ETI in France means Entreprises de taille intermédiaire, which can be translated as Medium Size Companies.
In fact, it is not quite the same thing. ETI are societies where the number of employees is between 250 and 5.000. It is a new size of firms in France where small companies have just began to exist legally.

ETI are composed of family business and subsidiaries of foreign companies. Subsidiaries of French companies are counted with their parent companies.

ETI have specificities and are very good in some economic areas: They export 33% of the total French export, innovate a lot (46% of the total) and, if they employ only 21% of the employees, who earn as much as big companies and the results are better per person.

As they are economical champions, we want them to be supported to develop as they are in England or in Germany.

In France, the “think little” is a principle. So it is very difficult for a lot of firms to grow. Managers don’t want their firms to become a big one because they think that it will be very difficult for them. That’s why the majority of them are sold before they become an ETI. And very often, these managers, who love to create, create a new society, with success.

In France we don’t need to have serial entrepreneurs but successful ETI entrepreneurs.