France : Incubating would-be entrepreneurs

One of the major barriers to overcome when you decide to create your own business is to keep your social status and your incomes or benefits during the trial period of activity. With the support of the French legislation, persons who have lost their job might test entrepreneurship within special structures like the union of Couveuses, while receiving still their unemployment benefits. Three years after its birth, the Couveuses network offers legal hosting to would-be entrepreneurs – coming mainly from unemployment ? and welcome them all over 33 French territories. The 50 available incubators or subsidiary affiliates offer the usual services to project holders, but provide as well a pedagogic supervision, adapted to the needs of their target population. Today, 8 social incubators are operating in distressed urban areas and 13 more will be opened shortly. New specialized incubators were also created last year around the social economy, the world of artists, the fashion trade, and the building. The couveuses network federating 45 independent associations is growing at a rapid pace. www.uniondescouveuses.com