Panorama: Innovation and AI in French mid-sized companies

Key takeaways

This is the first benchmark qualitative study conducted with La French Tech Grand Paris and Inskip, with the support of Bpifrance, based on individual interviews with 60 French mid-sized companies
This white paper documents innovation and AI practices within French SMEs and provides concrete recommendations

Six chapters, a comprehensive overview

From strategic steering to the integration of generative AI, this report offers an unfiltered analysis of on-the-ground realities.

Despite their critical role, the innovation dynamics specific to SMEs remain insufficiently documented. This white paper was designed to address this gap, structured around a dual ambition:

To document: Highlight the specificities, strengths, and drivers of sustainable innovation in French SMEs, distinct from startup and large corporate models.
To recommend: Provide operational recommendations for SMEs, public authorities, and support stakeholders, to adapt innovation policies and sustainably strengthen competitiveness.

Download the full report

What the field reveals

Beyond the diagnosis: levers for action

This white paper is an operational tool, it maps real-world practices, identifies underutilized levers, and provides concrete recommendations for ETIs, as well as public stakeholders and support ecosystems.

It is intended for anyone who believes that French ETIs deserve a more nuanced perspective than financial indicators alone:

Executives & executive committees: to anchor innovation in strategy and make clear investment decisions
R&D, IT (CIO/DSI), innovation, and digital transformation leaders: to structure their approach, identify the right levers, and benchmark their practices against observed SMEs dynamics
Transformation & strategy teams: to understand how the most mature SMEs manage change and capitalize on their learnings
Public authorities & support organizations: to adapt support mechanisms to the realities and specific needs of SMEs
Investors and corporate funds: to understand how French SMEs organize, finance, and manage their innovation initiatives on a daily basis

Participating in these interviews enabled me to benchmark our practices against peers in other sectors. The insights are immediately actionable, this is exactly what is expected from rigorous fieldwork.

Camille Foussal, Project Manager – Fleury Michon

Data & AI