Find a Cofounder in Lille
Lille is home to over 15,982 aspiring entrepreneurs. Join 1,300+ founders already on Foundersbase - be among the first 50 joining in Lille and start your founder journey today!
Find your cofounder →↓ More on Lille founders
Entrepreneurship in Lille
Entrepreneurship in Lille
Entrepreneurship in Lille
Lille has cultivated a distinctive startup ecosystem that leverages the city's strategic position connecting France, Belgium, and the UK through the Channel Tunnel. The northern French hub has developed strengths in retail technology, logistics innovation, and creative industries, building on the region's commercial heritage and ongoing economic transformation. For founders, Lille offers notable advantages: technical talent at costs below Paris levels, excellent transportation infrastructure connecting to major European markets within hours, and France's third-largest university population enhancing the talent pipeline. The ecosystem features organizations including EuraTechnologies—one of France's largest tech incubators—and the Lille French Tech initiative, while growing cross-border collaboration creates unique European opportunities. With its combination of logistical advantages, academic resources, and position at the crossroads of Northwest Europe, Lille provides entrepreneurs with an environment particularly suited for building technology startups with pan-European market ambitions.
Lille has cultivated a distinctive startup ecosystem that leverages the city's strategic position connecting France, Belgium, and the UK through the Channel Tunnel. The northern French hub has developed strengths in retail technology, logistics innovation, and creative industries, building on the region's commercial heritage and ongoing economic transformation. For founders, Lille offers notable advantages: technical talent at costs below Paris levels, excellent transportation infrastructure connecting to major European markets within hours, and France's third-largest university population enhancing the talent pipeline. The ecosystem features organizations including EuraTechnologies—one of France's largest tech incubators—and the Lille French Tech initiative, while growing cross-border collaboration creates unique European opportunities. With its combination of logistical advantages, academic resources, and position at the crossroads of Northwest Europe, Lille provides entrepreneurs with an environment particularly suited for building technology startups with pan-European market ambitions.
Lille founders in numbers
The startup community in Lille shows a healthy mix of people still exploring ideas (57%) and those already building something (43%). This balance between early-stage thinking and committed founders shapes the local scene. Looking at the numbers, the median age of founders in Lille is 28.5, with an average age of 33.2. Most are in the 25-32 age range, which makes up 38.9% of the community. When it comes to background, 56% of founders in Lille have technical skills in areas like engineering or software development, while 44% come from business roles such as operations, product, or marketing. This mix creates plenty of opportunity for strong co-founder matches. Popular areas of interest include Fashion, Augmented Reality, Machine Learning, and Mental Health. Many founders in Lille also speak more than one language, adding fresh perspectives to the city’s startup ecosystem Impacts are {13},{14},{15},{16}.
Commitment Type
More than (57%) of Foundersbase founders in Lille, are exploring startup ideas, while (43%) are committed to an idea.
Age
The median age of Foundersbase founders in Lille is 28.5, while the average is age 33.2 with a maximum in the group of founders aging 25-32.
Type of Founder
About (56%) of Foundersbase founders in Lille are technical (Engineering, AI/ML), while (44%) are non-technical (Product, Marketing, Operations).
Top industry interests
Discover the industries that Foundersbase founders in Lille are most passionate about.
Join the startup community in Lille
Cofounders. Startups. Investors.
Our mission is to help you and your business ideas become successful in Lille and around the globe. Get on board today, its free!
- Present yourself and your ideas.
- Browse cofounders, startups and investors.
- Follow, connect, and chat.
As featured in
