A support programme for start-ups in Nouvelle-Aquitaine

From 11 July to 30 August, the accelerator Up Grade is calling for applications to join, as of November, a support programme for young companies in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region.

Initiated and assisted by the Nouvelle Aquitaine Regional Authority, and operated by Unitec, Up Grade is an accelerator which aims to support and optimise the growth of high-potential start-ups and to consolidate their regional foothold.
This programme is geared towards innovative companies (with a priority for companies with less than 6 years of activity) which are located in or wish to locate to Nouvelle-Aquitaine and have successfully begun to market their offering.  The young companies in question must be in a phase of expansion and growth acceleration which requires them to rethink their strategy, team, organisation and financial means.

Lasting 12 months, this acceleration programme is characterised by intensive support through a team and a start-up manager devoting 3 days a month to the company.  This support will include the development of an action plan after an initial assessment, working days between accelerated entrepreneurs, meetings with experts, international networking and assistance in fund-seeking. 

A first support operation for five start-ups, launched in April 2018, has already received positive feedback from entrepreneurs participating in the Up Grade programme.  ‘I really appreciated the assessment phase, which helped us to see our weak spots’, said Hugues Thiebeauld from the company Eshard, which provides solutions for cyber security.  ‘Up Grade brought us a very beneficial outsider’s perspective, tools and methods to improve our organisation, in addition to feedback to help us structure our development in the best possible way’, said Xavier Brissonneau from the company Rhinov, specialised in 3D. 

The selection process has started for next session, to be launched in November 2018.  Applicants must complete their application file before 8am on Friday 31 August 2018. The pre-selection committee will choose a maximum of seven companies, which will then undergo an in-depth assessment, before the final selection committee decides on five applicants for the programme.  Pre-selected companies will present their pitch on Thursday 20 September.  During the following week, the selected applicants will be audited before the final selection committee chooses the five companies on 24 October.

For online applications: https://www.upgrade-na.com