Press release
29 January 2026
Start-ups and SMEs linked to the 53 competitiveness clusters are performing better than the French average.
The results of the study confirm the structuring role of competitiveness clusters in the French innovation ecosystem for all regional areas. By supporting start-ups and SMEs, they help to transform research and innovation into economic growth, job creation and industrial value. They work at the heart of strategic sectors and help to strengthen the resilience of the French economy.
Faced with the current economic context characterised by weak growth, an unstable environment and a lack of visibility, competitiveness clusters continue to be an efficient lever for economic development and influence for regions, industries and businesses. The AFPC (Association Française des pôles de compétitivité) commissioned a study from MotherBase to assess their contribution.
This study, carried out at the end of 2025*, confirms the positive impact of competitiveness clusters on the economic performance of companies: the performance indicators of start-ups and SMEs with links to competitiveness clusters are higher than those of all start-ups and SMEs monitored by Motherbase. Companies linked to clusters have created more jobs, raised more funds, had a stronger growth dynamic, had a more balanced geographical presence and were better connected to their principals, with a significant differential observed for each criterion.
«Ensuring the growth of innovative French companies is fundamental to the competitiveness of our economy. As for sovereignty, it cannot be decreed, it has to be built every day. For the past 20 years, the competitiveness clusters have been fully committed to contributing to this dual challenge of competitiveness and sovereignty. By stimulating their innovation ecosystems, supporting the forward-looking approach of their players, and creating links between the most exploratory research and the creation of real value, they have continued to assert their key role as tools for transformation in the service of sustainable growth. The results of the study we commissioned from MotherBase confirm the impact of the actions we have initiated, and confirm our mission and commitments. All that remains now is to ensure that they continue to serve the general interest of the country», comments Christian Deleuze, Chairman of the AFPC.
Five results that confirm the impact of cluster membership and the relevance of the model:
– A massive impact on job creation: with a total of 510,000 jobs in 2025, companies linked to clusters create 1.3 times more jobs than the average (index of 130 compared with 100 for companies referenced by MotherBase).
They attract 1.3 times more talent than their non-cluster counterparts, acting as a catalyst for talent.
Finally, the workforce of startups linked to the clusters has grown by +25% in 2025 (compared with +20% for the French startups referenced by MotherBase): they have created more jobs in 3 years than the average for startups in France.
– A key role in financing innovation : Start-ups and SMEs linked to the clusters raise 2.4 times more funds than the average for France (an index of 237 compared with 100 for the companies listed by MotherBase). The average amount raised is €6.5m, compared with €2.7m for all companies.
Since 2023, start-ups and SMEs linked to the clusters have exceeded the amounts raised by the rest of the players.
– Businesses that perform better and are more resilient: Companies linked to the clusters are more resilient than the average (index of 134 compared with 100 for companies referenced by MotherBase). 76% have good or very good growth momentum. They are more likely to be in good health and less likely to be at risk of insolvency: “only” 15% show signs of concern or a real risk of insolvency, compared with 21% for companies tracked by MotherBase.
This indicator is calculated by a combined analysis of changes in employment, fundraising, publications, network subscribers, catalyst links, etc.
– Companies at the heart of the regions: start-ups and SMEs linked to the clusters have a greater regional presence than is the case for all companies (indicator of 117 compared with 100 for companies referenced by MotherBase). Only 31% are based in the Paris Region, compared with 41% for start-ups and SMEs tracked by MotherBase. They help to spread innovation throughout France.
– Better links with major customers for better integration into value chains: Start-ups and SMEs linked to clusters are more connected to key accounts than the average French company (index of 188 compared with 100 for companies referenced by MotherBase). They have an average of 19 connections, almost double the average for other companies on the Motherbase panel.
These results confirm the structuring role of competitiveness clusters in the development of innovation and the strength of the «ecosystem approach». There are several possible explanations:
- The clusters attract companies that are positioned in strategic national sectors, with a high degree of deeptech and/or in which French excellence is recognised and valued. Their development prospects are therefore more robust and their search for talent higher and more sustained.
- The companies that interact with the clusters benefit from the richness and interaction between the players within the ecosystems: the clusters give them access to major contractors. They give them legitimacy and credibility in the eyes of potential investors, for example through the Hi France label.
- The participation of SMEs and start-ups in collaborative R&D projects accelerates the development of their innovations and increases the capital available, thanks to the leverage effect of 1 to 3 observed for projects approved by the clusters (which represents more than 55 billion over 20 years).
In a context marked by the challenges of sovereignty, securing value chains and industrial and ecological transition, competitiveness clusters are emerging as key players in the organisation and dissemination of innovation across the country. The results observed now call into question the conditions for their long-term survival and the development of their resources in the light of current economic and industrial challenges.
«Competitive clusters are not a legacy of the past: they are a strategic infrastructure for France's industrial, technological and territorial future. Consolidating them means investing in the country's competitiveness, employment and sovereignty», concludes Christian Deleuze, President of the AFPC.
* Methodology :
In November 2025, Motherbase is tracking and studying the performance of 200,000 entities, including 39,470 innovative French start-ups and SMEs, and their links with 3,000 catalysts around the world, by analysing the interactions between these organisations on social networks. Each entity is provided with a detailed, up-to-date information sheet.
Analysis of the social networking interactions between the 53 competitiveness clusters and their ecosystems has identified the links maintained by these clusters with 15,000 entities tracked by MotherBase, including 8,361 start-ups and SMEs. 84% of the startups and 83% of the SMEs are French companies. They are spread across the whole of France and will account for almost 50,000 jobs by 2025.
Each statistical indicator produced is the result of aggregating unitary data linked to each company analysed.
The study was commissioned by AFPC and carried out independently by Motherbase teams in November 2025. AFPC was not involved in defining the indicators or analysing them.
About PSAC – www.afpc.eu
The AFPC (Association Française des pôles de compétitivité) was created on 16 December 2013 with the support of the Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations and the DGE (Direction Générale des Entreprises du Ministère de l'Economie). The AFPC, by carrying the voice of the clusters and their more than 20,000 members, is in direct contact with the State and the European Commission. It makes an active contribution to public policy on innovation in France and Europe. It participates in all initiatives that contribute to the development of businesses and employment. The AFPC federates the clusters and has a strong capacity to carry out cross-cutting actions with them. It also acts as their spokesperson, with a particular remit to support and promote affiliated SMEs and SMIs through federative actions.