La French Tech Rennes St Malo

What La French Tech Rennes St Malo does

La French Tech Rennes St Malo, operating under the legal name Le Poool, is the designated innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem hub for the Brittany region of France. Founded in 2015 and headquartered at 2 rue de la Mabilais in Rennes, the organization functions as a non-profit association that connects early-stage entrepreneurs, growth-stage startups, SMEs, large enterprises (EDF, Orange, Capgemini, Crédit Mutuel, CIC Ouest), higher education and research institutions (notably Inria), and public funders into a single coordinated community of 500+ active members. Its stated mission is to guide innovative entrepreneurs through the full lifecycle from ideation to scaling, and it claims 30 years of accumulated expertise in innovation support, producing 27 newly created companies in 2024.

The core offering is a community-plus-services platform built around five product surfaces: (1) a member directory and self-serve digital portal (annuaire.lepoool.tech, my.lepoool.tech); (2) entrepreneur pathway programs (Incubation x Le Poool, Ambition x Le Poool, Entrepreneurs x Le Poool); (3) thematic acceleration programs (Booster Bretagne, Deeptech Bretagne, Cyber Booster, Essor, Lab Rennes St Malo); (4) national French Tech programs administered locally (French Tech Tremplin, FT120/Next40, French Tech Rise); and (5) physical workspace services (coworking, Startup Hôtel, pépinières, meeting room rental) plus expert services (Advisory Board, Communauté de Mentors, French Tech Central). Proprietary technology is limited to a community directory and member portal; the competitive differentiation rests on the curated network and institutional access rather than software IP.

The business model is publicly funded rather than commercially driven. Operating revenue is sourced from institutional grants and partnership contributions from French Tech, Région Bretagne, Rennes Métropole, Saint-Malo Agglomération, and BPI France, supplemented by corporate partner contributions and likely workspace/event fees (not publicly disclosed). The go-to-market is community-led: digital presence (lepoool.tech, newsletter, LinkedIn/Twitter) drives top-of-funnel awareness, while events (Imagine Summit, Start-up on the Beach, What's Up Écosystème, Matinale des entrepreneurs) and direct program enrollment handle mid-funnel conversion. No pricing is publicly disclosed, and there is no evidence of equity ownership, venture funding, or M&A activity.

Name

La French Tech Rennes St Malo

Legal name

Le Poool

Website

https://lafrenchtech-rennes.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

La French Tech Rennes St Malo (legal name Le Poool) is a publicly funded, non-profit innovation hub in Brittany, France that connects 500+ startup founders, corporates, researchers, and public institutions through incubation, acceleration, workspace, and event programs under the national French Tech framework.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Startup Ecosystem & Innovation Hub Services

NAICS

Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services (5416)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Facilities Support Management Services (8744)

akta.pro primary industry

Makerspace, Innovation Lab & Fab Lab Operations (Tools, Safety, Programming) (EDAEAGAI)

Keywords

• Startup incubation programs
• Innovation ecosystem services
• Entrepreneurship community
• Coworking workspace services
• Tech accelerator programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Rennes

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Public funding and institutional support: Supported by public institutions including French Tech, Région Bretagne, Rennes Métropole, Saint-Malo Agglomération, and BPI France. Revenue appears to come primarily from institutional/public funding rather than commercial revenue streams.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

La French Tech Rennes St Malo (Le Poool) operates a regional innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem hub delivering incubation, acceleration, mentorship and workspace programs to startups, SMEs, large enterprises and research institutions in Brittany, France. Its core deliverables include structured entrepreneur programs (Incubation, Ambition, Booster Bretagne, Deeptech Bretagne, Cyber Booster, Essor, Lab Rennes St Malo), French Tech national programs (French Tech Tremplin, FT120 Next40, French Tech Rise), physical workspace services (coworking, Startup Hôtel, pépinières, meeting rooms), expert services (Communauté de Mentors, Advisory Board, French Tech Central), and a digital member directory and event programming connecting more than 500 ecosystem members.

Product overview

Le Poool serves as the central innovation hub for the La French Tech Rennes St Malo ecosystem. The platform operates as a community-plus-services model comprising: (1) the core community platform with member directory for networking among 500+ members; (2) multiple acceleration programs including Incubation x Le Poool, Ambition x Le Poool, Booster Bretagne, Deeptech Bretagne, Cyber Booster, Essor, and Lab Rennes St Malo; (3) French Tech national programs including French Tech Tremplin, FT120 Next40, and French Tech Rise; (4) workspace services including Coworking, Startup Hôtel, Les pépinières, and Location salles; (5) expert services including Advisory Board, French Tech Central, and Communauté de Mentors; and (6) event programming including Imagine Summit, Start-up on the beach, What's Up Écosystème, and Matinale des entrepreneurs. The platform also supports responsible innovation through the Collectif Numérique Responsable initiative.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Incubation x Le Poool Regional incubation program that guides entrepreneurs through the startup creation process with structured support, resources and access to the Le Poool ecosystem.
• Ambition x Le Poool Growth acceleration program for established startups seeking to scale their operations within the Brittany innovation ecosystem.
• Entrepreneurs x Le Poool Entrepreneur pathway connecting founders with the broader innovation community, mentors and support resources across Brittany.
• Booster Bretagne Regional acceleration program supporting business development and growth for innovative companies across Brittany.
• Deeptech Bretagne Specialized program for deeptech startups leveraging advanced technologies and research-based innovations in partnership with Inria and regional research bodies.
• Cyber Booster Cybersecurity-focused acceleration program supporting the development and growth of cyber startups in the Brittany ecosystem.
• Essor Program supporting the growth and development of innovative companies in the Brittany region.
• Lab Rennes St Malo Innovation lab program fostering experimental projects and collaborative innovation in the Rennes–Saint-Malo territory.
• French Tech Tremplin National French Tech program supporting early-stage founders from underrepresented backgrounds to launch their startups, delivered locally in Brittany.
• FT120 Next40 National program connecting high-growth potential companies with the French Tech Next40/120 label and ecosystem support.
• French Tech Rise National program supporting the rise of emerging tech companies within the French Tech ecosystem.
• Coworking Shared workspace facilities offering flexible desk arrangements for startups, founders and innovators at the Rennes headquarters.
• Startup Hôtel Incubator workspace providing dedicated facilities for early-stage startups during their formation phase at the Rennes headquarters.
• Les pépinières Business nursery facilities offering supported workspace and resources for emerging companies in the ecosystem.
• Location salles Meeting room and event space rental services available to community members and external organizations at the Rennes site.
• Communauté de Mentors Mentor community connecting experienced professionals with entrepreneurs for guidance, expertise and knowledge sharing.
• Advisory Board Strategic advisory board providing high-level guidance and industry expertise to ecosystem members and partner organizations.
• French Tech Central Centralized service hub for accessing French Tech resources, support and expert guidance at the regional level.
• Annuaire des membres Member directory enabling discovery, visibility and networking among the 500+ member companies, startups and innovators in the ecosystem.
• Imagine Summit Annual summit event bringing together innovators, entrepreneurs, investors and ecosystem stakeholders for networking and knowledge exchange.
• Start-up on the Beach Beach-based startup event combining innovation programming with informal networking opportunities in the Saint-Malo territory.
• What's Up Écosystème Regular ecosystem update sessions sharing news, programs and developments across the Brittany tech community.
• Matinale des entrepreneurs Morning networking events for entrepreneurs to connect with peers and share experiences across the ecosystem.

Quantifiable outcome

• 27 companies created in 2024

Named customers1 record

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

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and supporting.

• Région BretagnecoreOthersRegional government authority providing institutional funding and strategic support to the innovation ecosystem. Primary public backer of La French Tech Rennes St Malo initiatives.
• Rennes MétropolecoreOthersMetropolitan authority for Rennes area providing funding and institutional support for regional innovation development.
• Saint-Malo AgglomérationcoreOthersSaint-Malo metropolitan authority partnering to extend innovation ecosystem reach across the broader region.
• French TechcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational French Tech initiative providing the branded framework and access to national programs including French Tech Tremplin, Next40, and French Tech Rise.
• InriamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrench National Institute for Research in Computer Science and Automation, supporting deeptech and research-based innovation.
• Le Village by CAmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAgricultural bank's startup village program providing coworking space and ecosystem access for innovative startups.
• Crédit MutuelsupportingOthersRegional banking partner providing financial services and potential investment support to ecosystem members.
• CIC OuestsupportingOthersRegional bank partner providing financial services to innovation ecosystem participants.
• EDFsupportingOthersEnergy company partner supporting innovation initiatives and sustainable development projects in the ecosystem.
• EnedissupportingOthersElectricity distribution network operator partner supporting energy transition and innovation projects.
• CapgeminisupportingOthersGlobal consulting and technology services firm providing expertise and potential mentorship to ecosystem startups.
• OrangesupportingOthersTelecommunications partner supporting digital innovation initiatives in the ecosystem.
• KlaxoonsupportingOthersLocal tech company providing collaboration tools and expertise to ecosystem initiatives.
• La RuchemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational network of incubators and coworking spaces for socially innovative projects, extending ecosystem reach.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• NUMA: Paris-based innovation hub running acceleration programs, corporate innovation consulting, and a startup community. Highly comparable to Le Poool in operating model (programs + community + corporate partnerships), with overlap in target deeptech and digital verticals.

Broad incumbents

• Station F: Largest startup campus in the world, based in Paris. Operates a massive incubation/acceleration platform hosting thousands of startups and dozens of partner programs — directly comparable as a French innovation hub operator, though at far greater scale and with a national/international catchment.
• Le Village by CA: Crédit Agricole's national network of startup villages offering coworking, acceleration, and corporate-startup connection. Already a strategic partner of Le Poool, but operates at national scale as a peer ecosystem platform with similar services (workspace, programs, events).

Regional players

• Euratechnologies: Tech incubator and innovation hub in Lille/Hauts-de-France operating incubation, acceleration, and workspace services with strong regional institutional backing. Directly mirrors Le Poool's regional hub model with public funding and corporate partner ecosystem.
• Paris&Co: Paris-based economic development and innovation agency running multiple thematic incubators (deeptech, greentech, health). Comparable as a publicly-backed regional hub operator offering incubation, workspace, and corporate connection programs.
• H7 (Lyon): Lyon-based innovation hub providing workspace, acceleration programs, and event venues. Operates as a comparable regional tech hub with institutional and corporate backing, hosting entrepreneur communities in a French metropolitan ecosystem.
• Technopôle de l'Aube en Champagne: French regional innovation park providing incubation, acceleration, and workspace services for tech and deeptech startups. Comparable as a publicly-supported regional hub operator with similar stakeholder mix (research institutions, corporates, regional government).

Peers

• La Ruche: National network of incubators and coworking spaces focused on social and digital innovation. Strategic partner of Le Poool, but also a peer organization offering coworking, incubation, and community programs across multiple French cities.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/LaFTRSM_Int
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/la-cantine-num-rique-rennaise
• Facebookfacebook.com/La.french.tech.rennes.stmalo

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 La French Tech Rennes St Malo