Orange stepped up ambitions to drive commercial growth for French start-ups, using the annual VivaTech event in Paris to outline a three-pronged strategy focused on procurement, distribution and enterprise integration.

Orange stated it will buy directly from French start-ups where their technology fits its operational and business needs, use its commercial network to connect companies with public and private-sector buyers and integrate select technology into Orange Business’ enterprise catalogue.

The operator said it aims to boost digital sovereignty by tackling long-standing barriers faced by young French companies, including lengthy contracting processes, limited access to large corporate customers, a lack of commercial references and the complexity of scaling technology at pace.

Separately, Orange Ventures, the group’s investment arm, added it would boost funding for start-ups working in AI, cloud, cybersecurity, health and defence as part of a wider digital trust push.

Orange pointed to several companies it has already worked with under the plan, citing successful partnerships with cybersecurity specialist Anozr Way, circular economy player Circular Place, agentic AI developer H Company and process optimisation firm Kerys.

The initiative forms part of the operator’s partnership with French Tech Mission 2030, a government-backed programme that aims to support the country’s start-ups seeking to move beyond pilots and into commercial deployment.

Orange CEO Christel Heydemann (pictured) said France needs start-ups “capable of reaching industrial scale, sustaining their solutions and rapidly winning their markets,” adding Orange aims to use its “purchasing volume”, “commercial strength” and “integration expertise” to help them grow.

Julie Huguet, director of the French Tech Mission, added “access to customers, trusted relays and smoother sales cycles” were “essential” for start-up growth. She said the partnership with Orange could “generate tangible commercial opportunities for our scale-ups and help bring out the future European technology leaders”.

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