Stage 9 · Startup, innovation and deeptech
Financing external growth for a scale-up
Acquiring a company, a technology or a team to accelerate: public schemes for external growth.
- 2
open schemes - 0
closed scheme (history) - 2 national
0 local or regional - 2
funding families
For a scale-up, acquiring another company allows faster entry into a market, integration of a technology, or hiring an entire team. These deals are mainly financed through equity and acquisition debt; public schemes play a targeted role here.
The catalog lists only {{ouvertes}} open schemes attached to this stage: support for an external growth strategy and an investment fund dedicated to international acquisitions. Business transfer loans and guarantees, presented in the "Takeover" stage of the SME journey, can also finance certain acquisitions.
What does it take to succeed at external growth?
An acquisition draws on three resources.
A strategy
Which targets, which criteria, which integration approach: the precondition for not overpaying.
Equity
To pay for the target and reassure lenders about the debt level.
Acquisition debt
Loans linked to the deal, within the limits of the group's repayment capacity.
What are you looking for?
Key schemes
The two schemes dedicated to external growth.
Accélérateur Croissance Externe
Bpifrance
Closes in 22 days
Up to €31,600
Bpifrance program to structure a first deal or professionalize an external growth strategy.
Fonds Build-Up International
Bpifrance
Equity and quasi-equity of €3M to €30M for international acquisitions by SMEs and mid-sized companies.
Structuring your acquisition strategy
Bpifrance's Accélérateur Croissance Externe is aimed at companies preparing a first deal or wanting to professionalize their strategy. It finances support services, not the acquisition itself: the price and the remaining cost depend on the cohort.
Financing an acquisition abroad
The Fonds Build-Up International, subscribed by the State under the Programme d'investissements d'avenir and managed by Bpifrance, invests €3M to €30M in equity and quasi-equity in SMEs and mid-sized companies growing through external acquisitions abroad. It also brings in a team of investors specialized in international deals.
For an acquisition in France, business transfer financing (Prêt Croissance Transmission, transfer guarantees) can cover the purchase of a majority stake or certain strategic equity stakes: they are presented in the "Takeover" stage of the SME journey.
All schemes for this stage
2 schemes open
Accélérateur Croissance Externe
Bpifrance
Closes in 22 days
Up to €31,600
Fonds Build-Up International
Bpifrance
Schemes linked to this stage after individual review (unreviewed proposals are never shown). Scope is "national" or "local" based on the territory declared by the scheme; 0 scheme(s) with no territory on record are counted in neither.
Steps to secure funding
- 1Define the strategy and targetsMarket, technology, team: what the acquisition needs to deliver.
- 2Value the targetAnd check the group's repayment capacity after the deal.
- 3Structure the financingEquity, acquisition debt, possibly dedicated funds.
- 4Prepare the integrationSuccess is often decided in the months following signing.
Useful resources
Frequently asked questions
Are there grants for acquiring a company?
Rarely at the national level for a scale-up: public schemes mainly focus on support, equity and acquisition debt.
Does the Fonds Build-Up International finance an acquisition in France?
It is dedicated to international external growth projects. For an acquisition in France, see business transfer financing.
Business transfer loans, takeover guarantees and honour loans: financing for a company buyout is detailed in the SME journey.
See takeovers and external growthOfficial sources
- Accélérateur Croissance Externe — Bpifrance — fiche Capital OS relue en octobre 2026 (source officielle citée)
- Fonds Build-Up International — Bpifrance — fiche Capital OS relue en octobre 2026 (source officielle citée)
Your situation is unique
Prepare the financing for your acquisition
Enter your SIRET or describe your project: the report cross-references your technological maturity, your location and your financing plan to keep only the schemes you can access.