Nice, 400 Businesses and 60 Experts for the Rentrée des Entrepreneurs: Focus on Growth, Funding and Innovation

How can an entrepreneurial idea be turned into a concrete business project? And what tools are available to finance, develop or transfer a company? These are among the key questions at the heart of the fourth edition of the Rentrée des entrepreneurs, taking place on Tuesday, September 15, at the Innovation Hub of the Nice Côte d’Azur Metropolitan Area.

The event, scheduled from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., will bring together more than 400 entrepreneurs and businesses alongside over 60 experts and specialist partners. The initiative is designed to provide practical answers to those launching a business, companies looking to grow, and entrepreneurs facing a phase of transformation or business succession.

Nice and its growing entrepreneurial ecosystem

The decision to dedicate an entire morning to the practical needs of entrepreneurs comes against the backdrop of a dynamic local business environment.

According to the Insee data cited for the event, 15,532 businesses were created in the Nice Côte d’Azur Metropolitan Area in 2025. The majority, 75.8%, were established as sole proprietorships, while 17.3% were created as simplified joint-stock companies.

These figures highlight the importance of new businesses and self-employment within the local economy, as well as the need for tools, expertise and professional networks capable of supporting entrepreneurs throughout the different stages of a company’s development.

From starting a business to achieving growth

The Rentrée des entrepreneurs is aimed at a broad audience, ranging from people who are still turning an idea into a business project to established companies facing new challenges.

Those at the beginning of their entrepreneurial journey will have the opportunity to meet organisations supporting business creation and learn more about the tools available to them. Established companies, meanwhile, can consult specialists on topics including funding, innovation, taxation, business law, growth and internationalisation.

The Nice Côte d’Azur Metropolitan Area identifies business creation and recovery, access to funding, the search for commercial premises and land, innovation and internationalisation among its key areas of support.

The goal is therefore to create a direct link between entrepreneurs’ needs and a network of organisations and professionals able to assist them with important business decisions.

A programme combining one-to-one meetings and expert talks

The morning’s programme will combine one-to-one meetings with short keynote sessions, addressing some of the most relevant issues currently facing entrepreneurs and business leaders.

The event will officially open at 9:45 a.m. with a speech by Éric Ciotti, Mayor of Nice and President of the Nice Côte d’Azur Metropolitan Area.

The programme will then address topics related to business support and company structuring, as well as an increasingly important issue for businesses and professionals: electronic invoicing. The Direction départementale des finances publiques will contribute to this part of the programme.

At 11 a.m., attention will turn to business continuity and financial tools, with a discussion of the different options available to companies.

The programme will also cover external growth and business transfers, while first-hand accounts from entrepreneurs will explore the less theoretical side of running a company, including values, challenges, mistakes and the strategies that have helped businesses remain competitive and active in the market.

The morning will conclude at 12:15 p.m. with a session dedicated to business transformation.

The Innovation Hub at the heart of the business and institutional network

The event is also part of the Nice Côte d’Azur Metropolitan Area’s strategy to strengthen connections between businesses, public institutions and organisations specialising in entrepreneurial support.

The Innovation Hub, located in the heart of the Eco-Vallée, plays a central role as an incubator and accelerator. According to figures published by the facility, it has supported more than 150 businesses since 2008 and currently hosts around 50 startups, representing more than 350 jobs in total.

A morning designed to turn ideas into decisions

More than simply showcasing the economic ecosystem of the French Riviera, the Rentrée des entrepreneurs is designed as a strongly practical initiative.

Its main strength lies in bringing together people with concrete business needs and professionals and organisations capable of providing advice, expertise and practical tools.

For entrepreneurs, this means being able to address several closely connected issues during a single event: how to finance a project, manage administrative and tax requirements, innovate, grow a business and prepare for a potential business succession.

At a time when companies must simultaneously deal with costs, bureaucracy, investment requirements and technological transformation, the key message of the Nice event is therefore highly practical: turn ideas into decisions.

Where and when is the Rentrée des entrepreneurs taking place?

The fourth edition of the Rentrée des entrepreneurs will take place on Tuesday, September 15, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the Innovation Hub of the Nice Côte d’Azur Metropolitan Area, located at 61–63 Avenue Simone Veil, Nice.

The event will be held at the Innovation Hub.