France 2030: how an SME applies to a call for proposals

Quick answer. France 2030 is a €54 billion investment plan, steered by the Secretariat-General for Investment (SGPI) and operated by Bpifrance, ADEME, ANR and Caisse des Dépôts. Its calls for proposals (AAP) grant two forms of support: grants (non-repayable) and repayable advances (repaid if the project succeeds, unless failure is recognised by the operator). To apply, an SME must demonstrate project maturity, innovation, a solid financing plan and, above all, a share of private co-financing: public aid never covers 100% of costs.

Since 2021, France 2030 has concentrated public investment on a few strategic priorities: decarbonisation, industrial sovereignty, health, digital and future sectors. In 2026, funding remains substantial, but selection has tightened. Calls reward high-stakes, genuinely innovative projects whose risk is shared with the private sector.

For an SME, the challenge is not only accessing aid, but understanding the logic: the state shares risk, it does not carry it alone. Without clearly documented co-financing, an application is screened out at the administrative stage. France 2030 complements, without replacing, the overview of public innovation aid and other business financing solutions.

France 2030 is a €54 billion strategic investment plan (part of it from the future-investment programmes), steered by the SGPI, attached to the Prime Minister's services. It is deployed through four operators:

Each operator runs its own calls with specific criteria. No call is universal: reading the specifications carefully is essential.

Grant or repayable advance#

A grant is non-repayable aid paid to deliver a project, on condition of executing it and reporting. A repayable advance carries an obligation of financial returns: you repay it if the project succeeds; if failure is recognised by the operator, it may be wholly or partly forgiven. It is a risk-sharing mechanism, to be read precisely in each call.

Most calls target SMEs, mid-caps, startups and consortia (an SME with private, academic or public partners). Generally excluded are large enterprises (except structuring projects), companies in difficulty and structures combining incompatible aid. For SME status, refer to the EU definition: fewer than 250 employees, and turnover not exceeding €50M or a balance-sheet total not exceeding €43M.

The Bpifrance platform centralises national calls, with deadlines, specifications and forms. The portals of ADEME, ANR and Caisse des Dépôts complete the offer by theme. For each call, note the area covered, the envelope, the deadline, the required maturity, the financing rate, any required partners and the selection criteria.

The TRL (Technology Readiness Level) scale rates an innovation's maturity from 1 (concept) to 9 (deployed product). A call usually specifies a minimum TRL.

Presenting a project that is too early for a call requiring a higher TRL leads to rejection. It is sometimes better to self-fund the maturity climb before applying.

A complete file includes: the project description and its differentiation; an action plan with milestones and deliverables; a detailed, justified budget (personnel, purchases, subcontracting, overheads); the team; and the expected socio-economic impact (jobs, spillovers, contribution to strategic priorities). Numerical consistency between sections is scrutinised; have the financial parts reviewed, for instance with the support of an outsourced CFO.

This is the deciding factor. France 2030 never funds a project 100% from public funds. You must document a private share:

• the company's own equity;
• a bank loan (which can be secured by a Bpifrance guarantee);
• venture capital or business angels;
• partners' in-kind contributions;
• customer pre-commitments.

Each source must be proven by a document (statement, letter of intent, contract). First check that the entire budget is secured — public aid plus co-financing — before drafting the file.

Two checks are required. Aid cumulation: declare all concurrent aid; the same expense cannot be funded twice. State-aid rules: some amounts or sectors are capped. For several years, a minimum environmental assessment has been part of the review.

Submit the complete file before the deadline via the operator's portal, and keep the timestamped proof. Then expect, generally, three to six months of review: administrative screening, technical assessment, decision. If approved, payment is staged and conditional on meeting milestones.

• Very early project (TRL 1-2): first seek seed capital or research schemes (for example a CIFRE arrangement).
• Project without real innovation: turn to operational financing, bank credit or tax credits (R&D, innovation), via our innovation-financing support.
• Solo applicant: join a consortium or incubator to strengthen the file.

• Tighter selection: rejection rates rise; only the best files pass.
• Climate priorities: calls linked to decarbonisation and energy are prioritised.
• Traceability: keep project-dedicated accounting to justify expenses.
• Expected exploitation: a pure-research project with no medium-term commercial outlet scores poorly.

Recently, an SME developing an artificial-intelligence solution for logistics shared its financing strategy with us: a mature project, a significant budget, a solid team. We modelled three routes — call for proposals, standard bank loan, equity round — then recommended combining a France 2030 grant with a bank loan. The prospect of the grant made the bank file more attractive, without diluting capital. Our role focused on justifying the budget, the human resources and the impact: without an impeccable financial file, the aid would not have been granted.

Hayot Expertise recommendation. If a France 2030 call fits your project, start early: plan eight to twelve weeks of preparation before submission. First check eligibility and co-financing, then build a costed, consistent file. We support SMEs on opportunity assessment, financial structuring, setting up project-based accounting and compliance (aid cumulation, State-aid rules).