Initiative France

History

The France Initiative association was created in 1985 . It is the federation of the first associative network of financing and support for business creators and one of the first actors in the association of loans of honor.

Initiative France became the 1 ^st October 2012, it now brings together a network of 230 local platforms. Local and regional authorities have always been involved and sometimes directly led to the establishment of the Initiative platforms. They participate in their financing alongside the European Structural Funds, the Caisse des Dépôts , banks and companies, and foundations. The platforms also associate consular chambers, banks and companies.

The 1 ^st October 2012, the Network Initiative endorsed the change of its overall brand system with new names, new logos and a new signature for the national association, the regional coordination and 230 adherent platforms ² .

A financing tool for business creation

The loan of honor is the main intervention tool of the Initiative platforms. It is granted without interest or guarantees. It is a personal loan that increases the capital of the project holder and facilitates access to bank loans.

Originally conceived for the only creators of companies, the loan of honor was extended gradually from the 1990s to the recovery of company. Initiative platforms can also be used, under the same conditions, for entrepreneurs who have already started their activity for less than three years, either to supplement their initial financing or to allow development. Today, some are starting to make loans for growth.

Loans are granted after prior instruction by Initiative Teams or participating organizations. The allocation of the loan is always the subject of a decision within a commitment committee that brings together various skills: business leaders, bank executives, accountants, lawyers …, in front of which the project leaders are presented.

Some Initiative platforms also provide other financial support. In particular, they can manage state aid or local authorities.

Initiative platforms welcome all project leaders; some, with a regional vocation, are specialized in supporting the creation of innovative companies.

An accompanying function

Compulsory supplement of the loan of honor , the accompaniment of the creators can take several forms: a technical follow-up or expert, or a sponsorship. In 2014, the network mobilized 4,600 sponsors for 8,500 sponsorships.

Sponsors are business leaders or executives (active or retired), who benefit the creator or buyer of business from their experience and network relational. They perform their duties on a voluntary basis.

Activity of Initiative Platforms

In 2014 the network helped 16,200 businesses to be born or to be taken over, representing 38,500 jobs. The three-year sustainability rate of the companies assisted reached 87% in 2014 ¹ . On average, for 1 euro granted in loan of honor , 8 euros of bank loan were obtained. In 2014 , 145.8 million euros were mobilized for the loans of honor and their financing accounts for nearly half of the local authorities.

The organization of the platforms Initiative

Each platform acts on a specific territory (an agglomeration, a department, a living area, etc.). It takes the status of association according to the 1901 law . Since 2004 , the Initiative platforms have been grouped into regional coordination. Several of them merged to cover more homogenously a territory; in parallel, local antennas are constituted ³ .

The leaders of Initiative France

The presidents of the Initiative France network were:

• Jean-Pierre Worms , former Deputy of Saône-et-Loire ( Socialist Party );
• Michel Pinton , former mayor of Felletin ( Creuse ), former MEP, former delegate general of the Union for French Democracy (UDF);
• Roger-Louis Cazalet, Honorary President of the Order of Chartered Accountants;
• Bernard Brunhes ( 2003 – 2010 ), Vice President of BPI Group. Following Bernard Bruhnes’ health concerns, Jean-Pierre Worms took over the acting presidency.

The president in office is:

• Louis Schweitzer (2011), Former President and CEO of the Renault Automotive Group, he was until March 2010 President of the High Authority against Discrimination and Equality. He was elected in 2011 at the head of the Initiative France network.

Bibliography

• Bernard Brunhes : And their companies will see the light of day , Editions Autrement, Paris, January 2007
• [PDF] Roger Besse (presented by): Information Report on Local Initiative Platforms [ archive ] , Senate, Finance, Budget Control and Economic Accounts Committee of the Nation, February 2007.

References