The French and startups

‍In September 2019, Emmanuel Macron announced the goal of 25 French unicorns by 2025.The ambition is achieved 3 years earlier than planned with the arrival of Exotec into the very privileged ranks of the startup elite. If the President of the Republic has made it a significant focus of his five-year term, how much do the French feel concerned by the subject? What is their perception of startups and their impact on society? To find out, Episto, a specialist in studies on social networks, surveyed 1000 French people* on 4 key topics: image, usage, employment, and investment.

A generally positive opinion

97% of the French know the concept of a startupand58% think they have a positive impact on society. They are seen as just as or more innovative than large companies (for 74%), and just as or more attentive to their consumers than other businesses (for 77%).

But the specifics of this ecosystem are far from mastered by all:80% of the French do not know what a unicorn is,these famous startups valued at over 1 billion dollars, or have never heard of them. It is also noted thatonly a third know what the 'French Tech' is- the ecosystem that brings together startups, investors, and decision-makers, notably led by Cédric O, Secretary of State for Digital Affairs, and Frédéric Mazzella, founder of BlaBlaCar.

The massive use of services from certain unicorns has democratized the notion of startup

79% of the French have already used the services of Doctolib, 37% of BlaBlaCar, 25% of ManoMano, and 21% of Back Market. These unicorns have made new consumer practices accessible and offer goods and services in line with current trends: ecological awareness, the development of online shopping, and household budget optimization.

In contrast, VeePee (formerly Vente-Privilège), Lydia, Vestiaire Collective, and Sorare rank at the bottom of the unicorns adopted by the French, with respectively 12%, 11%, 4%, and 2% of them having already used them.

Startups are seen as an opportunity for 18-24 year olds

The new generation seems to see startups as a source of hope: for 69% of 18-24 year olds, they canhelp society address ecological transition challenges.(compared to 53% of the total sample), while 63% believe they can provide solutions to employment and professional integration issues (compared to 53%).

Younger people also see them as an opportunity for their career, unlike their elders who appear more hesitant: nearly 60% would like to work in a startup (compared to 33% of those over 25) and 41% see it as a means of social advancement (compared to 25% of those over 25), with startups perceived as less demanding in terms of degrees and qualifications.

The French remain cautious about investing in startups

Although a significant percentage of French people consider startups to be drivers of growth for the economy (47%), only 1% claim to have already invested in one.

However, it is observed that they are more than a quarter considering it; a trend that could continue to grow as initiatives encouraging the French to invest in startups and SMEs develop.

"As the presidential election approaches, we were curious to know how interested the French are in the topic of startups or if it only concerns a minority: in reality, they know the tip of the iceberg (the concept of startup, the biggest like Doctolib or BlaBlaCar), but they feel relatively uninvolved with the issues and economic subtleties of this ecosystem, and still seem a bit hesitant to work in or invest their savings in it. However, it should be noted the hope they represent for the new generation, who see them as solutions to the major challenges of society and as springboards for their professional future," comments Jérémy Lefebvre, CEO of Episto.

Study methodology

1000 respondents.
Representative sample of the French population according to the quota method.

Study dates: from February 16 to 20, 2022.
Source of respondents: Facebook and Instagram.