X-UP
Comprehensive support in a unique ecosystem
Providing project leaders with the most effective innovation tools and methodologies and supporting them step-by-step, with personalized coaching from leading experts.
Over a hundred applications received, five to eight projects supported each year. Intensive six-month program, personalized for each project.
Key points
Pre-incubation or off-site incubation for projects outside France
Personalized coaching program to guide and challenge you
Implementation support: defining objectives
KPI monitoring / Weekly reviews
Prototyping advice and support
Connect to the Ecole Polytechnique ecosystem
Meet successful entrepreneurs
Expert workshops, weekly workshops
One mentor per project
Introduction to international development
Grow your company in a world-class innovation cluster
Early-stage startup
PoC already developed
Initial identification of your market
Feedback from potential early users
Interaction with early prospects
Viable technology
At least two people leading the project
Technology expertise in the founding team
Objectives
An intensive six-month program to structure your project
Organize your company
Draw up an ambitious and viable road map
Build your professional network
Demonstrate the value of your idea
Create, test and improve your prototype
Get in touch with potential clients
Choose your final business model
Develop a funding strategy
Resources
to support you in the structuring of your project
Program managers and a multidisciplinary team for your project
Personalized coaching to guide and challenge you
Connection with specialist engineers and a senior designer
Training and the expertise of engineers for prototyping
Connection with alumni, students, startups, companies
Open-plan office, access to meeting rooms, a prototyping facility and connection platforms: Perks, community, job board
Access to a fully equipped prototyping facility, with expertise from three dedicated engineers
Close to the research center and to our excubated partners, access to events
Workshops and expertise
6-month intensive program - 80 office hours - some examples below
Workshops
Get scientific experts to challenge your technology
How to protect your invention
Legal and tax tools to start your technology business
Expertise
Technological and scientific
Legal and tax
Verbal and non-verbal communication
The X-Up incubation program made us concentrate on sales issues which were critical for our project to be marketed. The program helped us set key targets to be reached during the incubation period. The Ecole Polytechnique network is extremely valuable in accessing the market and talking to leading executives in all industry sectors.
We stayed in X-up for a year, which helped us to concentrate on the really important aspects of our business project, rather than spread ourselves too thinly. The program also helped us build up a network of contacts, which meant that we were quickly able to secure public grants. Being able to talk to other entrepreneurs on the challenges of any business creation was also a plus point. And lastly, thanks to X-Fab, we are able to quickly produce a prototype. It acted as a real springboard for us.
Overall, this was super useful for us because it arrived very early on in our development process, providing structure/empowerment. The Ecole Polytechnique image also helped, especially as we operate in a very specific industry.
Conditions
First selection based on the application file then on an interview with an internal committee
One month of pre-incubation before the final selection is made by the committee
Program open to all applicants, from Ecole Polytechnique and elsewhere
Six-month program starts in February or September, renewable once
Ecole Polytechnique holds a minority stake in the capital of startups it supports
Online application
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