Located in the south of France, the Aix-Marseille-Provence (AMP) metropolis is recognized as a major digital and logistics hub with world-class infrastructure. Every year, 350 African startups respond to calls for projects and competitions designed by local players and join the region's incubator networks. For the past seven years, this ecosystem has come together at Emerging Valley, the meeting place for emerging innovations between Europe and Africa.
"As France's leading port and the region's leading air hub to Africa, our region is establishing itself as a veritable breeding ground for companies wishing to establish themselves in the Africa-Europe relationship. Our ambitious goal is to become a key player in the Euro-Mediterranean region and one of the top 20 metropolises in the world". This is how Accélérateur M, one of the key players in Provence's digital environment, describes itself. A business incubator created in 2019 by local public actors, it aims to support young innovative companies in their development.
An on-demand service that saves time
Led by AMP, the Accélérateur M brings together the local ecosystem, including the University of Aix-Marseille, the city councils of Marseille and Aix-en-Provence, the Sud - Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI), the Secured Communicating Solutions cluster (Pôle SCS), Optitec, Capenergies and the Aix-Marseille French Tech.
It offers startups a personalized support program combining expertise, mentoring, experimentation and networking. It's an on-demand service that can help them "save time" in research and development, conquering new markets, financing growth and recruiting talent.
“The Maghreb is a gateway to the continent”
The organization, which works in partnership with its international counterparts, including The Dot in Tunisia, is increasingly turning its attention to Africa. "90% of our international projects are Tunisian. The Maghreb is a gateway to the continent. For us, it's now a question of going further," says its director, Franck Araujo.
This focus on Africa was confirmed by the latest program, Soft Landing Provence Africa Connect, launched on November 27 last year in partnership with Emerging Valley. "It is an experiment that must meet at least two objectives, both quantitative and qualitative. On the one hand, it will support ten to twelve African startups in predefined themes (agritech, healthtech, greentech, bluetech and cultural and creative industries). On the other hand, it is intended to be a tool for attracting companies to the city. The startups that we have accelerated will have to establish themselves locally and offer a certain level of quality.
In partnership with the AMP conurbation and key players such as Marseille Innovation, Eurobiomed, Kedge Business School and Anima Investment Network, the consortium offers the expertise and resources needed to create a favorable environment for entrepreneurs and encourage them to set up in the conurbation.
The program, which is due to start on January 1, will run for one year and will provide training and support up to and including the search for funding following the selection tests. Those selected will be presented at the next Emerging Valley Forum before starting work in the region from 2025.