Bpifrance, the French state-owned investment bank, has unveiled its ‘Transmission Plan’, an initiative designed to facilitate company takeovers, preserve jobs, and safeguard local expertise. The experts at AURIS Finance, a consultancy specialising in mergers and acquisitions, take a closer look.
The evidence is clear. According to figures provided by Bpifrance, 41% of SME managers in France intend to sell their business within the next five years. However, a quarter of these managers have not yet defined a handover plan due to time constraints or difficulty identifying a buyer.
Lack of potential buyers
The public investment bank has set itself the priority of increasing the number of business transfers in France and securing deals by providing more support to buyers in 2025. This measure comes at a challenging time. According to the Conseil national des greffiers, only 954 transfers of distressed business were recorded in 2024, compared with 1,519 in 2023. Meanwhile, the number of insolvency proceedings opened increased to 77,816, affecting almost 169,000 employees.
Strategic leverage
Against the backdrop of significant ageing among SME managers, Bpifrance has identified business transfers as a strategic lever and is launching a national plan designed to facilitate and secure takeover transactions. Central to this initiative is the introduction of the Prêt Croissance Transmission: an unsecured loan of up to €5 million for SME takeover projects. This new loan complements Bpifrance’s existing support schemes, which include buyout guarantees, zero-interest buyout loans, and equity and quasi equity.
A platform for sellers and project sponsors
Bpifrance is also increasing its support for sellers and project sponsors through the Bourse de la Transmission. This dedicated platform currently lists 46,214 companies and businesses to be taken over. The Prêt Croissance and the Bourse Transmission are supported by local initiatives managed by Bpifrance’s regional teams. The organisation operates a total of 50 regional offices, which aim to raise awareness among sellers and buyers of the importance of anticipating a business transfer to ensure its success.
French unicorns
Since its establishment in 2013, Bpifrance has positioned itself as a comprehensive business support provider, offering financing, investment, personalised assistance, and support for innovation and international expansion. Notably, the investment bank has backed many French unicorns — companies valued at over €1 billion — of which there are now 30. Notable examples include Doctolib, Back Market, Blablacar and Deezer. They all have one thing in common: they received financial support from Bpifrance in their early days. Bpifrance’s goal is now to catch up with the United Kingdom, Europe’s leader in venture capital, by enabling 100 new French unicorns to emerge by 2030, including 25 greentech unicorns and 10 decacorns (valued at over $10 billion).
Our experts at your service
If a business cannot find a buyer, it is doomed to disappear, resulting in the loss of its know-how. Against the backdrop of a stated desire to reindustrialise France based on continuity of local expertise, Bpifrance aims to facilitate business takeovers by providing funding and dedicated support for buyers. At AURIS Finance, our experts specialise by sector. We can help you find the support and funding you need to bring your projects to life.
