Startups and SMEs linked to the 53 competitiveness clusters are performing better than the French average.

Startups 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 territories. By supporting startups and SMEs, they help transform research and innovation efforts into economic growth, job creation, and industrial value. Their actions are central to strategic sectors and help strengthen the resilience of the French economy.

Faced with the current economic climate characterized by weak growth, an unstable environment, and a lack of visibility, competitiveness clusters continue to be an effective lever for economic development and influence for regions, industries, and businesses. In order to objectively assess their contribution, the AFPC (French Association of Competitiveness Clusters) commissioned a study from MotherBase.

This study, conducted at the end of 2025*, confirms the positive impact of competitiveness clusters on business performance: the performance indicators of startups and SMEs linked to competitiveness clusters are higher than those of all startups and SMEs monitored by Motherbase. Companies linked to clusters have created more jobs, raised more funds, shown stronger growth momentum, ensured a more balanced geographical presence, and are more connected to contractors, with a notable difference 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 is built on a daily basis. For 20 years, competitiveness clusters have been fully committed to contributing to this dual challenge of competitiveness and sovereignty. By driving their innovation ecosystems, supporting the forward-looking approach of stakeholders, and creating links between the most exploratory research and the creation of real value, they have continually affirmed 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 reinforce our mission and commitments. Now we must ensure their sustainability in the service of the country's general interest" comments Christian Deleuze, President of the AFPC.

Five results that confirm the impact of belonging to a cluster 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 to 100 for companies listed by MotherBase).
  They attract 1.3 times more talent than their counterparts not linked to clusters, acting as a catalyst for talent.
  Finally, the workforce of startups linked to clusters grew by +25% in 2025 (compared to +20% for French startups referenced by MotherBase): they created more jobs in three years than the average for startups in France.
• A key role in financing innovation: startups and SMEs linked to clusters raise 2.4 times more funds than the average observed in France (index of 237 compared to 100 for companies listed by MotherBase). The average amount raised is €6.5 million compared to €2.7 million for all companies.
  Since 2023, startups and SMEs linked to clusters have exceeded the amounts raised by other players.
• More efficient and resilient companies: companies linked to clusters show above-average resilience (index of 134 compared to 100 for companies listed by MotherBase). 76% show good or very good growth momentum. More of them are in good health and fewer are at risk of failure: “only” 15% show signs of concern or a real risk of failure, compared to 21% of companies monitored by MotherBase.
  This indicator is calculated through a combined analysis of employment trends, fundraising, publications, social media followers, catalyst links, etc.
• Businesses at the heart of the regions: startups and SMEs linked to clusters are more prevalent in the regions than is observed for businesses as a whole (an indicator of 117 compared to 100 for businesses listed by MotherBase). Only 31% are based in the Paris region, compared to 41% of startups and SMEs tracked by MotherBase. They contribute to the spread of innovation throughout France.
• Better connections with major clients for better integration into value chains: startups and SMEs linked to clusters have more connections with major clients than the average French company (index of 188 compared to 100 for companies listed by MotherBase). They have an average of 19 connections, which is nearly double the average observed in other companies in the MotherBase panel.

These results confirm the structuring role of competitiveness clusters in the development of innovation and the strength of the “ecosystem approach.” Several possible explanations can be put forward:

• Clusters attract companies positioned in strategic national sectors with a high degree of deep tech and/or in which French excellence is recognized and valued. Their development prospects are therefore more robust and their search for talent more intense and sustained.
• Companies that interact with the clusters benefit from the wealth and interactions that exist between the players within the ecosystems: the competitiveness clusters give them access to major contractors. They legitimize them and give them credibility with potential investors, for example through the Hi France label.
• The participation of SMEs and startups 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 labeled by the clusters (representing more than €55 billion over 20 years).

In a context marked by issues of sovereignty, securing value chains, and industrial and ecological transition, competitiveness clusters appear to be key players in the organization and dissemination of innovation throughout the country. The results observed now raise questions about the conditions for their long-term viability and the evolution of their resources, in light of current economic and industrial challenges.
“Competitiveness 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 monitored and studied the performance of 200,000 entities, including 39,470 French startups and innovative SMEs, and their links with 3,000 catalysts worldwide, by analyzing interactions between these organizations on social media. Each entity is described in a detailed, constantly updated profile.
Analysis of interactions on social media between the 53 competitiveness clusters and their ecosystems has identified links between these clusters and 15,000 entities monitored by MotherBase, including 8,361 startups and SMEs. 84% of startups and 83% of SMEs are French companies. They are spread across the entire country and will represent nearly 510,000 jobs in 2025.
Each statistical indicator produced is derived from the aggregation of unit data related to each company analyzed.
The study was conducted independently by the Motherbase teams in November 2025, commissioned by the AFPC. The AFPC did not intervene in the definition of the indicators or their analysis.