# 8 Entrepreneurial support in France: a dense but underused ecosystem

Entrepreneurial support is undergoing profound change. The range of support has expanded through networks, chambers of commerce and trades, incubators and specialised organisations (Messeghem, 2021). At the same time, entrepreneurs’ profiles and practices are evolving: social media, online communities and artificial intelligence are opening up new spaces for support and are starting to challenge established support practices (Messeghem and Olive, 2026). The 2025 Global Entrepreneurship Monitor survey sheds light on these developments. 22.8% of early-stage entrepreneurs report having received support over the past three years, compared with 23.5% in 2023 (Messeghem et al., 2024). Take-up therefore remains very stable, but the organisations involved, the benefits reported and the profiles of supported entrepreneurs are being reshaped.

Three challenges stand out:
understanding the new territories of entrepreneurial support; strengthening an ecosystem approach that brings practitioners and researchers together; rethinking practices to take account of new profiles and new uses.