Comité Richelieu

The Comité Richelieu is a French non-profit professional association founded in 1989 that federates innovative small and medium-sized enterprises (PMEs) and mid-caps (ETIs). Its stated mission is to promote development based on innovation and research, experimentation and openness, and to carry the voice of innovative companies while actively contributing to their business success. It positions itself as a unique ecosystem spanning all sectors and industries, bringing together hundreds of startups, SMEs and mid-caps across France alongside large corporate partners and public actors. The association was created on the initiative of Hervé Arditty, an entrepreneur and president of iXCore, initially around five SMEs in 1989. It grew to more than 150 members by 2007 and 320 SMEs by 1 June 2012. Its work is organized through thematic commissions — notably Defence, Smart City, Finance, and Digital Transformation — where concrete proposals and business-oriented actions are developed. Partnerships with large accounts have produced proposals later taken up by public authorities, including the Crédit d'Impôt Innovation, the creation of an innovation mediation, and measures in the French Ministry of the Armed Forces' SME action plan. The Comité Richelieu is known for its lobbying activities aimed at public authorities, advocating for a French 'Small Business Act' on the American model that would reserve a greater place for SMEs in public procurement and R&D financing programmes. It publishes a Livre Blanc (White Paper) at each presidential election containing proposals from innovative entrepreneurs for all candidates. It distinguishes itself from broader organisations such as MEDEF, which represents all French companies, and Croissance Plus, which gathers entrepreneurs without a primary focus on innovation; the Comité Richelieu focuses exclusively on innovation- and growth-driven SMEs. Its leadership has included presidents such as Jean-Pierre Gérault (Convergence International) and, per the association's own communications, Philippe Bouquet. The association continues to operate as a hub where members and large-account partners meet, publishes reference works on the innovation ecosystem, and advocates for evolving rules on innovative public procurement and the taxation of innovative companies.

The Comité Richelieu was founded in 1989 on the initiative of Hervé Arditty, an entrepreneur and president of iXCore. It initially formed around five innovative SMEs. Its purpose was to federate French innovation- and growth-driven SMEs so that they could have an impact in economic discussions, both with government and in relations with large groups. Over the following decades the association grew steadily. By 2007 it counted more than 150 members, and by 1 June 2012 it had reached 320 SMEs. During this period it also advocated for the creation of a financing bank for innovative companies, targeted at a 2013 horizon. The Comité Richelieu has consistently engaged in lobbying and advocacy. It has carried out targeted actions with public authorities to expose the concerns of SMEs, notably advocating for a 'Small Business Act' on the American model that would reserve a greater place for SMEs in public procurement and R&D financing programmes. It was received by Fleur Pellerin as part of consultations with a new government. Its work is structured through thematic commissions that federate members around major themes. These have included Defence, with a specific commission managing relations with French defence bodies including the Ministry of Defence, the Délégation Générale pour l'Armement and CIDEF; Smart City, addressing smart-city issues in relation to territories; Innovation and its Financing; and Digital Transformation. Partnerships with large accounts have produced proposals later taken up by public authorities, including the Crédit d'Impôt Innovation, the creation of an innovation mediation, and measures in the French Ministry of the Armed Forces' SME action plan. At each presidential election the Comité Richelieu publishes a Livre Blanc (White Paper) containing the proposals of innovative entrepreneurs for all candidates. The association has also called for an evolution of innovative public procurement rules, favouring access for SMEs to markets through experimentation in the territories, and has proposed rethinking the taxation of innovative companies by drawing more on the modalities of the young innovative enterprise (jeune entreprise innovante) regime. In its own communications, the association describes itself as a dynamic that brings together hundreds of startups, SMEs and mid-caps installed throughout France, sharing the common value of innovation, and as a unique ecosystem spanning all sectors and industries — a hub where members and large-account partners meet. Its stated mission is to favour development based on innovation and research, experimentation and openness, and its promise is to carry the voice of innovative companies and actively contribute to their business. Its leadership has included presidents such as Jean-Pierre Gérault (Convergence International) and, per the association's own communications, Philippe Bouquet.

• 2013

  Advocates for the creation of a financing bank for innovative companies with a 2013 horizon.

• 2012

  Reaches 320 SMEs as of 1 June 2012.

• 2007

  Membership exceeds 150 members.

• 1989

  Comité Richelieu founded on the initiative of Hervé Arditty around five innovative SMEs.

A non-profit professional association exclusively focused on innovation- and growth-driven SMEs, distinct from broad employer organisations like MEDEF and from entrepreneur networks like Croissance Plus.

1. 1Comité Richelieu – Au coeur de l'innovationcomite-richelieu.org
2. 2A propos – Comité Richelieucomite-richelieu.org
3. 3Comité Richelieu – Wikidatawikidata.org
4. 4Comité Richelieu – Wikipédiafr.wikipedia.org