www.bpifrance.fr/catalogue-offres/oc-french-tech-seed
- **CMM fit:** Relevant when CMM does its seed round. The Bpifrance co-investment makes the round more attractive to private investors.

### C. Concours i-Lab

- **What:** National innovation competition run by Bpifrance and the Ministry of Research
- **Prize:** Up to 600,000 EUR in grants (non-repayable) for Grand Prix winners; typical awards 150,000-450,000 EUR
- **Timeline:** Annual competition, applications typically open January-March
- **Eligibility:** Projects creating a technology company based on innovative technology
- **URL:** https://www.bpifrance.fr/nos-appels-a-projets-concours
- **CMM fit:** Highly competitive but worth applying. The AI + health angle is strong. No need to have a company yet -- you can apply as an individual with a project.

### D. Reseau Entreprendre / Initiative France

- **What:** National networks of entrepreneurs offering honor loans (prets d'honneur)
- **Amount:** Typically 15,000-50,000 EUR at 0% interest, no collateral
- **Purpose:** Personal loan to the founder to strengthen equity before seeking other funding
- **Process:** Present to a local committee of entrepreneurs
- **CMM fit:** Good complement. The pret d'honneur strengthens the founders' equity contribution and signals commitment to banks and investors.

---

## 6. European Funding

### A. European Innovation Council (EIC) Accelerator

The EIC is the EU's flagship program for breakthrough innovation.

**2026 Budget:**
- EIC Accelerator Challenges: 220M EUR
- EIC Accelerator Open: 414M EUR

**Funding:**
- Grant component: Up to 2.5M EUR (non-repayable)
- Equity component: Up to 15M EUR (EIC Fund investment)
- Blended finance (grant + equity) is the most common

**Application process (simplified in 2025-2026):**
1. Short application (online form, ~30 pages)
2. Full application (detailed business plan, if short app passes)
3. Interview with jury (if full app passes)

**Cut-off dates:** Multiple per year (typically March, June, October)

**Eligibility:** Single SME established in an EU member state

**CMM fit:** The EIC is extremely competitive (~5% success rate) and typically favors companies with significant traction. Target this for 2027-2028 after building a track record. However, the 2026 work programme includes health and AI as priority areas.

**URL:** https://eic.ec.europa.eu/eic-funding-opportunities/eic-accelerator_en

### B. EIC Pre-Accelerator

- **What:** Free coaching and mentoring program to prepare for the EIC Accelerator
- **Duration:** 3-6 months
- **Cost:** Free
- **CMM fit:** Apply to this first as a stepping stone to the full EIC Accelerator
- **URL:** https://eic.ec.europa.eu/eic-funding-opportunities/eic-pre-accelerator_en

### C. Horizon Europe -- EIC Pathfinder

- **What:** Funding for early-stage research on breakthrough technologies
- **Amount:** Up to 3-4M EUR per project
- **Focus:** Visionary, high-risk research
- **CMM fit:** Less relevant unless partnering with a research institution on foundational AI/health research

### D. EU4Health Programme

- **What:** EU health funding program (2021-2027, 5.3B EUR total)
- **Focus:** Digital health transformation, disease prevention, health systems resilience
- **CMM fit:** Monitor for calls specifically targeting digital health prevention tools

---

## 7. Regional Grants (Ile-de-France)

### A. Innov'UP

The primary regional innovation grant program, co-managed by Region Ile-de-France and Bpifrance.

**Funding:**
- Grant component: Up to 500,000 EUR
- R&D Innovation Loan (PI R&D) or repayable advance: Up to 3,000,000 EUR
- Intervention rate: 25-70% depending on company size and project nature

**Eligible projects:** R&D and innovation projects related to products, services, processes, organizational or social innovation. Projects in feasibility, development, and experimentation phases.

**Application:**
- Rolling basis throughout the year
- Submit before the project starts
- Platform: mesdemarches.iledefrance.fr

**URL:** https://www.iledefrance.fr/aides-et-appels-a-projets/innovup

**CMM fit:** Strong fit. An AI health coaching product is exactly the type of innovation this program targets. Apply for the feasibility phase first.

### B. Innov'UP Leader -- France 2030

- **What:** A more ambitious version for larger innovation projects
- **Budget:** 82M EUR joint investment (State + Region) for 2021-2025 period
- **Amount:** Larger grants for more mature projects
- **URL:** https://www.bpifrance.fr/nos-appels-a-projets-concours/innovup-leader-france-2030-ile-de-france
- **CMM fit:** Later-stage; target once CMM has a validated product

### C. Paris Innovation Amorcage (PIA)

- **What:** Seed grant specific to Paris-based startups, co-managed with Bpifrance
- **Amount:** Up to 30,000 EUR
- **Eligibility:** Company less than 1 year old, based in Paris
- **Note:** Often considered interchangeable with or complementary to the Bourse French Tech
- **CMM fit:** If based in Paris, this can be an alternative or complement to the Bourse French Tech

### D. Incubators with Funding

Several Paris/IDF incubators provide office space, mentoring, and grant access:

- **Station F** -- world's largest startup campus, various programs
- **Agoranov** -- public research-linked incubator, provides 5-20K EUR grants
- **Paris&Co (now Paris Innovation)** -- city of Paris incubator network, sector-specific programs including health
- **Wilco** -- acceleration program with grant access
- **TechCare** -- health tech-specific acceleration

---

## 8. Action Plan & Timeline

### Phase 1: Immediate (Month 1-2)

| Priority | Action | Expected Outcome | Effort |
|----------|--------|-------------------|--------|
| 1 | Register the company (SAS) if not done | Legal entity needed for all grants | 1-2 weeks |
| 2 | Apply for JEI status | Tax savings on salaries from day 1 | 2-3 days |
| 3 | Join local French Tech community | Network access, ecosystem visibility | 1 day |
| 4 | Contact Bpifrance regional office | Get assigned a business manager | 1 day |
| 5 | Begin Bourse French Tech application | 30K EUR grant | 2-3 weeks |

### Phase 2: Short-term (Month 2-4)

| Priority | Action | Expected Outcome | Effort |
|----------|--------|-------------------|--------|
| 6 | Apply for Innov'UP feasibility (if in IDF) | Up to 500K EUR (realistic: 30-80K) | 2-3 weeks |
| 7 | Explore pret d'honneur (Reseau Entreprendre / Initiative France) | 15-50K EUR at 0% interest | 2 weeks |
| 8 | Set up R&D expense tracking for CIR/CII | Tax credits at year-end | 1-2 days |
| 9 | Apply to i-Lab competition (if timing aligns) | Up to 600K EUR grant | 3-4 weeks |

### Phase 3: Medium-term (Month 4-12)

| Priority | Action | Expected Outcome | Effort |
|----------|--------|-------------------|--------|
| 10 | File CIR/CII declaration with first fiscal year | Cash reimbursement of 30%/20% of R&D | 1-2 weeks |
| 11 | Monitor AXA Mecenat Sante call for projects | Partnership opportunity with research lab | Ongoing |
| 12 | Prepare seed round, leverage French Tech Seed co-investment | Bpifrance co-invests alongside private VCs | Ongoing |
| 13 | Apply for Pret d'Amorcage once Bourse FT received | 50-100K EUR loan, no collateral | 2 weeks |
| 14 | Submit to France 2030 Digital Health calls | 300K-1.2M EUR project funding | 3-4 weeks |

### Phase 4: Later-stage (Year 2+)

| Priority | Action | Expected Outcome | Effort |
|----------|--------|-------------------|--------|
| 15 | Apply to French Tech 2030 program | Ecosystem access, visibility, buyers | 3-4 weeks |
| 16 | Apply to EIC Pre-Accelerator, then EIC Accelerator | Up to 2.5M EUR grant + 15M EUR equity | 4-6 weeks |
| 17 | Explore Aide au Developpement de l'Innovation | Up to 3M EUR repayable advance | 3-4 weeks |

### Realistic Funding Stack for Year 1

| Source | Type | Realistic Amount |
|--------|------|-----------------|
| Bourse French Tech | Grant | 30,000 EUR |
| Innov'UP feasibility | Grant | 30,000-50,000 EUR |
| Pret d'honneur | Honor loan (0%) | 20,000-40,000 EUR |
| CIR (on ~80K R&D spend) | Tax credit refund | 24,000 EUR |
| CII (on ~40K innovation spend) | Tax credit refund | 8,000 EUR |
| JEI social charge savings | Tax savings | 5,000-15,000 EUR |
| **Total non-dilutive Year 1** | | **117,000-187,000 EUR** |

This is achievable for a 2-person team without giving up any equity.

---

## 9. Document Preparation Checklist

Prepare these documents once; they are reused across all applications:

### Company Documents
- [ ] Kbis (company registration extract, less than 3 months old)
- [ ] Company statutes (statuts)
- [ ] Shareholder agreement (pacte d'associes) if applicable
- [ ] Tax compliance certificate (attestation de regularite fiscale)
- [ ] Social compliance certificate (attestation Urssaf)

### Business Documents
- [ ] Business plan (10-20 pages): problem, solution, market, competitive landscape, team, financial projections
- [ ] Executive summary (2 pages)
- [ ] 3-year financial projections (P&L, cash flow, balance sheet)
- [ ] Detailed project budget (expenses breakdown for the innovation project)
- [ ] Market study / TAM-SAM-SOM analysis

### Innovation-Specific Documents
- [ ] Technical description of the innovation (what makes it novel vs. existing solutions)
- [ ] R&D roadmap (phases, milestones, deliverables)
- [ ] IP strategy document (patents planned, trade secrets, defensive strategy)
- [ ] Team CVs emphasizing technical and entrepreneurial credentials
- [ ] Letters of intent from potential customers or partners (if available)
- [ ] Prototype demo or screenshots

### For Tax Credits (CIR/CII)
- [ ] Detailed time tracking of R&D activities per person
- [ ] Technical dossier describing R&D operations (state of the art, scientific/technical challenges, methodology, results)
- [ ] Expense log categorized by eligible R&D activity
- [ ] Form 2069-A-SD (annual declaration)

---

## Key URLs Reference

| Resource | URL |
|----------|-----|
| La French Tech official site | https://lafrenchtech.gouv.fr/en/ |
| Bpifrance grant catalog | https://www.bpifrance.fr/catalogue-offres |
| Bourse French Tech | https://www.bpifrance.fr/catalogue-offres/bourse-french-tech |
| Bourse French Tech Emergence | https://www.bpifrance.fr/catalogue-offres/bourse-french-tech-emergence |
| Aide Developpement Innovation | https://www.bpifrance.fr/catalogue-offres/aide-pour-le-developpement-de-linnovation |
| Pret d'Amorcage | https://www.bpifrance.fr/catalogue-offres/soutien-a-linnovation/pret-damorcage-investissement |
| French Tech Seed | https://www.bpifrance.fr/catalogue-offres/oc-french-tech-seed |
| Bpifrance calls for projects | https://www.bpifrance.fr/nos-appels-a-projets-concours |
| CIR official page | https://entreprendre.service-public.fr/vosdroits/F23533 |
| CII official page | https://entreprendre.service-public.fr/vosdroits/F35494 |
| EIC Accelerator | https://eic.ec.europa.eu/eic-funding-opportunities/eic-accelerator_en |
| Innov'UP (IDF) | https://www.iledefrance.fr/aides-et-appels-a-projets/innovup |
| AXA Mecenat Sante | https://mutuelles-axa.fr/mecenat/mecenat-sante.html |
| AXA Mecenat contact | service.mecenatsante@axa.fr |

---

## Tips for a 2-Person Startup

1. **Start with the Bourse French Tech.** It is the easiest Bpifrance grant to get, designed exactly for your stage, and receiving it unlocks access to other instruments (like the Pret d'Amorcage).

2. **Get JEI status immediately.** The social charge savings alone make it worthwhile, and it takes minimal effort.

3. **Track R&D time religiously.** From day one, have both founders log their hours on R&D activities. This is the basis for CIR/CII claims. Use a simple spreadsheet with date, person, activity description, and hours.

4. **Join an incubator.** Being accepted into an incubator (Station F, Paris&Co, Agoranov, etc.) signals legitimacy to Bpifrance and simplifies the Bourse French Tech application. Some incubators also provide direct grants.

5. **Stack non-dilutive funding.** The French system is designed to be combinable. You can simultaneously receive the Bourse French Tech + Innov'UP + CIR + CII + JEI benefits + pret d'honneur. Each one reinforces the others.

6. **Position the AI angle prominently.** France is pouring unprecedented amounts into AI (10B EUR Bpifrance plan). Frame CMM as an AI company applying to health, not a health company using AI.

7. **Build an academic partnership early.** For programs like AXA Mecenat and France 2030 health calls, having a research partner (CHU, INSERM, university) dramatically increases your chances. Start conversations now even if you apply later.

8. **Do not wait for perfection.** Bpifrance advisors expect early-stage companies to have rough plans. Contact them, present your vision, ask for guidance. They are explicitly tasked with helping startups like CMM navigate the system.