Barely labeled French Tech capital, French Tech La Réunion presented its roadmap and new programs for, in collaboration with the Réunion Region, facilitate the access of young innovative companies in the region to recognition and excellence.
The Réunion Region and French Tech Réunion have built a joint program entitled “Welcome Tech Island 2023-2025”, a three-step action plan which will initially consist of (2023) to lay the foundations, then to amplify the models that work (2024) to finally facilitate the transition from start-ups to unicorn status by 2025. “Our new status as French Tech capital also allows us to participate in the strategic thinking of French Tech by providing 
overseas reading of the deployment of different national programs”, explains Matthieu Neveu, vice-president of French Tech La Réunion.
Welcome Tech Island
Like the Welcome City Lab in Paris, Welcome Tech Island represents both an innovation platform and a territorial accelerator. The objectives of this program are multiple : access financing, promote the success of local start-ups, bring together local stakeholders ; strengthen competitiveness, etc. La French Tech La Réunion will deploy national French Tech programs locally, but will also create programs specific to the territory : Open Innovation, program promoting exchanges between start-ups and large companies, and Learning Expedition which will give Reunion start-ups access to metropolitan ecosystems of excellence, including that of Station F in Paris. Access to Learning Expedition will be based on a call for applications.
The French Tech of Reunion is getting stronger
“Becoming capital represents first and foremost recognition of the work that has been done by the French Tech community in Reunion over the past three years.. But this recognition is not an end, it is the beginning of a common adventure so that the potential of our territory is transformed into an effective reality”, warned Matthieu Neveu during the presentation of the association’s roadmap, March 1st in the village by CA Réunion. For this purpose, the association is strengthening its team and elections are planned during the year in order to open the association office to new entrepreneurs in the area. Membership at La French Tech La Réunion is free (without voting rights) to allow all start-ups to access the various programs offered.
www.lafrenchtech-lareunion.com
