Réseau Les Premières

What Réseau Les Premières does

Réseau Les Premières (legally Fédération Les Premières) is a French non-profit association founded in 2003 by Frédérique Clavel, originally as 'Les Pionnières', to support women entrepreneurs and mixed teams in creating innovative businesses across France and internationally. The federation operates a distributed network of 25 regional antennas spanning metropolitan France (Île-de-France, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, Bretagne, Occitanie, Sud), overseas territories (Guadeloupe, Guyane, Martinique), and international locations (Congo, Luxembourg), delivering a stage-gated portfolio of eight incubation programs — START-1ère (ideation), CHOOSE-1ère (career decision), GO-1ère (creation), BOOST-1ère (development), PLAY-1ère (scale), SWITCH-1ère (repreneuriat), DEEP TECH-1ère (research spin-offs), and Premières de Cordée (priority urban neighborhoods under EQ2030). Underlying infrastructure combines the in-person regional incubator footprint with the 'En Premières' community application (15,000+ entrepreneur members), Airtable-based intake forms, and structured mentorship matching across an expert network spanning business strategy, finance, digital marketing, and sector-specific advisory. The organization accompanies approximately 1,300 entrepreneurs annually and reports an 85% three-year business survival rate among participants.

Name

Réseau Les Premières

Legal name

Fédération Les Premières

Website

https://lespremieres.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Réseau Les Premières is a French non-profit federation operating 25 regional incubators that deliver eight stage-gated incubation programs (ideation through repreneuriat) to approximately 1,300 women entrepreneurs and mixed teams annually across France, its overseas territories, and selected international markets.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Business Incubation and Entrepreneurship Support Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (61171), Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (54)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Accelerators & Incubators (Investor-Operated) (FSANAAAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Business Planning, Pitching & Competitions (Pitch Decks, Demo Days) (EDAMAHAB), Entrepreneurship, Business & Innovation Camps (EDAMALAL)

Keywords

• Women entrepreneurship incubation
• Startup acceleration programs
• Female founder support
• Regional incubator network
• Business takeover programs

Headquarters

HQ city

France (National Federation)

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices12 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Public Funding & Institutional Grants: Les Premières operates as an association d'intérêt général recognized d'utilité publique, funded substantially by public institutions including Bpifrance, Banque des Territoires, French Ministry of Economy, Ministry for Gender Equality, regional councils (Île-de-France, Guyane), French Tech, ANCT, and the government EQ2030 initiative. This constitutes the primary revenue base enabling free or subsidized program delivery.
2. Program Fees (SWITCH): The SWITCH repreneuriat program carries a stated value of 5,600 € per entrepreneur. Some programs require paid membership/adhesion to Les Premières, with fees varying by region. This represents a direct revenue stream from participants.
3. Mécénat / Private Philanthropy: Private sector partners (Bpifrance, BNP Paribas, Fondation Entreprendre, MAAF, VINCI, JP Morgan, Agipi, Covea, Armstrong, Epigo, In Extenso, GRDF Foundation, and others) provide financial support as grands mécènes and private donors, with donations facilitated via HelloAsso platform. Fundraising campaigns and corporate sponsorship represent an additional revenue channel.
4. Event Revenue & Sponsorships: Flagship events such as Make Her Day, Ambition Days, and WE Days generate revenue through ticket sales, sponsorship packages, and partner activations. Events are also supported by institutional partners (e.g., Collectivité Territoriale de Guyane for Make Her Day 2023).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels12 records

Core offering

Réseau Les Premières is a national federation of 25 regional incubators and antennas that provides stage-gated incubation and acceleration programs for women entrepreneurs and mixed teams across France, overseas territories, and internationally. Its core offering consists of eight programs (START-1ère, CHOOSE-1ère, GO-1ère, BOOST-1ère, PLAY-1ère, SWITCH-1ère, DEEP TECH-1ère, Premières de Cordée) covering the full entrepreneurial lifecycle from ideation through deep tech startup creation and business takeover, complemented by the En Premières community app, the Make Her Day annual event, and publications.

Product overview

Réseau Les Premières operates as a national incubator network providing a comprehensive support ecosystem for women entrepreneurs and mixed teams across France, overseas territories, and internationally. The offering consists of eight distinct programs organized by entrepreneurial stage: START-1ère (ideation workshops), CHOOSE-1ÈRE (career path exploration), GO-1ère (full incubation), PREMIÈRES DE CORDÉE (urban priority program), BOOST-1ère (development acceleration), PLAY-1ère (scale-up acceleration), SWITCH-1ère (business takeover), and DEEP TECH-1ère (deep tech startup creation). These programs are delivered through 25 regional antennas and complemented by the En Premières community app for networking, Make Her Day annual events, and the 100& Entre-preneures publication. The portfolio spans from pre-launch exploration through scale-up, covering creation, acceleration, and business succession.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• START-1\u00e8re A 2-day intensive workshop program helping aspiring women entrepreneurs validate their project idea, identify their entrepreneurial profile, and build foundational business model skills. Part of the federation's stage-gated program portfolio.
• CHOOSE-1\u00e8re A 2-day exploratory workshop helping women clarify their entrepreneurial path, assess their readiness, and decide between creation, takeover, or partnership through the F.A.I.R.E profiling tool.
• GO-1\u00e8re A 6-month intensive incubation program with 130 hours of collective training designed to help women entrepreneurs build ambitious, sustainable businesses with structured coaching and peer co-development.
• Premi\u00e8res de Cord\u00e9e A personalized accompaniment program under the Entrepreneuriat Quartiers 2030 initiative, offering four distinct tracks: \u00c9mergence (6 months), Cr\u00e9ation Individuelle (12 months), Cr\u00e9ation D\u00e9veloppement (12 months), and Cr\u00e9ation TPE/PME (12 months) for women entrepreneurs and mixed teams in priority urban neighborhoods (QPV). Free to participants.
• BOOT-1\u00e8re (BOOST-1\u00e8re) A flexible development acceleration program lasting 12-36 months offering on-demand sessions to strengthen business models, prepare recruitment, explore new markets, and support fundraising efforts for women entrepreneurs.
• PLAY-1\u00e8re A 12-month growth acceleration program with 30 hours of individual coaching and 60 hours of collective training focused on structuring commercial strategy, strengthening business plans, and scaling revenue for women entrepreneurs.
• SWITCH-1\u00e8re A two-phase business takeover (repreneuriat) program combining a 4-week intensive course (44 hours) with 9 months of personalized support to help women acquire and transform existing companies. Program value \u20ac5,600 per entrepreneur.
• DEEP TECH-1\u00e8re A 12-month deep tech incubation program for women and mixed teams from research labs, supporting the transition from R&D to startup through coaching, strategic planning, team building, and deep tech funding preparation.
• En Premi\u00e8res Community App A dedicated mobile application providing community access for networking with over 15,000 women entrepreneurs, accessing expertise, and benefiting from peer support in a trusted environment structured around three pillars: Bienveillance, Collectif, and Expertise.
• Make Her Day Annual Event The network's flagship annual national event celebrating female entrepreneurship with role models, workshops, networking, and the Prix Premi\u00e8res Trop Fi\u00e8res awards. Generates ticket sales, sponsorship packages, and partner activations while serving as the federation's primary visibility and recruitment platform.
• 100& Entre-preneures Book A book published in 2024 celebrating the network's 20th anniversary, featuring 100 inspiring stories of women entrepreneurs who have built innovative and impactful businesses through Les Premi\u00e8res programs.

Quantifiable outcome

• 85% sustainability rate at 3 years for incubated companies — significantly above the French average for new ventures
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers16 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

Feature4 records

Partnerships

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

• ArmstrongsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerAgence de communication partenaire historique des Premières. Sandrine Breton, Directrice générale d'Armstrong, témoigne avoir été profondément touchée par la conférence des Premières et agir pour promouvoir l'organisation à travers des actions de communication.
• French Tech TremplinmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerProgramme de la French Tech soutenu par Bpifrance qui aide les porteurs de projet à tester leurs capacités entrepreneuriales et lancer leur entreprise à grande échelle. En partenariat avec Les Premières, notamment pour les programmes GO et la région Nouvelle-Aquitaine. A permis à Mayana Elbaz (Persil & Romarin) de doubler son CA en 2022.
• Collectif Cap CréacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollectif reunissant 27 structures associatives d'accompagnement et Bpifrance, dont Les Premières est membre. Le collectif travaille de concert pour démultiplier les opportunités des entrepreneurEs et ne laisser personne sur le côté. Membres incluent : 100,000 Entrepreneurs, ADIE, Force Femmes, Femmes des Territoires, Sport dans la Ville, Action'elles, Réseau Initiative France, Les Entrepreneurs Affranchis, etc.
• French TechsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerFrench Tech Tremplin et French Tech Grand Paris / French Tech community. Partenariat permettant aux femmes entrepreneures du réseau d'accéder aux programmes et événements French Tech, notamment pour les startups tech et deep tech.
• AWS (Amazon Web Services)supportingTechnology or IntegrationAWS est partenaire de l'écosystème des Premières, fournissant un soutien technologique et potentiellement des crédits cloud aux femmes entrepreneures du réseau, notamment pour les startups tech et deep tech.
• EpigosupportingTechnology or IntegrationEpigo, acteur de la tech/de l'innovation, soutient Les Premières en tant que partenaire privé de l'écosystème, apportant expertise et visibilité aux femmes entrepreneures.
• In ExtensosupportingTechnology or IntegrationRéseau d'expertise comptable et de conseil soutenant Les Premières, apportant des compétences en gestion, comptabilité et structuration financière aux entrepreneures accompagnées.
• URSSAFsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerURSSAF accompagne Les Premières dans la sensibilisation à l'entrepreneuriat féminin, notamment à travers la publication de statistiques annuelles sur la place des femmes dans le tissu économique français.
• Microsoft FrancesupportingTechnology or IntegrationPartenaire de l'écosystème entrepreneurial des Premières, apporteur de technologies et de visibilité pour les femmes entrepreneures du réseau.
• StripesupportingTechnology or IntegrationPartenaire technologique de l'écosystème des Premières, apportant des solutions de paiement aux entrepreneures et un soutien à la structuration的商业模式 de startups.
• OrangesupportingTechnology or IntegrationPartenaire de l'écosystème des Premières, acteur du numérique soutenant l'entrepreneuriat féminin à travers des solutions technologiques et des programmes de visibilité.
• Be a BosssupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerLes Premières est partenaire du Be a Boss Tour (10e édition), salon national de l'entrepreneuriat féminin. Les deux organisations collaborent pour organiser des événements régionaux et connecter les entrepreneures à des experts et investisseurs.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Bpifrance: French public investment bank — both a major funder of Les Premières and a broad incumbent operating its own nationwide entrepreneur support programs (including for women via EQ2030). Overlapping capabilities and target customer base.
• Station F: World's largest startup campus in Paris, operating general-purpose incubator and accelerator programs. Broad incumbent in French entrepreneurship support with wider portfolio than Les Premières' women-focused niche.

Direct peers

• France Active: National network financing and supporting social and solidarity economy entrepreneurs (ESS), including women entrepreneurs. Comparable federation structure, public funding model, and mission-aligned target segments.
• Initiative France: Federation of associative business creation support platforms across France, providing zero-interest loans and mentoring. Co-member of Collectif Cap Créa; comparable federation model and overlapping entrepreneur support mission.
• Force Femmes: French non-profit supporting women (re)entering the workforce, including via entrepreneurship. Direct peer in the women-focused support space; both are Collectif Cap Créa members and compete for the same population and institutional grant funding.
• Réseau Entreprendre: National French network of entrepreneur support associations providing incubation and mentoring to business creators, structurally analogous to Les Premières but gender-neutral. Competes for the same Bpifrance funding and entrepreneur mindshare.
• ADIE: Association pour le Droit à l'Initiative Économique — microcredit and entrepreneurship support organization focused on underserved populations. Member of Collectif Cap Créa; comparable model of locally-embedded support with public funding.
• Femmes Chefs d'Entreprises (FCE France): Federation of women business leaders in France providing networking and mutual support. Comparable women-focused support mission and federation structure, though more senior/experienced founder segment than Les Premières' early-stage focus.

Emerging players

• 100,000 Entrepreneurs: French non-profit focused on entrepreneurship education and awareness for youth; Collectif Cap Créa co-member. Emerging player with overlapping entrepreneur development mission but different (younger) target segment.
• Be a Boss: French media and event platform dedicated to women entrepreneurship, running the Be a Boss Tour. Direct mission overlap with Les Premières; partners on events. Smaller scale and content/event focus vs Les Premières' incubation delivery.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/LesPrem1eres
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/lespremi-res
• Instagraminstagram.com/lespremieresreseau

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles23 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 Réseau Les Premières