BETC, founding partner of Paris & Co – Le Cargo, platform for innovation dedicated to cultural and creative digital industries

BETC recently announced its partnership with Le Cargo, a platform for innovation dedicated to cultural and creative digital industries. Located in Paris on the Boulevard Macdonald, Le Cargo is a space tailored to the optimal growth of innovative startups working in the cultural and creative industries, and will serve as Europe’s largest business incubator.

Aware of the growing need to stay abreast of new uses and formats linked to the proliferation of digital content, Paris&Co and its partner organisations (BETC, Boulanger, EM Lyon, Médiamétrie and Vivendi) are eager to use Le Cargo to gather digital initiatives with the potential to revolutionise our culture and the media through which we experience it.

Nestled in the heart of a 15,000m2 structure, the Cargo innovation platform has set itself the following objectives:

• Encourage the emergence of young, innovative companies working in creative and cultural industries (such as e-learning, video games, digital publishing, digital media, 3D animation, music, audiovisual, radio, internet, etc.)
• Organise and streamline meetings between large companies and startups, held within the dedicated office space
• Identify opportunities for collaboration (working groups, co-development, strategic business partnerships etc.) and accelerate business transformation and innovation.

From April 7th – May 18th, a call for applications will be open to all innovative and culture-driven companies wishing to benefit from dedicated business support, including:

• Business incubation facilities (office space, logistical services, business support)
• Access to the Paris Innovation Amorçage (“Paris innovation initiation”) fund, a grant worth up to €30k for companies in the startup phase
• Close relationships with founding members in order to stimulate synergy and business partnership

The partnership fits perfectly within BETC’s broader approach towards investing in innovation. This approach was sparked with the creation of the BETC Startup Lab, which began providing strategic and creative support for startups in 2011, and has since guided the development of a number of brands including Le Slip Francais, Gemmyo, Le Petit Ballon and HelloMerci. The Startup Lab will continue to grow within BETC’s new premises (Les Magasins Generaux) from summer 2016, offering startup companies dedicated working spaces located right in the heart of BETC’s creative, productive and innovative homestead.

Rémi Babinet, Founder and Executive Creative Director, BETC:

Culture, creation and innovation are all at the heart of our agency and the partnership with CARGO is another brick in the project that is BETC today. Thanks to this, we will be able to link the energy of creative startups with the needs of brands today, in order to build projects of the future.

Paris&Co is the economic and innovation development agency for the Paris region, specializing in matters of industry appeal and innovation, with a view to increasing job creation and augmenting the city’s economic value. It prospects and hosts international investors, and contributes to extending the influence of the city’s innovation economy by acting as an incubator for young companies, experimenting with innovative solutions, organising startup events and putting younger generation companies into contact with over a hundred large-scale operators.

Almost 200 business benefit from the support provided by the Paris&Co teams, including company diagnostic check-ups, strategic coaching, establishing relationships with large groups and individual methodological support, as well as connecting to the Innovation en Ile de France network ecosystem. In addition, Paris&Co offers an entrepreneurial support program, including conferences, training, mentoring and the organisation of awards events.

Each year, the Paris&Co international division provides support for almost 400 projects helping foreign companies set up in France; the agency also organises over 200 business and innovation events every year.