Getting a Bpifrance & i-Lab Grant for Your Startup
From eligibility to application for Bpifrance and the i-Lab competition: non-repayable deep-tech grants up to €600K, plus every other EU grant you qualify for.
Bpifrance and i-Lab plus other EU grants, all with one application
Free
Eligibility check after you sign up
4 routes
Grants, family offices, angel investors & VCs
The i-Lab competition offers a non-repayable subsidy up to €600K for deep-tech projects (Bpifrance takes no equity stake), running on one competition cycle per year, so plan ahead.
The founder's guide
What Are Bpifrance & i-Lab?
Bpifrance is France's public investment bank and the central engine of French startup support, from grants and innovation loans to equity. Its flagship grant competition, i-Lab (Concours d'innovation), run with the Ministry for Higher Education & Research, is one of France's most prestigious early-stage awards: a non-repayable subsidy of up to €600K for deep-tech founders.
i-Lab targets companies with a scientifically innovative project, software-only ideas without a strong scientific or engineering core rarely qualify. It requires a French-incorporated company (founders of any nationality). It's highly competitive (~5% full-award rate), so preparation matters. Our free check shows whether i-Lab, and every other European grant, fits your startup.
Who qualifies
i-Lab Eligibility
i-Lab is for young, French, science-driven companies. The "innovation" must be verifiable.
A French-incorporated company, typically under 8 years old at the time of application. Founders can be of any nationality as long as the company is French.
A scientifically or technologically innovative project, not just a new business model or feature set. The innovation must be verifiable.
Strong commercial potential and a credible team able to deliver the R&D and bring the technology to market.
Submission within the annual window. i-Lab runs one cycle a year, so timing your application to the cycle is essential.
A founder's guide
How to Apply for i-Lab
A coached, competitive process. Engaging your regional Bpifrance office early pays off.
Step 1
Engage Bpifrance Early
Attend a coaching session at your regional Bpifrance office before the window opens, it materially improves your application. Run the free eligibility checker to confirm i-Lab and other EU grants fit you.
Step 2
Build a Science-Led Dossier
Make the scientific innovation verifiable and central, backed by the team's credentials and IP. Applications are expected in French, even for non-French founders.
Submit
Submit to the Annual Competition
Submit within the i-Lab window (typically opening in the first half of the year). Results are announced later in the year, and laureates receive a non-repayable subsidy.
Done-for-you service
Don't want to write it yourself? We build the application for you.
The steps above are the do-it-yourself route. If you would rather hand it off, our grant specialists write, package and manage the whole application for you, working alongside you so the technical detail stays yours while we handle the process.
1ApplyTell us about your startup and the grant you are targeting. It takes a few minutes.
2Chat with a specialistA grant specialist checks your fit, confirms the right programme, and scopes the work with you.
3We build your applicationWe write the narrative, budget and supporting documents to the funder's exact scoring criteria.
4We guide every stageMany grants run in several rounds (assessment, interviews, sometimes multiple phases, then reporting). We handle each step and explain everything as we go.
Transparent, mostly success-based pricingA modest upfront fee to scope and start the work (not always tied to your metrics), plus a success fee based on the grant, the amount awarded, and your business. Every engagement is quoted individually.
Apply and we'll come back with a tailored budget for your specific grant.
Interactive Tool
Check Your EU Grant Eligibility in 30 Seconds
Every European programme is listed below by default. Tell us your stage and sector to narrow them to the EIC, Horizon Europe, and national programmes that match your startup. Getting matched is 100% free - no fee, no commission, no credit card.
Choose your stage and sector below to see which EU grants you may be eligible for
Want a definitive eligibility report? It's free.
This is a first-pass match based on stage, sector, and geography. Complete the application form and we'll automatically match you with the most relevant grants - including the one you're researching - cross-referencing your technology, IP, team, and traction against every active European programme. This matching service is completely free: no fee, no commission, no credit card required.
The strongest raises stack multiple non-dilutive programmes. Here are the other EU grants you can apply for, all matched in one free eligibility check.
Yes. i-Lab requires a French-incorporated company (usually under 8 years old). The founders themselves can be of any nationality, what matters is that the company is registered in France.
Up to €600K as a non-repayable subsidy for the most ambitious deep-tech projects (laureates "Grand Prix"), with smaller awards for other winners. Bpifrance takes no equity.
Only if the innovation is genuinely scientific or technological, for example novel algorithms or deep-tech engineering. A new app or business model without a strong scientific core rarely wins i-Lab. Bpifrance runs other schemes that may fit better.
Yes. Many French deep-tech startups use i-Lab and other Bpifrance aids for national funding, then pursue the EIC for larger European funding. Our free check maps the combination for your startup.
The Full Capital Stack
Grants Are Only Part of the Stack
EIC and Horizon Europe grants cover early-stage R&D, but most European startups need equity capital to scale. The strongest raises combine non-dilutive grants with angel or VC investment.
AngelsPartners is the only platform where a founder can access all three capital pathways in one place: grants (this page), debt financing, and 120,000+ equity investors.
Equity funding
European Angels & VCs
Search a database of angels, micro-VCs, and funds investing across Europe. Filter by country, sector, ticket size, and stage. Direct contact details included - no gatekeepers, no pay-to-pitch.
Venture debt, revenue-based financing, and startup loan programmes - without diluting your cap table. Our AI matches you to a curated lender network based on your revenue, traction, and geography.
