Entity structuring and governance
Choice of legal form (SAS, SARL, branch or subsidiary), drafting of the articles of association, shareholders' agreements and governance design that stays compatible with your parent company and future rounds.
France market entry · For foreign founders
Enter the French market with your paperwork already fluent.
One senior legal partner for everything your expansion needs: entity structuring, Talent Passport visas, GDPR and AI Act compliance, research tax credits, ecosystem introductions and fundraising. You build the business; we handle France.
No obligation. You leave the first call with a written entry roadmap, whether you work with us or not.
Paris, France
EN / GR / FR team
Legal, Operations, Capital: one door
Who we work with
Built for teams entering France from abroad.
Foreign startups and scale-ups
US, UK, European and international companies opening their first French entity, from a one-person subsidiary to a full commercial team.
Founders relocating to France
Entrepreneurs moving under the Talent Passport or French Tech visa who need immigration, incorporation and family logistics handled together.
Investors and funds
VCs and angels structuring French deals: investment documentation, due diligence support and portfolio-company setup on the ground.
Full scope of services
Everything between "we should expand to France" and "we're operating."
Most firms give you a lawyer or a consultant or a fundraising advisor. French market entry fails in the gaps between them. We cover the whole file.
Legal and Compliance
Get the structure right the first time.
Immigration and visas
Talent Passport and French Tech visa applications for founders, employees and their families: eligibility strategy, filing and follow-up with the prefecture.
Employment law
French employment contracts, identification of the right collective bargaining agreement, working-time rules, terminations and everything your first hires require to be watertight.
Intellectual property
Trademark and patent strategy, filings, IP assignments from founders and contractors, and protection of your brand and technology in France and the EU.
Regulatory compliance
GDPR programs, EU AI Act readiness and sector-specific regulation (fintech, health, mobility…), mapped to what regulators actually check.
Tax and contracts
Tax optimization including CIR/CII research tax credits and transfer pricing, plus commercial leases and airtight supplier and client contracts.
Strategy and Operations
Land, hire and sell with the right people at the table.
Ecosystem access
Warm introductions to the actors that matter: public funding bodies, national tech networks, leading incubators and regional development agencies.
Financing and growth
Identification of public grants and subsidies, non-dilutive financing routes, and support in landing your first French clients and partners.
Operational support
Recruitment assistance, French bank account opening (a famously painful step we've de-risked), and strategy for your physical footprint: offices, region, timing.
Go-to-market adaptation
Pricing, sales culture and public-tender strategy adjusted to how the French market actually buys, not how your home market does.
Distribution and affiliation
Introductions to major distribution and sales players in France to accelerate your route to revenue through established channels.
Fundraising
Raise in France on French investors' terms.
Pre-raise preparation
Adaptation of your business plan and corporate structuring so your company is investable by French and European funds before you start pitching.
Investment documentation
Drafting and negotiation of term sheets, investment agreements and shareholders' pacts, on both sides of the table, for startups and for investors.
How an engagement runs
Four steps from first call to fully operational.
Step 1 · Diagnostic
Free consultation
30 minutes on your goals, timeline and constraints. You receive a written entry roadmap with the legal, operational and financial steps ahead.
Step 2 · Structure
Set up the foundations
Entity incorporation, visas, employment framework, IP and compliance, sequenced so nothing blocks anything else.
Step 3 · Launch
Open for business
Bank account, offices, first hires, ecosystem introductions and a go-to-market adapted to French buyers and tenders.
Step 4 · Grow
Fund the next stage
Grants, public financing instruments, CIR/CII credits and, when you're ready, a fundraise prepared and documented end to end.
Our network
We open doors you would spend a year knocking on.
Years inside the French tech and legal ecosystem mean your file lands on the right desk, with the right framing, the first time.
Public funding bodies
National tech networks
Leading incubators
Regional development agencies
French VC funds
Distribution and sales players
Frequently asked
Founders usually ask us this first.
How long does it take to set up a French entity?
With a complete file, an SAS can be incorporated in 2–4 weeks. The real timeline drivers are the bank account and, if founders relocate, the visa process, which is exactly why we run these workstreams in parallel from day one.
Do I need to be in France to start?
No. Incorporation, most filings and even some banking steps can be initiated remotely. We sequence everything so your physical arrival, if planned, coincides with the entity being ready to operate.
SAS, SARL or branch: which is right for us?
For most foreign tech companies, an SAS subsidiary offers the best mix of flexibility, investor-readiness and governance control, but the right answer depends on your tax position, headcount plans and parent structure. That's the first question the free consultation settles.
What are CIR/CII tax credits worth?
The French research tax credit (CIR) refunds up to 30% of eligible research expenses; the CII covers innovation costs for SMEs. For an engineering-heavy team, this routinely means six or seven figures back, provided the claim is structured and documented correctly from the start.
Can you help both startups and investors on a fundraise?
Yes: we draft and negotiate investment documentation on either side of the table, and prepare companies (business plan, structuring, data room) before they approach French and European funds. We never act for both sides of the same deal.
How do you charge?
Fixed-fee packages for defined workstreams (incorporation, visa, GDPR program…), a monthly retainer for ongoing support, and success-based components on fundraising. You get a written scope and price before anything starts.
Open your file
Tell us where you are. We'll map the way in.
Complete the intake below and we'll come back within one business day with next steps and a slot for your free consultation.