The regional winner of Nice-Sophia Antipolis will receive a complete support programme:

• First of all, the winner will benefit from a 12-month incubation programme at Incubator Paca-Est (based in Nice and Sophia Antipolis), including office space for up to three people (worth a total of approximately EUR 20,000).
• An additional cash award of EUR 5,000 will be provided by the local council if the future company is to be based in the Alpes-Maritimes.
• Furthermore, an optional loan of EUR 20,000 will be granted if the project can be linked to a French national public laboratory.
• The prize package also includes one year of free membership in both the IT and Aerospace Regional Competitiveness Clusters (for SMEs only).
• The winner will receive access to local industrial partners and business angel funds.

The Côte d‘Azur is often designated as the “French Wireless Region“ thanks to one of the mobile industry‘s largest professional community in Europe located in and around the Sophia Antipolis technology park. Sophia Antipolis is home to 1,300 multinational companies, SMEs, labs and international institutes representing 30,000 employees from 68 different nationalities. In Cannes, an important space sector has emerged thanks to one of the most important satellite manufacturing sites of Satcom world leader Thales Alenia Space. Furthermore, with is maritime, mountain and urban settings, our region provides an ideal location to set standards and norms, develop pilot applications, carry out test phases and pursue a range of activities linked to positioning navigation and timing.

The regional incubator Incubator Paca-Est (IPE), meanwhile, is now organising the region's ESNC competition for the second year. Since 2001, it has incubated 120 projects that have led to 96 successful companies. Of these companies, 11 have been acquired by other companies, including a number of major international firms. IPE is also a member of the European Space Incubator Network (ESINET).