The Technopole de l’Aube en Champagne offers much more than premises and services to young companies. It allows you to integrate a solid network of partners. To respond to the loss of industrial jobs, Troyes very early on bet on the creation of start-ups. A policy that finds an echo during the “Plug and Start” days, an appointment with the national audience to support business creators.
How do you attract many start-ups to Troyes?
The Technopole is notably composed of a start-up excellence incubator connected to university laboratories. Today, we have 70 supported start-ups, 30 to 40% of which come from Île-de-France. Each year, we select 20 candidates from the 400 files presented. Our annual Plug and Start event takes place this year on June 29-30 and July 1. Three days during which start-uppers can test our system. You have to come and try your luck if you have a good idea or an innovative project under development. You can register until May 20!
How is it going?
A huge system awaits the candidates: first a network of French and international entrepreneurs, determined to keep a foothold in innovative entrepreneurship, with the aim of setting up lasting collaborations, then experts, responsible for representing the multiple facets involved in entrepreneurship: finance, legal, strategy, design, digital marketing… And finally mentors, who mobilize to support projects and provide a methodology and sharp advice.
What are your selection criteria?
The project itself, the innovation and the quality of the teams. Digital obviously has the upper hand. Research too, nanotechnology, optical systems, biotechnology, the environment, agri-food…
How do you explain this attractiveness of the city?
Troyes is in a way the second great Parisian crown. Here, entrepreneurs avoid the usual obstacle course. They have everything on hand, banks, lawyers, accountants and other experts – 400 in total – who help them get started for free for the first two years. Thanks to the Technopole, small business will become big! There are also schools on site that offer interns and apprentices. I add an ideal living environment and thousands of square meters available at very low real estate prices.
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