NTBFs - the French case

New technology-based firms (NTBFs) represent only a small proportion of the firms established in France each year; they attract very little specific attention from the national statistical apparatus and are considered to be of marginal significance by both the public authorities and financial institutions. Although the definition of NTBFs is problematic, the available evidence suggests that the survival rate of technology-based firms is higher than that of other start-ups. The most successful in terms of growth belong to dense and convergent networks through which they interact with larger firms and research organisations. Then is very little public policy specifically targeted on NTBFs in France. Instead, public financing has been devoted mainly to the development of SMEs in general-in support of their role in the creation of new employment-and to supporting technology-based firms, both large and small, to strengthen the international competitiveness of the French industry. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V.