What Time2Start does

Time2Start is a French non-profit association (association loi 1901) headquartered in Montreuil, Ile-de-France, operating as an inclusive entrepreneurship incubator. Founded in 2016 by Hawa Dramé, an ESCP Europe graduate, the organization provides free, structured support to entrepreneurs originating from France's priority urban neighborhoods (quartiers populaires). Its program portfolio includes Impulsion (general incubation), Impulsion Food (food-sector specialization), Lev'Elle Up (women entrepreneurs), and Accélérateur Émergence (ideation-stage, delivered in connection with Bpifrance), complemented by the Fonds Sens interest-free loan facility, which issues loans starting at €3,000 with no guarantor, co-financier, or dossier-fee requirements.

The organization delivers its methodology through individual coaching, group workshops based on collective intelligence, and a bespoke in-house digital incubation/e-learning platform providing structured remote access to program content. It maintains coworking and event infrastructure at L'Atrium in Montreuil and L'Ascenseur in central Paris, and runs signature demand-generation events including the Pose ton idée pitch competition (10+ editions, 100+ projects presented, 3 laureates per edition) and the Grand Paris Entrepreneurs salon (3 editions, co-organized with ADIE). The permanent team of 7 staff is supplemented by 100+ volunteers, business coaches, and experts drawn from a partner base of 30+ institutional and corporate organizations.

Time2Start generates no fee revenue from entrepreneurs; instead it is funded through institutional grants and corporate partnerships (Bpifrance, KPMG, SFR, ADIE, La Fabrique 621). The organization has supported 245+ entrepreneurs across sectors such as food, fashion, mobility, beauty, education, and personal services, and is governed by a board including Erwan Kezzar (co-founder of Simplon.co), Habiba Addi (founder of YUMP accelerator), and Philippe Coquereau (RSM France). It is RGPD-compliant and operates solely within the Ile-de-France / Grand Paris region.

Name

Time2Start

Legal name

Time2Start

Website

https://time2start.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Time2Start is a French non-profit association that runs free incubation and acceleration programs for entrepreneurs from priority urban neighborhoods. Based in Montreuil, it serves 245+ founders across multiple sectors via coaching, a digital learning platform, interest-free loans, and signature events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Entrepreneurship Incubation and Acceleration Services

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Youth Business Incubators & Accelerators (EDAMAHAC)

Keywords

• Startup incubation programs
• Entrepreneurship acceleration services
• Inclusive entrepreneurship support
• Interest-free entrepreneur loans
• Entrepreneur coaching programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Montreuil

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 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. Incubation programs (free to entrepreneurs): Time2Start provides free incubation programs to entrepreneurs. As an association (non-profit), the organization is funded by institutional partners, grants, and corporate partnerships rather than by charging entrepreneurs. The Sens fund provides interest-free loans to entrepreneurs starting from €3,000, supporting the financial inclusion mission.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Time2Start provides free incubation and acceleration programs (Impulsion, Impulsion Food, Lev'Elle Up, Accélérateur Émergence) to entrepreneurs, primarily those from France's priority urban neighborhoods (quartiers populaires). Its offering combines individual business coaching, group workshops/masterclasses, an in-house e-learning platform, free coworking and event spaces (Montreuil and Paris), signature events (Pose ton idée, Grand Paris Entrepreneurs), and the Sens interest-free loan fund (loans from €3,000, no guarantor or dossier fees required).

Product overview

Time2Start is an entrepreneurship incubator/accelerator offering a portfolio of programs and services. The core offerings include Impulsion (main incubation program), Impulsion Food (food sector specialization), Lev'Elle Up (women entrepreneurs program), and Accélérateur Émergence (ideation-stage program). The ecosystem includes the Fonds Sens financing fund providing interest-free loans, coworking spaces in Paris and Montreuil, and event platforms including Pose ton idée (pitch competition) and Grand Paris Entrepreneurs (salon). A custom digital learning platform supports online incubation. Programs combine individual coaching, collective workshops, masterclasses, and networking within a network of business coaches, experts, and mentors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Sens: A financing fund offering interest-free loans starting from 3000 euros, with no co-funder requirements, no file fees, and no guarantor requirements.
• Impulsion
• Impulsion Food
• Lev'Elle Up
• Accélérateur Émergence
• Pose ton idée
• Grand Paris Entrepreneurs

Products and services

• Impulsion Main free incubation program for entrepreneurs at any stage of maturity, offering personalized follow-up, online platform access, expert network, practical workshops, coaching, and coworking space access.
• Impulsion Food Specialized incubation program for food sector entrepreneurs providing business support and guidance on industry-specific challenges (regulations, suppliers, distribution).
• Lev'Elle Up 12-month program exclusively dedicated to women entrepreneurs, offering practical workshops, masterclasses, individual coaching, co-development sessions, networking opportunities, and coworking access.
• Accélérateur Émergence Certifying, collective, and individual program for entrepreneurs at the ideation stage, providing tailored in-person and/or e-learning support to develop key entrepreneurship skills.
• Fonds Sens Financing fund offering interest-free loans starting from €3,000, without co-funder requirements, filing fees, or guarantor obligations.
• Coworking Spaces Free coworking access for program members at locations in Paris (L'Ascenseur, Bastille) and Montreuil (L'Atrium), plus access to event space in Paris.
• Pose ton idée Pitch competition event held across popular neighborhoods, giving entrepreneurs the opportunity to present their projects to a live audience; 3 laureates per edition receive Time2Start incubation and material prizes.
• Grand Paris Entrepreneurs Entrepreneurship salon event featuring strategic networking, inspiring conferences, and practical workshops for entrepreneurs in the Greater Paris region.
• Digital Learning Platform Custom online incubation platform developed in-house by Time2Start providing access to educational content, helping entrepreneurs understand key concepts and build their businesses step by step.

Quantifiable outcome

• 245 entrepreneurs supported since founding in 2016
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers12 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

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• BpifrancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBpifrance is a key institutional partner referenced in connection with the Accélérateur Émergence program. Time2Start directs entrepreneurs to Bpifrance's accelerator directory and collaborates on certification pathways for early-stage entrepreneurs.
• ADIE (Association pour le Droit à l'Initiative Économique)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerADIE co-organizes the Grand Paris Entrepreneurs salon with Time2Start. ADIE is a microfinance association supporting entrepreneurship in popular neighborhoods, making it a natural strategic partner for Time2Start's mission.
• La Fabrique 621minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLa Fabrique 621 organizes the Beauty For All (BFA) cosmetics salon. Time2Start is an official engaged partner, supporting the event and providing visibility for cosmetics and beauty entrepreneurs within its ecosystem.
• KPMG FrancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKPMG is listed among Time2Start's principal partners. As an expert accounting and advisory firm, KPMG likely provides pro-bono or discounted professional services (accounting, tax, financial advisory) to supported entrepreneurs.
• SFRminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSFR is listed among Time2Start's principal partners. As a major telecommunications provider, SFR may contribute technology infrastructure, connectivity, or sponsorship support for events and programs.
• BoltcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBolt, the European mobility platform, entered into a strategic partnership with Yuwway (a Time2Start alumni startup). The partnership was formalized at the Estonian Embassy, providing Yuwway with international expansion opportunities and validation as a serious mobility technology player.
• Apollo Sporting ClubminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThomas Jaquet operates the Apollo Sporting Club franchise in Lyon under license from the Paris-based Apollo Sporting Club brand. Time2Start supported Thomas in structuring this franchise launch, making Apollo Sporting Club a channel through which Time2Start's support model extends to new markets.
• Škoda AutominorGTM or Marketing PartnerŠkoda Auto awarded Yuwway (Time2Start alumni startup) the X-Mobility prize, providing recognition, a platform for visibility, and a growth opportunity for Yuwway in the connected mobility space.
• Habiba Addi (Board Member)coreOthersHabiba Addi serves on Time2Start's board of directors. She is a creator of multiple brands including eco-responsible ready-to-wear and a web TV channel, and she launched YUMP in PACA, an accelerator for entrepreneurs.
• Philippe Coquereau (Board Member)coreOthersPhilippe Coquereau serves on Time2Start's board as an independent administrator. He is an expert accountant and statutory auditor at RSM France with 30 years of experience in audit and accounting, and president of the HANDIVOILE associative foundation.
• Erwan Kezzar (Board Member)coreOthersErwan Kezzar serves on Time2Start's board. He is the co-founder of Simplon.co (founded at age 27 in 2013) and former Director of Simplon.co until 2017, now leading EKigai Stratégies. His expertise in social tech entrepreneurship strengthens Time2Start's strategic direction.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Simplon.co: French non-profit training inclusive tech talent from underserved neighborhoods. Direct peer in mission and target population; co-founder Erwan Kezzar sits on Time2Start's board, evidencing ecosystem overlap.
• La Ruche: Network of physical coworking and incubation spaces in France focused on social entrepreneurs. Comparable in providing free/subsidized workspace and peer community for impact founders; complements Time2Start's coworking offering.
• Makesense: France- and globally-active non-profit community supporting social entrepreneurs. Comparable as a free-membership entrepreneurship community with programs, events, and an explicit social-impact mission similar to Time2Start's inclusive-entrepreneurship framing.
• ADIE: French microfinance association supporting entrepreneurs excluded from traditional banking. Comparable mission and target population (popular-neighborhood founders); actually a Time2Start partner via Grand Paris Entrepreneurs co-organization.
• Ticket for Change: French non-profit "school" for social entrepreneurs offering free multi-month programs. Highly comparable program structure (cohort-based, free, coaching-driven) and target audience (mission-driven founders) to Time2Start's Impulsion and Lev'Elle Up programs.
• Live for Good: French non-profit accelerator supporting social entrepreneurs from underrepresented backgrounds. Closely comparable to Time2Start in mission (inclusion through entrepreneurship), program structure (free cohort-based incubation), and target audience (young, diverse founders).

Broad incumbents

• Bpifrance Le Hub: Public innovation hub of France's state development bank. Comparable as a large-scale, state-backed incubation/acceleration platform; Time2Start is itself a Bpifrance partner, indicating overlap as both peer and feeder/feeder channel.
• France Active: National solidarity-finance network providing loans and equity to social entrepreneurs and associations. Comparable financing-side role to Time2Start's Sens fund, but at materially larger scale and broader geographic scope.
• Station F: World's largest startup campus, hosting hundreds of accelerator programs. Relevant incumbent for benchmarking physical-incubation scale and program diversity, though Time2Start serves a narrower, more mission-aligned segment.

Emerging players

• Social Builder: French non-profit supporting women in tech and entrepreneurship. Comparable mission overlap with Time2Start's Lev'Elle Up program, but with narrower tech-sector focus and smaller operational scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Time2Start_T2S
• Facebookfacebook.com/time2startincubateur
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/time2start
• Instagraminstagram.com/time2start

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 Time2Start