VILLAGE BY CA CENTRE-FRANCE

What VILLAGE BY CA CENTRE-FRANCE does

Village by CA Centre-France is a regional innovation accelerator headquartered in Clermont-Ferrand, France, operating as one of 44 villages within the Le Village by CA network wholly owned by Crédit Agricole. Founded in 2014 as part of the broader Crédit Agricole innovation initiative, it serves startups and established enterprises in the Centre-Val de Loire region, providing co-working space, mentorship, business acceleration programming, networking events, and access to a curated partner network spanning large corporates, ETIs, SMEs, chambers of commerce, banks, and professional services firms. Across the network, more than 3,000 startups have been accelerated since 2014, with portfolio companies having collectively raised €5 billion in funding and created 6,800 territorial jobs.

Name

VILLAGE BY CA CENTRE-FRANCE

Legal name

Le Village by CA

Website

https://centrefrance.levillagebyca.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Village by CA Centre-France is a Crédit Agricole-backed regional innovation accelerator in Clermont-Ferrand that provides co-working, mentorship, and corporate introductions to startups and established enterprises as part of a 44-village network across France, Italy, and Luxembourg.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Business Accelerator Services

NAICS

Civic and Social Organizations (813410)

akta.pro primary industry

Corporate Accelerators & Startup Programs (FSANAHAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Capacity Building & Nonprofit Infrastructure Funders (BPAGAKAO)

Keywords

• Startup acceleration services
• Business innovation support
• Open innovation network
• Corporate venture partnerships
• Regional entrepreneurship development

Headquarters

HQ city

Clermont-ferrand

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Accelerator Services: Village by CA operates as an innovation accelerator providing co-working spaces, business development support, networking with corporate partners, and access to funding opportunities for startups. Revenue is generated through partnership fees from corporate sponsors and regional Crédit Agricole banks.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Village by CA Centre France operates a regional startup accelerator and co-working space as part of the national Village by CA network backed by Crédit Agricole. It provides startups with mentorship, physical workspace, networking with corporate partners, support in accessing funding, and business events, while also facilitating open innovation partnerships between startups and established enterprises (SMEs, ETIs, large groups) for mutual transformation.

Product overview

Village by CA is a decentralized innovation accelerator network created by Crédit Agricole in 2014. With 44 Villages across France, Italy, and Luxembourg, it operates as a platform connecting startups with established companies for open innovation. The core offering includes physical co-working spaces, acceleration programs, mentorship, and a partner network. Village by CA Centre France is one of the regional Villages that provides startups access to this national ecosystem while maintaining local territorial roots.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Village by CA Centre France: Regional accelerator serving the Centre-Val de Loire region of France, providing innovation support and collaboration spaces for startups and established companies.

Products and services

• Village by CA Accelerator Program A business acceleration program that connects startups with established companies, providing mentorship, networking opportunities, and support for business development, fundraising, and international expansion.
• Co-working Spaces Physical innovation hubs across 44 locations in France, Italy, and Luxembourg where startups can work, meet partners, and participate in events.
• Partner Network A network connecting startups with large companies, ETIs, SMEs, schools, universities, and regional/national/international players for business transformation and innovation partnerships.
• Business Events and Workshops Regular events including CEO breakfasts, workshops, pitch trainings, and networking sessions to support startup growth and ecosystem collaboration.

Quantifiable outcome

• 3000+ startups accelerated since 2014
• +3 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

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Kelten Avocats GrenoblecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 July 2026Grenoble-based business law firm with particular expertise in startup fundraising operations. Renewed partnership for 3 years, actively participating in startup selection committees and providing legal expertise at key stages of development, particularly for fundraising operations.
• EnediscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPublic service company managing electricity distribution network that develops, operates, and modernizes the electrical grid and manages associated data.
• DeloittecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal reference player in Audit & Assurance, Consulting, Financial Advisory, Risk Advisory, and Legal and Tax services.
• CCI Eure-Et-LoircoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChamber of Commerce and Industry providing support, information, and advice to businesses at all stages of their development.
• Crédit Agricole Val de FrancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional bank working daily for the economic and social development of territories.
• Natran (GRTgaz)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor operator of high-pressure gas transport, ensuring public service mission for gas delivery continuity and committed to renewable gas development.
• France ActivecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational network serving entrepreneurs, pioneer in solidarity finance, accompanying and financing businesses for over 30 years with 410 million euros mobilized for 30,000 companies.
• UIMM F2iminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustrial Innovation Fund (F2i) - endowment fund created to strengthen links between industry and innovation ecosystem.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves12 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Station F: Paris-based mega-accelerator and startup campus operating a corporate-sponsored acceleration program (similar to Village by CA's open-innovation model). Both serve French startups and corporates, but Station F is a single large site versus Village by CA's decentralized 44-village network.
• NUMA: Paris-based business accelerator and innovation hub running corporate-sponsored acceleration programs and digital transformation services. Directly comparable as a French corporate-startup intermediary with both startup acceleration and corporate transformation offerings.
• La Maison des Startups (LVMH): Corporate accelerator run by LVMH targeting luxury-tech startups. A direct peer in the corporate-startup intermediary category, with a different sector focus (luxury) but same underlying business model of pairing a corporate parent's brand/distribution with startup acceleration.
• EuraTechnologies: Lille-based innovation campus and accelerator that hosts Village by CA Nord de France in a 4,500 m² building. Operates as a regional open-innovation hub connecting startups, corporates, and academic partners — directly comparable to Village by CA Centre-France's regional node model.
• Le Swave (Société Générale): Fintech and regtech corporate accelerator backed by Société Générale. A direct peer as a French bank-sponsored corporate accelerator using the same open-innovation playbook with a sector-specific (fintech) focus.
• BNP Paribas' startup programs (WAI by BNP Paribas): Corporate accelerator and innovation platform of BNP Paribas. Direct peer: another major French bank running a corporate-startup open-innovation program, often in fintech and sustainable finance verticals.

Broad incumbents

• Bpifrance Le Hub: Public investment bank's startup support platform offering acceleration, networking, and corporate introductions across France. Broader incumbent with national reach and deep public-sector backing, similar in mission to Village by CA but tied to Bpifrance rather than Crédit Agricole.
• Technopoles network (RETIS / French Tech): Federated French network of regional innovation hubs and accelerators supported by public and private partners. Comparable as a decentralized regional-innovation platform across French territories, but coordinated at a national public-policy level rather than by a single banking sponsor.

Others

• Le CARNOT (Institut Carnot): French public-research-to-business innovation network bridging public research labs with corporates and startups. Comparable in mission of accelerating business innovation but operates as public R&D intermediation rather than a private accelerator.

Regional players

• Sensei (Italy): Corporate-startup open-innovation program active in Italy (the same geography Village by CA expanded into with Milan/Triveneto). Comparable as a corporate open-innovation intermediary serving Italian startups and corporates, often in retail/consumer verticals.

Market position

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCURkpH65ZJGSY_s1FS7o56Q
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/18242932

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries47 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 VILLAGE BY CA CENTRE-FRANCE