# Which competitions and programmes can help you launch your startup in 2027, in France and abroad?

Updated : 2026-10-24 · Source : https://legalrapide.fr/en/entreprendre/concours-programmes-startups/

Several competitions accept a project **at the idea stage**: the Prix Pépite for students, the Prix Moovjee for 18 to 30-year-olds, EIT Jumpstarter for an idea that comes out of science (depending on a team member's nationality), the Entrepreneurship World Cup, and programmes such as Antler and Entrepreneurs First, which recruit people before they even have an idea. Abroad, **public programmes recruit foreign startups**, French ones included: K-Startup Grand Challenge in Korea, Start-Up Chile, Rising Up in Spain. All 31 verified competitions and programmes are in [our dataset](/en/donnees/concours-programmes-startups/).

## At the idea stage
| Programme | Who it's for | What you win (published) |
|---|---|---|
| [i-Lab innovation competition](https://www.bpifrance.fr/download/media-file/622208) | Projects to found an innovative technology company, and companies less than two years old | Grant; eligible expenses up to €1M |
| [Prix Pépite](https://www.enseignementsup-recherche.gouv.fr/fr/pepite2026) | Students and recent graduates with student-entrepreneur status | — |
| [Prix Moovjee](https://www.moovjee.fr/) | Young entrepreneurs and project founders aged 18 to 30 | Entrepreneur category: Grand Prix €10,000, Coup de cœur €5,000, 12 months of mentoring |
| [French Tech Tremplin](https://www.bpifrance.fr/catalogue-offres/french-tech-tremplin) | Entrepreneurs from backgrounds under-represented in tech | Grant and 12 months of incubation |
| [STATION F: Fighters Program](https://stationf.co/apply/fighters) | Entrepreneurs from under-represented backgrounds, working full time on their project, even at the idea stage | Free: 1 month of preparation, then 6 months on campus |
| [K-Startup Grand Challenge](https://ksgc.global/apply) | Foreign startups and startup projects | Participation grants and prizes in won; support to set up a Korean entity |
| [EIT Jumpstarter](https://www.eit.europa.eu/our-activities/opportunities/eit-jumpstarter-2026) | Founders with an idea that comes out of science, with at least one team member holding the nationality of an eligible country (France: outermost regions only) | Prizes of €10,000, €5,000 and €3,000 per theme; over €240,000 in total |
| [Entrepreneurship World Cup](https://entrepreneurshipworldcup.com/) | Startups at every stage, including the idea stage | $1M in equity-free prizes, shared among 12 winners |
| [Hult Prize](https://www.hultprize.org/) | Students | $1M in seed funding for the winning team |
| [Antler: residency](https://www.antler.co/apply) | Future founders, from idea to pre-seed, solo or without a co-founder | — |
| [Entrepreneurs First](https://apply.joinef.com/) | People with no project, no co-founder or an early idea | — |

## In France: competitions and calls for applications
- **i-Lab competition** (Ministry of Higher Education and Bpifrance): the major national competition for founding an innovative technology company. The grant funds R&D, with eligible expenses up to €1M.
- **Prix Pépite**: for students and recent graduates with student-entrepreneur status. The 2026 edition took applications from 11 May to 12 June.
- **Prix Moovjee**: for 18 to 30-year-olds, with a €10,000 Grand Prix and 12 months of mentoring in the Entrepreneur category.
- **French Tech Tremplin**: a grant and 12 months of incubation for entrepreneurs from backgrounds under-represented in tech.
- **Créatrices d'Avenir** in Île-de-France, **Talents BGE** for entrepreneurs already in business.
- **Incubation**: Paris&Co opens applications once a year. STATION F's Fighters Program is free and accepts projects at the idea stage.
- **VivaTech Startup Challenges**: a large corporation or a public partner sets out a need, and the startups that answer it come and pitch at the show.

## Abroad: programmes open to French startups
Several countries pay to attract foreign startups: flights, offices, help setting up a subsidiary, sometimes a grant.
- **K-Startup Grand Challenge (South Korea)**: run by the Korean Ministry of SMEs, the programme recruits foreign startups every year, including projects not yet incorporated. It pays participation grants and prizes, and helps you set up a Korean company. The 2026 edition closed on 17 June. Embassies can recommend candidates.
- **Start-Up Chile**: the first public accelerator, open to all nationalities, funds startups without taking equity.
- **Rising Up in Spain**: free support and visa assistance to set up in Spain, open throughout 2026 for up to 50 participants.
- **Garage+ (Taiwan)**: two sessions a year to meet Taiwanese manufacturers.
- **European Union**: EIT Jumpstarter for an idea that comes out of science (a €10,000 prize for the winner of each theme), if a team member holds the nationality of an eligible country: mainland France is not one, its outermost regions are, EIC Accelerator for a near-market innovation (a grant of under €2.5M and up to €10M in equity).

## The major pitch competitions
Slush 100 (Helsinki) gives €500,000 to the winner without taking equity. The Entrepreneurship World Cup shares $1M among 12 winners, idea stage included. Startup World Cup runs regional finals before a final in San Francisco. TechCrunch Startup Battlefield selects 200 startups to exhibit at TechCrunch Disrupt.

## Paris also welcomes foreign founders
In 2015, the City of Paris trialled the **French Tech Ticket**: a programme to attract foreign entrepreneurs, with a €12,500 prize for six months, a place in an incubator and a fast-track residence permit procedure. Today, the **French Tech Visa for Founders** grants a 4-year residence permit to non-EU founders selected by a partner incubator.

## Preparing your application
- **A 2-minute video** and a pitch deck are often enough for the first round (as with the K-Startup Grand Challenge).
- **A company isn't always required** at the start, but it becomes necessary to receive a grant or bring in an investor. Most often it's an SAS: see [which company to choose to raise funds](/en/entreprendre/societe-pour-lever-des-fonds/).
- **Dates change every year**: the dataset gives the calendar of the latest edition observed, so check the official page before applying.

To fund what comes next: [grants, loans and investors](/en/donnees/financements-creation-entreprise/).

## FAQ
**Can you enter a competition without having set up your company?**
Yes, for several of them: Prix Pépite, Prix Moovjee (project founder category), EIT Jumpstarter, the Entrepreneurship World Cup and the K-Startup Grand Challenge accept projects not yet registered. You will need to set up the company to receive a grant.

**Can a French startup take part in a Korean or Chilean programme?**
Yes. The K-Startup Grand Challenge and Start-Up Chile recruit foreign startups; the Korean programme even helps you set up a company in Korea.

**Do competitions take a share of your capital?**
Public competitions and most prizes pay out money without taking equity (Slush 100, Entrepreneurship World Cup, EIT Jumpstarter). Private accelerators such as Y Combinator or Antler invest in exchange for shares: read the terms before applying.


## Sources
- [Bpifrance: i-Lab competition rules](https://www.bpifrance.fr/download/media-file/622208)
- [Ministry of Higher Education: Prix Pépite 2026](https://www.enseignementsup-recherche.gouv.fr/fr/pepite2026)
- [K-Startup Grand Challenge: 2026 call for applications](https://ksgc.global/guidelines/KSGC_2026_Recruitment_Guidelines.pdf)
- [Bpifrance: launch of the Paris French Tech Ticket (2015)](https://www.bpifrance.fr/nos-actualites/lancement-du-paris-french-tech-ticket)