h'up entrepreneurs

What h'up entrepreneurs does

h'up entrepreneurs is a French non-profit association governed by loi 1901 d'intérêt général, founded in 2011 and headquartered in Paris. Originally created as UPTIH (Union Professionnelle des Travailleurs Indépendants Handicapés), it was rebranded in 2017 to its current identity with the positioning "handicapés sûrement, entrepreneurs avant tout" (disabled certainly, entrepreneurs first). The association supports entrepreneurs with disabilities — those born with a disability, those who have acquired one, and those at risk of disability — through a portfolio of programs: Déclics h'up (exploration), Parrainage de compétences (expert mentorship matching), H'up académie (training), Sport & Beyond (sport + entrepreneurship, launched 2026), Parcours Femme ENTREPRENEURE (women-focused pathway), H'UP CONNECT (networking platform), Rebonds TIH (rebuilding after acquired disability), and the annual Trophées h'up awards.

The organization operates a thin salaried team of 1-10 employees supported by 450+ expert volunteers, and runs 5 regional offices (Paris/Île-de-France, Lyon/Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Strasbourg/Grand-Est, Lille/Hauts-de-France, and Rennes/Bretagne). Underlying technology is limited to a content website and community platform; the core delivery model is human-to-human mentorship rather than software.

The business model is a non-profit funding stack rather than a revenue model. Services are free to beneficiaries, with operating funds drawn from three streams: (1) individual donations (starting at €10) that are tax-deductible thanks to the intérêt général designation, (2) annual membership fees, and (3) corporate mécénat (sponsorship) from a diverse roster including Entrepreneur Invest, GAN Assurances, Association Demain, AG2R La Mondiale, Fondation Malakoff Humanis Handicap, ING France, Fondation PwC, Lacoste, MMA Assurances, STEF, and Fondation Entreprendre. Go-to-market is community-led and event-driven: the Trophées h'up awards and regional apéros/workshops serve as the primary visibility and engagement vehicles, with content distributed via LinkedIn, Facebook, X, YouTube, the blog, and the Hey! magazine.

Name

h'up entrepreneurs

Legal name

H'up entrepreneurs

Website

https://h-up.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

h'up entrepreneurs is a French non-profit association (loi 1901) that supports entrepreneurs with disabilities through expert mentorship, training, and community programs across 5 regions in France, funded by donations, memberships, and corporate sponsorship.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Disability Entrepreneurship Support Services

NAICS

Other Similar Organizations (except Business, Professional, Labor, and Political Organizations) (81399)

akta.pro primary industry

Entrepreneurship & Small Business Workforce Programs (EDAAAOAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Entrepreneurship Foundations & Startup Basics (EDAMAHAA), Leadership, Management & Teamwork for Business (EDAMAHAI), Small Business & Entrepreneurship Community Education (EDAAAFAK)

Keywords

• Disability entrepreneurship support
• Nonprofit association services
• Business mentorship matching
• Entrepreneur support programs
• Disability employment advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and charitable contributions: As an association recognized as 'intérêt général' (public interest), h'up receives donations from individuals and companies. Donations are tax-deductible under French law.
2. Membership fees: Annual membership fees for entrepreneurs and supporters joining the association.
3. Mécénat (Corporate sponsorship): Long-term corporate sponsorship relationships with companies like Entrepreneur Invest, GAN Assurances, Association Demain, and others who provide financial support.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

H'up entrepreneurs is a French non-profit association (loi 1901 d'intérêt général) that supports entrepreneurs with disabilities in creating, sustaining, and growing their businesses. It delivers free support programs including expert volunteer mentorship, training academies, dedicated pathways for women entrepreneurs, networking events, and an annual awards ceremony (Trophées h'up), funded through donations, memberships, and corporate sponsorship across five French regions.

Product overview

H'up entrepreneurs is a non-profit association (loi 1901) that provides a comprehensive ecosystem of programs and services to support entrepreneurs with disabilities in France. The organization offers multiple interconnected programs including Déclics h'up for exploration, Parrainage de compétences for mentorship, H'up académie for training, and sport & beyond for holistic development. Specialized pathways like Parcours Femme Entrepreneure address specific demographics, while H'UP CONNECT provides community networking. The Expert projet bénévole service matches entrepreneurs with volunteer professionals, and the annual Trophées h'up awards program celebrates achievements. Rebonds TIH supports those rebuilding after acquired disability. The organization operates through regional offices across France including Paris, Lyon, Strasbourg, Lille, and Rennes.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Déclics h'up: Program exploring entrepreneurship for people with disabilities
• Parrainage de compétences
• H'up académie
• Sport & Beyond
• Parcours Femme ENTREPRENEURE
• Trophées h'up
• Hey! Le Mag
• H'up Connect

Products and services

• Déclics h'up Program designed to help entrepreneurs explore entrepreneurship, providing initial guidance and discovery tools for people with disabilities considering business creation.
• Parrainage de compétences Mentorship program connecting entrepreneurs with disabilities to experienced volunteer professionals who provide guidance and expertise for business development.
• H'up académie Academy program offering structured training and development resources for entrepreneurs with disabilities.
• Sport & Beyond Program combining sports activities with entrepreneurship support, launched to promote inclusion through athletic engagement.
• Parcours Femme Entrepreneure Dedicated pathway supporting women entrepreneurs with disabilities through specialized coaching and resources.
• H'UP CONNECT Networking platform connecting entrepreneurs with disabilities to build community, share experiences, and create business opportunities.
• Rebonds TIH Program supporting disabled independent workers (TIH — Travailleurs Indépendants Handicapés) who need to rebuild their professional activity after acquiring a disability.
• Trophées h'up Annual awards program celebrating and highlighting the achievements of entrepreneurs with disabilities, featuring categories for creators, experienced entrepreneurs, and special awards.
• Expert projet bénévole Volunteer expert matching service connecting entrepreneurs with disabilities to professional volunteers who provide project-specific expertise in areas such as finance, marketing, and business strategy.
• Hey! Le Mag Digital magazine featuring entrepreneur profiles, success stories, and insights focused on disability and entrepreneurship.

Quantifiable outcome

• 540 entrepreneurs with disabilities participated in the ENATIH national study
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• PayPalminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 May 2026Immersion visit hosted at PayPal offices, providing networking opportunity for h'up entrepreneurs.
• Association DemaincoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 January 2026Co-mécène with GAN Assurances in renewed partnership. Joint support for entrepreneurship and disability initiatives.
• HandiLexcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 June 2019Partnership for legal support and information access for entrepreneurs with disabilities. Joint webinars, training, and legal guidance.
• AG2R La MondialecoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 10 June 2019Corporate partner providing visibility for h'up Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes entrepreneurs at Open Sopra Steria tennis tournament.
• Entreprendre&+minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 December 2017Partner supporting annual events and programs for entrepreneurs with disabilities.
• CEFRAminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 November 2017Co-created first charter for employment of people with disabilities at the #NouvelleÈre Congress.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• Agefiph: French organization managing the fund for professional insertion of people with disabilities. Related ecosystem player in the French disability-employment space, though focused on employment rather than entrepreneurship.
• France Travail (formerly Pôle Emploi): French public employment agency. Adjacent as a public-sector actor addressing employment outcomes, including for people with disabilities, but not focused on entrepreneurship.

Regional players

• Cap Emploi: National French network specialized in supporting employment and professional integration of people with disabilities. Comparable mission focus on disability employment, though not entrepreneurship-specific.

Direct peers

• ADIE (Association pour le Droit à l'Initiative Économique): French non-profit providing microcredit and business support to entrepreneurs excluded from traditional banking, including marginalized populations. Direct peer in French entrepreneurial support for underserved groups.
• France Active: French network financing and supporting social entrepreneurs and solidarity-based enterprises. Comparable in funding model (mécénat, public-interest recognition) and entrepreneur-support mission.
• BGE Réseau (Boutique de Gestion): National French network supporting business creation and development, especially for those without traditional access. Directly comparable as a non-profit entrepreneurship support organization operating across France.
• Réseau Entreprendre: French non-profit network of business leaders mentoring entrepreneurs and providing loan capital. Directly comparable volunteer-led peer-mentorship model for French business creators.
• Initiative France: Federation of local associations providing zero-interest loans and mentoring to French entrepreneurs. Comparable as a French non-profit offering volunteer-led mentorship and partner-supported financing for business creators.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/h_up_uptih
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCO1eYttBOXJaCKUXA7BoWeg
• Facebookfacebook.com/h.up.entrepreneurs
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/association-uptih-union-professionnelle-des-travailleurs-ind%C3%A9pendants-handicap%C3%A9s-

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 h'up entrepreneurs