27: Why France is the next best destination for startups | The story of Adaptive me
Why two indians decided to start an Ed-Tech company in France? What are the opportunites and risks of doing business in France?
📝 Words: 1,598 | 🕰️ Estimated Reading time: 7 minutes
With Clara Chappaz’s appointment as France’s first AI minister, we couldn’t have found a better time to publish this newsletter.
This week, we share the story of Geetanjali and Titash, an entrepreneurial couple from India who have been living in Paris since 2021. They co-founded Adaptiv.Me, am an ed-tech startup that helps students and professionals worldwide find future-proof career paths.
Read on to learn how they started their company, why they chose France and the opportunities for entrepreneurs there.
Key Highlights
🌟 Adaptiv Me's Mission: Geetanjali and Titash, experienced in education and tech, launched Adaptiv Me in France to help people choose future-proof careers using AI-powered, data-driven programs.
🤖 The Future of Work: Generative AI could boost the global economy by up to $4.4 trillion, especially in customer service, marketing, software development, and R&D, which will drive most of this growth.
🇫🇷 Why France: France is investing €2.2 billion in AI to attract top talent. Paris ranks high among European tech hubs, and the French Tech Visa has helped over 1,200 companies hire international employees.
💡 Opportunities for Entrepreneurs: Beyond Fintech and AI, CultureTech in France is an emerging area.
How did we meet Geetanjali and Titash? 🤝🏽
Onkar met Geetanjali through a mutual friend, Komal Shah, who knows Geetanjali from their time teaching French at Alliance Française. Onkar and Komal share the same alma mater in Pune, and Komal made the introduction.
By the way, Komal also hosts a podcast called Life in France🎙️
Geetanjali and Titash’s Entrepreneurial Journey
Geetanjali studied in Mumbai and Grenoble before becoming a French language educator at Alliance Française, where she also handled communications. She later founded French Jobs For Me, a platform for French-speaking professionals in India, and became a serial entrepreneur with Titash.
Titash, after studying in Ajmer and Hyderabad, started his career as a technical writer, later moving into software development and becoming a CTO in various tech companies.
They met in 2004 at a writers' meet-up in Pune—Geetanjali, a literature student, and Titash, a technical writer with a love for fiction.
In 2010, they co-founded Themeefy, a content curation tool for the ed-tech community, growing it to 45K monthly users. Titash’s time in Paris in 2016 as an Entrepreneur-in-Residence gave him insight into the French startup scene. In 2020, they co-founded Adaptiv.Me officially moved to France in 2021.
Adaptiv Me: AI-Driven Career Guidance and Real-Time Upskilling for a Future-Proof Career
Adaptiv Me is an AI-powered platform that helps professionals make smart career decisions, stay updated on job market trends, and upskill in real time. Users get personalized career recommendations and can choose from free short courses to premium job-readiness programs, which include 1:1 mentoring to help land a job within 6 months.
They’ve also launched AI-focused programs in six key areas to help professionals grow their careers by leveraging AI skills.
Why Did Geetanjali and Titash Start Adaptiv Me?
After witnessing the economic impact of COVID-19, Geetanjali and Titash wanted to create a platform to help young professionals find career paths that match both their goals and market demands in an uncertain world.
With AI rapidly transforming businesses, research from McKinsey estimates that generative AI could add $2.6 to $4.4 trillion to the global economy annually. While companies are adopting AI to boost productivity, many employees are falling behind. Key areas benefiting from AI include customer service, marketing, software development, and R&D, which account for 75% of AI’s potential impact.
Why France? 🇫🇷
Titash’s time at NUMA in 2016 gave him valuable insight into the French startup scene, which was just starting to grow with the launch of STATION F, now the world’s largest startup campus.
Seeing the potential and room for innovation in France’s nascent tech ecosystem, Geetanjali and Titash decided it was the ideal place to launch Adaptiv.Me. They appreciated the opportunity to be early movers in a developing market. France’s location, positioned between the US and Asia, also made it a strategic choice for their global ambitions.
Every ecosystem has it’s own set of challenges. Silicon Valley has been a hub of innovation. The moment you set your foot off the plane, you are one among many vying for attention- Titash
Want to learn more about different start-up ecosystems? Do check out Startup Genome.
Key Opportunities for AI Startups in France 🇫🇷 🚀
France's National AI Strategy is in its second phase (2022-2025), with a €2.2 billion investment to attract top AI talent, following a €1.5 billion investment in research during the first phase (2018-2022). The nation is set to host the International AI Summit in 2025.
Recent appointment of Clara Chappaz as the nation’s first AI minister after her impactful work as the head of La French Tech is a much-needed optimism amidst political uncertainty.
The French Tech Visa makes it easier for international tech talent to settle in France, helping over 1,200 companies recruit foreign employees since 2017. This visa is key as more startups hire globally.
France hosts 590 AI startups that raised €3.2 billion in 2022, with 11% self-financing and many expected to be profitable within three years.
Successful AI companies like ContentSquare, Dataiku, Ivalua, Meero, Mirakl, and Spendesk have emerged, with Mistral AI raising a record €385m, underscoring France’s growing deep-tech ecosystem.
Key Challenges for AI Startups in France
Regulations: France’s strict regulations can limit AI innovation. While ethical AI development is important, too much regulation, like the EU AI Act, might slow down tech adoption compared to less regulated markets.
Funding: Despite raising €2.3 billion in AI investments over the past decade, France still lags behind countries like the U.S. This funding gap makes it harder for French startups to compete globally and keep top talent.
Talent Retention: France produces great AI talent, but many skilled individuals leave for countries with more developed AI ecosystems, leading to a "brain drain" that affects the growth of local companies.
Cultural Approach: French startups tend to be cautious and academic in their approach to AI, which contrasts with the more risk-taking, fast-paced culture of American startups, slowing down AI adoption and scaling.
From Incubation to Backing from BPI France
Before moving to France, Geetanjali and Titash joined the TARMAC startup incubator in Grenoble. Through TARMAC, they met with a representative from Bpifrance, who showed strong interest in their idea.
The pitch process was detailed, with a focus on fund allocation. Understanding the French accounting system was a challenge, but within a month, they were awarded a grant from Bpifrance. After 12 months, they provided a detailed report on how the funds were used.
Milestones and Future Goals for Adaptiv Me 🏆🚀
Milestones
Profit Achieved: First profit recorded in the financial year 2022-23.
BPI Grant: Secured additional funding from BPI.
Global Reach: Reached 6,000 users within the first year of launch (Feb 2023), with 10% being paid subscribers—all without any marketing spend.
Focused the first two years on R&D and software development.
Piloted with institutions like Kings College (UK), GEM (France), and several colleges in India.
Future Goals
Topline Growth: Use Generative AI to solve the skills gap by providing information, pushing data-backed career decisions and enabling upskilling & AI Literacy in the future workforce.
Long-Term Strategy (Next 5-10 years):
Expand global presence.
Help people adapt to three key areas: AI, Climate Change, and Global Governance/Economic Policies.
Launch new product, “Adapt for AI,” to help professionals use AI in their jobs.
Introduce Ask Sétu, an AI chatbot to assist with navigating life in France, particularly with administration, education, and career advice.
Advice for Future Entrepreneurs in France
Register Your Company: To qualify for grants like those from BPI, your company must be registered in France. If you're moving from abroad, securing a visa is key, and being part of an incubator can strengthen your visa application.
Incubation Isn't Required: You don’t need to join an incubator, but it helps guide you through the process.
Parallel Processing: Handle multiple steps at once to speed up the administrative process.
Be Patient: Navigating the French system can take 1-2 years, as things move slower than in some other countries.
Learn French: While you can pitch in English, speaking French is crucial for building relationships and managing bureaucracy.
Conclusion
What truly impressed us about Geetanjali and Titash is their grounded approach, forward-thinking vision, and strong values. Their deep understanding of the future landscape and complementary skills make them a powerful and cohesive founding team.
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