What Femmes & Challenges does

Femmes & Challenges is a regional, non-profit professional network and support ecosystem for women entrepreneurs, business leaders, and project carriers in Normandy, France. Founded in 2017 and headquartered in Rouen at 4 Passage de la Luciline, the organization is an initiative of CCI Normandie (Chambre de Commerce et d'Industrie Normandie), a public administrative establishment that provides institutional backing, resources, and credibility. The network operates as a horizontal community-organization across Normandy territories (Rouen, Le Havre, Lisieux, Deauville, Évreux, and others), animated by volunteer Ambassadrices, and reaches approximately 300 active members plus a broader community of 20,000+ across its digital channels.

The organization delivers a multi-product ecosystem that combines networking events (Cafés, Forum, Récits Croisés), training (Masterclass, L'Academy), mentorship (Le Mentoring), financial support (Le Fund — zero-interest prêts d'honneur), educational outreach (Le Comité Promotion), a closed business referral format (Business Club), and an annual awards ceremony (Les Victoires). The technology layer is intentionally minimal: the network runs on community engagement, physical events, and a content-marketing website (femmesetchallenges.fr), with no proprietary software platform, app, or API disclosed. Its primary distribution channels are direct membership enrollment, event-based access, and channel partnerships with regional institutions.

Femmes & Challenges generates revenue through recurring annual membership fees from women entrepreneurs and business leaders (pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed) and event participation fees for paid signature programs including the Forum, Victoires, Masterclass, and Récits Croisés. Additional revenue is derived from corporate partnerships and the Normandie Talents initiative co-built with AD Normandie. Audrey Régnier has served as President since 2024, succeeding Léa Lassarat, and the organization is currently advancing its first international initiative (F&C International, with a Serbia delegation planned for May 2026) and an expanded Business Club format.

Name

Femmes & Challenges

Legal name

CCI Normandie

Website

https://femmesetchallenges.fr

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Femmes & Challenges is a non-profit regional network and support ecosystem, initiated by CCI Normandie, that develops female entrepreneurship in Normandy through events, mentoring, funding, training, and awards for women business owners, executives, and project carriers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Networking and Women Entrepreneurship Support

NAICS

Business Associations (813910), Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139), Convention and Trade Show Organizers (561920), Convention and Trade Show Organizers (56192)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Conferences & Conventions Operations Services (Registration, AV, Logistics) (MPAGAGAM)

Keywords

• Women entrepreneurship network
• Professional networking events
• Business mentoring programs
• Entrepreneurship training programs
• Peer business clubs

Headquarters

HQ city

Rouen

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership fees: The network generates revenue through annual membership fees from women entrepreneurs, business leaders, and project carriers who join the network for access to events, mentoring, business development opportunities, and peer support.
2. Event participation fees: Revenue generated from paid participation in signature events including the annual Forum, Victoires awards ceremonies, Masterclass sessions, and Récits Croisés conferences.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

Femmes & Challenges operates a regional membership-based network in Normandy, France, supporting women entrepreneurs and business leaders through territory-based networking events (Cafés), training sessions (Masterclass), inspirational conferences (Récits Croisés), a Mentoring program, a zero-interest Fund (prêt d'honneur), an intrapreneurship Academy (L'Academy), educational outreach (Comité Promotion), a bimonthly Business Club, an annual Forum, and the annual Victoires awards ceremony. The organization is an initiative of CCI Normandie and generates revenue primarily through membership fees and paid event participation.

Product overview

Femmes & Challenges is a unified network and support ecosystem for women entrepreneurs in Normandy, France, organized by CCI Normandie. The core offering consists of the regional network itself, supplemented by multiple interconnected programs: Les Cafés (territory-based monthly business meetings), Les Masterclass (training sessions), Les Récits Croisés (inspirational conference events), L'Academy (intrapreneurship training for companies), Le Fund (zero-interest loan program), Le Mentoring (mentorship), Le Comité Promotion (educational outreach), Business Club (bimonthly closed business networking), and annual events including Le Forum and Les Victoires awards ceremony. Together, these products provide a comprehensive ecosystem supporting female entrepreneurship from awareness through funding, training, networking, and recognition.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Les Cafés Femmes & Challenges Monthly business meetings organized in different territories across Normandy, bringing together women entrepreneurs for networking, knowledge sharing, and peer support. Free initial attendance offered as an acquisition funnel.
• Les Masterclass Educational training sessions focused on skill development and business capabilities for women entrepreneurs and business leaders.
• Les Récits Croisés Conference-style events featuring testimonials from inspiring women entrepreneurs, combining talks with networking opportunities around themes like conviction, influence, and action.
• L'Academy Training program for companies looking to develop intrapreneurship among their employees, focusing on entrepreneurial skills and mindset and targeting HR and executive leadership buyers.
• Le Fund Financial support program providing zero-interest loans (prêt d'honneur) to help women entrepreneurs launch and develop their businesses.
• Le Mentoring Mentorship program connecting experienced entrepreneurs with emerging business women for guidance and professional development.
• Le Comité Promotion Committee dedicated to promoting entrepreneurship awareness in educational institutions, targeting schools and students in Normandy.
• Business Club by Femmes & Challenges Bimonthly business club meetings focused on business opportunities, recommendations between members, and exchanges between women entrepreneurs. Available in Rouen and Le Havre as a closed group limited to 20 members.
• Le Forum Femmes & Challenges Annual flagship event bringing together women entrepreneurs for a large-scale forum with keynotes, networking, and celebration. The 7th edition was held at Zénith Rouen Normandie with 1,500 participants.
• Les Victoires Annual awards ceremony recognizing and celebrating women entrepreneurs' achievements and successes, including categories like 'Entreprise à impact' (Impact Enterprise). Editions documented from 2023 to 2026.
• Réseau Femmes & Challenges (Annual Membership) Annual membership subscription to the Femmes & Challenges regional network, providing access to Cafés, Business Club, Forum, Victoires, Masterclass, Mentoring, and the Fund program for women entrepreneurs, business leaders, and project carriers in Normandy.

Quantifiable outcome

• 300 active members in the network
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

23 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship, major and supporting.

• CCI NormandiecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCCI Normandie (Chambre de Commerce et d'Industrie Normandie) is the parent institution and founding partner of Femmes & Challenges. The organization is an initiative of the regional chamber of commerce, providing institutional backing, resources, and credibility to the network.
• Région NormandiecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Normandy Regional Council is a key institutional partner supporting the network's mission to develop female entrepreneurship in the region. Visible as a logo partner on the website.
• BPI FrancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBpifrance is a partner providing support for entrepreneurship and business development. The organization offers study data on transmission d'entreprises and maintains a Plan Transmission PME-ETI program referenced on the network's platform.
• AD Normandie (Agence de Développement Normandie)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Normandy Development Agency partnered on initiatives including Normandie Talents, a program supporting companies with recruitment, attractiveness, and talent retention challenges.
• Métropole Rouen NormandiecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Rouen Metropolitan area partners with the network, hosting major events including the Forum at Zénith Rouen Normandie and other initiatives.
• MTCAflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerMTCA is a trusted technical partner providing audiovisual expertise for major events. For the 7th Forum at Zénith Rouen Normandie (1,500 participants), MTCA deployed LED screens, 4K multi-camera capture, professional sound systems, and stage lighting. Founded in 1975, MTCA performs 1,800+ productions and 1,500 installations annually across Caen, Rouen, and Le Havre.
• Team France Export NormandiecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartners on international development initiatives including the Serbia delegation program (May 2026) and business matchmaking events for cross-border entrepreneurship.
• Femmes Chefs d'Entreprises (FCE France)majorGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-organizing partner for inter-network events like 'Normandes Ensemble', bringing together multiple female entrepreneurship networks in Normandy.
• Réseau Mampreneures FrancemajorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner network for the 'Normandes Ensemble' inter-network evening event, contributing to the collaborative female entrepreneurship ecosystem in Normandy.
• Femmes du MEDEFmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner network for collaborative events and initiatives supporting female business leadership.
• Femmes des TerritoiresmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerNetwork partner for inter-network collaboration and joint events.
• WiN NormandiemajorGTM or Marketing PartnerWomen in Nuclear Normandie network, partner for collaborative events promoting female leadership.
• Normandie PionnièresmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner network for inter-network collaboration and entrepreneurship support.
• APECsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociation pour l'Emploi des Cadres - partner supporting executive recruitment and career development initiatives.
• OrangesupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner providing visibility and support for the network.
• Les FranciscainessupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerVenue partner for the Victoires Femmes & Challenges awards ceremony reception.
• Urban ConnectsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner organization providing support and visibility for the network.
• Talenz AlteissupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner organization providing support for the network.
• PGS GroupesupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner organization providing support for the network.
• E.LeclercsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerRetail partner providing support and visibility for the network.
• UIMM NormandiesupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerUnion des Industries et Métallurgies partner organization.
• FFB Normandie (Fédération Française du Bâtiment)supportingGTM or Marketing PartnerBuilding federation partner supporting the network.
• REPRENVIS (Réseau de Prévention Normandie Violences Sexuelles)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner association working on prevention of sexual violence, collaborating on training offerings to member companies on workplace harassment prevention.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Force Femmes: National French association supporting women over 45 in professional transitions and entrepreneurship. Comparable membership-based, mission-driven nonprofit structure targeting female professional advancement.
• Femmes du MEDEF: MEDEF's female executive network supporting women business leaders in France. Operates a comparable member-network model targeting female executives and is a confirmed F&C partner for collaborative events.
• Les Premières: French impact incubator and network supporting women entrepreneurs in underserved areas through mentoring, training, and funding access — directly analogous to F&C's Cafés, Mentoring, and Fund programs.
• Women in Business (BPW France): International federation of Business and Professional Women clubs, including a French chapter. Operates a comparable professional women's network model with advocacy, networking, and leadership-development programming.
• Femmes Chefs d'Entreprises (FCE France): National federation of women business owner networks in France, directly comparable to Femmes & Challenges in mission and target audience. FCE France is already a documented GTM partner of F&C for inter-network events like 'Normandes Ensemble'.
• Femmes des Territoires: French network connecting elected women officials and entrepreneurs across French territories. Targets an overlapping regional-leader profile and is a confirmed partner of F&C.
• Réseau Mampreneures France: French network supporting women who combine entrepreneurship and motherhood, directly serving the same female entrepreneur audience. Confirmed partner of F&C for inter-network collaboration.

Broad incumbents

• Réseau Entreprendre: Established French entrepreneur network offering mentoring and honor loans to business creators, with a much larger national footprint. Compares via shared funding-and-mentoring mechanism (Le Fund + Le Mentoring overlap with Réseau Entreprendre's model).
• CCI Business: The national CCI business support ecosystem under which CCI Normandie operates. Compares as the parent-class institutional network providing business creation and development services across France.

Regional players

• Normandie Pionnières: Normandy-based network supporting women-led innovation and entrepreneurship, operating in the same regional geography as F&C and already a documented partner for inter-network collaboration.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Femmesetchallenges
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/femmesetchallenges
• Instagraminstagram.com/femmesetchallenges

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Femmes & Challenges