The Observatory of Heroes
Amid all this economic turmoil, what if we listened to the long-term builders?
Founded by GENEO Capital Entrepreneur in 2025, the Observatoire des Héros highlights the contribution of mid-sized companies to France’s economic, social, and regional transformation. It regularly publishes studies, surveys, and profiles to shed light on the major challenges facing small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and mid-sized companies, and to promote effective strategies for addressing them.
The Observatory of Heroes
Amid all this economic turmoil, what if we listened to the long-term builders?
Founded by GENEO Capital Entrepreneur in 2025, the Observatoire des Héros highlights the contribution of mid-sized companies to France’s economic, social, and regional transformation. It regularly publishes studies, surveys, and profiles to shed light on the major challenges facing small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and mid-sized companies, and to promote effective strategies for addressing them.
Why the of Heroes of GENEO Capital ?
Because at GENEO, we believe that the solutions are already there: in the concrete choices, strong convictions and inspiring trajectories of these ETIs on the move. The Observatory sheds light on these choices, makes them visible, and maps out a roadmap for the future.
More than just a barometer, a compass !
The Heroes' Compass does not measure the state of the economy. It captures the energy of long-term builders—their ability to stay proactive, invest, and prepare for the future, no matter what.
The second edition of the survey, conducted by OpinionWay for GENEO Capital Entrepreneur and KPMG, reveals six key messages:
- The mid-sized companies surveyed generally have an aggressive investment strategy, although there is significant variation: 46% are maintaining their investment levels compared to 2025, 33% are increasing them, and 21% plan to reduce them
- This drive to move forward relies primarily on the factors that companies can directly control. 71% cite organic growth as their main driver of development, through innovation, business development, or new offerings
- In a complex domestic environment, international expansion is a key strategic priority: 57% want to accelerate their growth in new markets, either through exports or by establishing new operations (compared with 40% last year)
- Human capital remains at the heart of their priorities: 63% rank recruitment, training, and skills development as their top investment priorities
- Cyber maturity is advancing, paving the way for the deployment of AI, which is still in its infancy: more than three out of four mid-sized companies have initiated an AI initiative or project, but only 13% have already deployed AI across multiple business units or processes
- More than just financial aid, mid-sized companies want stability: with less than six months to go before the presidential election, 65% ofthe executives surveyed cite fiscal stability and medium-term predictability among their priorities, 63% cite administrative simplification, 54% cite reductions in payroll taxes and production taxes, and 47% cite greater stability and clarity in regulations
Visit ETI, pillars of our economy
They innovate, export, create jobs, train talent and reindustrialize our regions. Intermediate-sized companies (ETIs) are key players in French and European sovereignty and competitiveness.
With this study on ETIs, GENEO Capital Entrepreneur wanted to highlight their challenges and their proposals for the future.
The results are 13 strong recommendations for building a more competitive, sustainable and open Europe. Find out more in our study!
A number of clear, structuring lessons emerge from this first report:
- Giving ETIs a place in Europe
- Stability and competitiveness for long-term investment
- Building bridges and improving cooperation with the State
- Accelerating the energy and industrial transition
One conviction stands out: supporting ETIs means investing in our country's economic, social and environmental future.
" The ETIs embody a ambitious ambitious, deeply rooted in the regions, focused toward the future. Let’s listen to them, support them, and let’s draw inspiration from them, because they are the Heroes of the real "
- Fanny Letier & François Rivolier, co-founders of GENEO Capital Entrepreneur
