The Journey Ahead

This book traces France's evolution from the Minitel era through today's thriving ecosystem and into an uncertain but promising future. We'll explore how a country once dismissed as too bureaucratic for startups became a magnet for international talent and investment. We'll meet the pioneers who blazed trails when French entrepreneurship was an oxymoron and the new generation who see global ambition as their birthright.

We'll also confront honest challenges. Despite its progress, French Tech still faces obstacles: later-stage funding remains scarce compared to the US or China, language barriers persist in global markets, and the pull of larger ecosystems continues to attract some of France's best talent. The regulatory environment, while improved, can still frustrate fast-moving startups.

Yet what emerges is a picture of an ecosystem that has found its voice. France is no longer trying to be "the Silicon Valley of Europe"—a label that never quite fit. Instead, it's becoming something more interesting: a tech power that proves innovation can thrive within different cultural and economic frameworks.