WILLA

What WILLA does

WILLA is a French non-profit association (association loi 1901) founded in 2005 and headquartered at 6 Rue du Sentier in Paris's 2nd arrondissement, operating as the first accelerator dedicated to gender diversity in the French tech ecosystem. Originally founded as Paris Pionnières and rebranded to WILLA in 2022, the organization runs a portfolio of interconnected programs supporting women entrepreneurs — most prominently the 6-month WILLA START incubation (available in-person in Paris or remotely nationwide, starting from 1,290 EUR and co-financed by the EU's FSE+), the WILLA POSSIBLE bootcamp for idea validation, and sector-specific tracks for Women in AI, Deeptech, and Fintech. The offering extends to a Paris-based coworking space (310 EUR/month per desk plus 70 EUR annual membership), the WILLA Institute for collaborative research, WILLA Connect networking events, the annual Sommet des Fondatrices flagship gathering (1,000 participants in 2026), the WILLA Expat program for French founders abroad, the BOOST endowment fund for women in vulnerable situations, and school workshops covering AI bias, entrepreneurship, and confidence-building.

The business model is structured as a multi-stream non-profit operation: roughly half a dozen revenue lines including mandatory association membership fees, coworking subscriptions, training-program tuition (WILLA START), corporate sponsorship and mécénat (patronage), public grants (EU FSE+, Ville de Paris, Région Île-de-France, DGCS), and philanthropy routed through a dedicated endowment fund offering donors a 60% tax deduction. WILLA maintains a deliberately lean core team (1–10 employees) and leverages a network of 150+ expert mentors and 500+ ecosystem partners (BNP Paribas, L'Oréal Fund for Women, Amazon, Microsoft, AWS, HubSpot, HEC Paris, Roland Berger, CNRS, French Tech, Bpifrance, Station F, Orange, PayPal, Banque de France, and others) to deliver program capacity. Annual throughput includes 500 women supported, 150 startups incubated, 14,560 people sensitized, and 450+ active alumni across the French tech ecosystem. The organization is Qualiopi-certified for training (Certificat N°2112_CN_03586), is independently governed (no parent company or external equity), and reports a 9.1/10 participant satisfaction rate with 92% of women reporting increased confidence post-program.

WILLA does not build proprietary technology. Its core "product" is structured human support: incubation programming, mentorship matching, networking convening, advocacy research, and ecosystem brokering between female founders, corporate sponsors, academic institutions, and public funders. Distribution is community-led, primarily direct through the Paris headquarters and remote offerings, supplemented by referral channels through corporate partner ecosystems and earned media (Forbes, Les Echos, Maddyness, BFM Business).

Name

WILLA

Legal name

INCUBATEUR AU FÉMININ (WILLA)

Website

https://hellowilla.co

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

WILLA is a French non-profit association (founded 2005) operating the first accelerator dedicated to gender diversity in tech, supporting women entrepreneurs through 6-month incubation, sector-specific programs (AI, Deeptech, Fintech), coworking, research, and advocacy, funded by corporate sponsorship and public grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Startup Incubation and Acceleration Services for Women in Tech

NAICS

Other Grantmaking and Giving Services (813219)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Technical Bootcamps & Accelerated Reskilling (Full-time/Part-time) (BPAEANAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Accelerators & Incubators (Investor-Operated) (FSANAAAM)

Keywords

• Women entrepreneurship programs
• Tech startup incubation
• Female founder acceleration
• Gender equality advocacy
• Entrepreneurship training services

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Membership fees: Annual mandatory membership to the association for coworking users and participants.
2. Coworking subscriptions: Monthly coworking desk rental at 310 EUR/month plus 70 EUR annual membership fee.
3. Training programs: WILLA START program priced from 1,290 EUR for a 6-month incubation program (co-financed by FSE+ for in-person version).
4. Sponsorship and philanthropy: Corporate sponsors and partners fund programs and the WILLA foundation. Corporate partners engage through sponsorship, patronage (mécénat), training for employees, and custom partnerships.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

WILLA operates as a non-profit accelerator offering a 6-month incubation program (WILLA START, from 1,290 EUR) for women entrepreneurs in tech, a bootcamp (WILLA POSSIBLE) for idea validation, sector-specific programs (Women in AI, Deeptech, Fintech, Tech, Expat), a Paris coworking space (310 EUR/month), networking events (WILLA Connect), and an annual Sommet des Fondatrices summit. It also runs an endowment fund (WILLA endowment fund, established 2018) supporting women in vulnerable situations and delivers school workshops on AI bias and entrepreneurship.

Product overview

WILLA is a French accelerator dedicated to gender diversity in technology and entrepreneurship, founded in 2005. The organization operates as an ecosystem of interconnected programs: WILLA START serves as the flagship 6-month incubation program, complemented by sector-specific tracks (Women in AI/Deeptech, Women in Tech, WILLA Expat) and the WILLA POSSIBLE bootcamp for idea validation. The offering extends to WILLA Institute for collaborative research, WILLA Connect for networking events, and the annual Sommet des Fondatrices. Physical offerings include a coworking space in Paris. The BOOST endowment fund addresses women in vulnerable situations, while school intervention programs aim to demystify technology careers. Two monthly newsletters provide ongoing community engagement. The portfolio functions as a comprehensive support system from idea testing through business development, with a dual focus on direct entrepreneurship support and broader advocacy work.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• WILLA START: A 6-month program to help female entrepreneurs develop their startup, available in-person in Paris or remotely across France.
• WILLA POSSIBLE
• WILLA Expat
• WILLA Women in AI
• WILLA Women in Tech
• WILLA Institute
• WILLA Connect

Products and services

• WILLA START A 6-month incubation program that helps women entrepreneurs transform their ideas into concrete projects and develop their businesses. Available in-person at the Paris headquarters (co-financed by FSE+) or remotely nationwide. Starting from 1,290 EUR.
• WILLA POSSIBLE A bootcamp program that allows women entrepreneurs to test their business ideas before committing to the full WILLA START 6-month incubation. Helps validate concepts and prepare for startup launch.
• WILLA Women in AI A program supporting startup teams in the artificial intelligence sector, helping promote a new generation of women founders in AI innovation.
• WILLA Women in Deeptech A program supporting startup teams in the deeptech sector, helping promote a new generation of women founders in deeptech innovation.
• WILLA Women in Tech The incubator component of WILLA, providing comprehensive support for ambitious women founders in the technology sector.
• WILLA Expat A program specifically designed for French expatriate women entrepreneurs living abroad who want to start a business, providing support tailored to their unique cross-border challenges.
• WILLA Coworking Physical coworking space in the Sentier district of Paris (2nd arrondissement) offering inclusive workspace with meeting rooms, phone booths, printing (50 copies/month), coffee/tea, and high-speed fiber. Priced at 310 EUR HT/month plus 70 EUR annual membership.
• WILLA Connect Exclusive networking events connecting women-led startups with experts and companies around strategic business challenges.
• Sommet des Fondatrices Annual flagship summit bringing together women entrepreneurs and those ready to take the leap. Features workshops, conferences, networking, Demo Day, and Speed Invest Meetings. The 2026 edition hosted 1,000 participants, 150 meetings, 30 speakers, and 12 partners at Théâtre de Paris. Co-organized with France Digitale and SISTA.
• BOOST Fund (Fonds de dotation WILLA) Endowment fund focused on reducing inequalities in access to entrepreneurship for women in vulnerable situations. Supports professional integration through sensitization, workshops, training, and personalized coaching across France. Corporate donors receive 60% tax deduction on donations up to 0.5% of revenue.
• School Intervention Programs Educational workshops for schools and universities including 'Demasculinize AI' (3 hours, understanding gender biases in AI), 'In the Shoes of a Tech Entrepreneur' (for female students), 'Build Self-Confidence', and 'Entrepreneurship as a Career Choice' (2 hours). Can be delivered on-site at schools, at WILLA Paris HQ, or remotely.
• WILLA Institute Collaborative research initiative through which WILLA co-constructs reference studies on inequalities between women and men (e.g., the Gender Gap study with Roland Berger and France Digitale), producing knowledge to advance gender equality in entrepreneurship and innovation.

Quantifiable outcome

• 9.1/10 participant satisfaction rate
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• France DigitalecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrance Digitale co-organizes the annual Sommet des Fondatrices with WILLA and SISTA. The partnership aims to advance female entrepreneurship in innovation by combining WILLA's incubation expertise with France Digitale's network of digital entrepreneurs and investors.
• SISTAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSISTA co-organizes the Sommet des Fondatrices with WILLA and France Digitale. SISTA promotes diversity in tech and investment, and WILLA provides the incubation and community layer for the shared mission of gender equality in entrepreneurship.
• French TechflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrench Tech supports WILLA as a key player in the French tech ecosystem advancing gender equality and female entrepreneurship. WILLA is recognized as the first accelerator for mixity in tech.
• BpifranceflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerBpifrance (Banque Publique d'Investissement) is a long-standing partner of WILLA, supporting female entrepreneurship through funding and ecosystem recognition. Bpifrance features WILLA in its editorial coverage on fintech and women entrepreneurs.
• Roland BergerflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerRoland Berger collaborated with WILLA and France Digitale to produce the 2024 Gender Gap study, providing research and analytical expertise on female entrepreneurship in innovation in France.
• CNRSflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerWILLA partnered with CNRS to produce a report on 'De la formation à l'innovation' examining gender disparities in scientific careers and valorization pathways, with the goal of making equality a lever for scientific excellence.
• Station FcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStation F, the world's largest startup campus, is a partner of WILLA, reflecting shared goals of supporting diverse entrepreneurs within the French tech ecosystem.
• La RuchecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLa Ruche (coworking network supporting social impact) partners with WILLA to foster inclusive entrepreneurship and support women founders.
• SimploncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSimplon (coding school focused on diversity) partners with WILLA to promote tech careers and entrepreneurship for women.
• CCI Paris Île-de-FranceflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Paris Chamber of Commerce and Industry supports WILLA as part of its mission to promote entrepreneurship and gender equality in the business ecosystem.
• AWSflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerAWS (Amazon Web Services) partners with SISTA and BNP Paribas on the SISTA IA promotion featured at the Sommet des Fondatrices, providing cloud resources and support to women-led AI startups.
• HubSpot for StartupsflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerHubSpot for Startups sponsors the Sommet des Fondatrices, providing marketing and growth tools to women-led startups.
• HEC ParisflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerHEC Paris sponsors the Sommet des Fondatrices, contributing to the advancement of female entrepreneurship through education and alumni networks.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Market position

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/willa_off
• Xx.com/Willa_off

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about WILLA