What Have We Learned from Evaluating Bpifrance Accelerators?

Since 2015, Bpifrance's accelerators have been selective, intensive, cohort-based support programs for business leaders consisting of three pillars—training, consulting, and networking. In this article, we report on three studies carried out between 2019 and 2022 to assess their effects on the performance of companies that have been helped. One evaluation focused on the first three accelerator programs aimed at SMEs and launched between 2015 and 2017. A second evaluation extended the scope of the analysis to the first 10 accelerator programs, including regional accelerators, those targeting ISEs and the aeronautics industry accelerator, which were followed until 2019. A third study looked at the relative performance of accelerated companies in the context of the health crisis. Using different data sets and methodologies, these three studies produce converging results indicating that accelerators increase sales, investment, and employment for the accelerated companies.