Initiated by the Ministry of Urban Affairs and the Senate, the Talents des Cités competition rewards for the 10th consecutive year the men and women who create their businesses and thus contribute to economic development and job creation in the priority neighborhoods of the City’s policy.
It is co-organized by the National Agency for Social Cohesion and Equal Opportunities (Acsé), the Caisse des Dépôts, and BGE (formerly Boutiques de Gestion), with support from the General Secretariat of the Interministerial Committee for Cities, in partnership with the National Agency for Urban Renovation (Anru), the SFR Foundation, Société Générale, Casino Group, GDF SUEZ, the RATP Foundation, Safran Group, FinanCités, HEC Group, Talan, the 21st Century Club, the Regional Daily Press (PQR), Public Senate, and France Televisions.
To enter:
Talents des Cités is open to creators of activities – businesses and associations – under 40 years old, established in a priority neighborhood of City policy.
Participants enter in one of the following two categories:
“Creation”: for those who have created their company or activity between January 2008 and December 2010,
“Emergence”: for those who have a business project.
To participate, candidates must first have their project validated or be accompanied by a business creation counseling organization. Learn more and register.
Talents des Cités: 2011 Calendar
May 31 / midnight: registration deadline
June/July: regional juries
Organized by the BGE and presided over by senators, the regional juries will select one winner in each category. Winners in the “Emergence” category will receive €1,500. Winners in the “Creation” category will receive a grant of €3,000.
September: national jury at the Ministry of Urban Affairs
Among the regional winners, the national jury will designate 12 national winners. Each will receive €7,000 and will be actively supported in their process by one of the Talents des Cités partners.
October, at the Senate
October 20: honor jury. It will designate the “Grand Prix Talents des Cités 2011” and the “2011 Special Mention,” each endowed with €5,000
October 22: official award ceremony in the Senate’s chamber, in the presence of Government members, Talents des Cités partners, and many personalities from the economic, sports, and cultural world.
Evaluation criteria for candidates
- Creator’s journey – motivation, entrepreneurial profile
- Economic and financial viability of the project
- Impact of the activity on the neighborhood – creation of jobs and social links
- “Ambassadors of neighborhoods” mission – desire to change the image of neighborhoods, help other young people to start businesses
Talents des Cités – Objectives
Value young entrepreneurs from neighborhoods.
Promote social cohesion and citizenship through professional integration and job creation.
Provide the opportunity for all those wishing to create or develop a project to access all the supports for business creation.
Create and sustain activities and jobs in priority neighborhoods of the City’s policy.
Change the image of the neighborhoods by promoting all those with talent.
Talents des Cités in a few figures
Since 2002, Talents des Cités has rewarded 338 creators of businesses and associations established in priority neighborhoods of City policy, thus allowing them to access all supports for business creation and the development of sustainable jobs in neighborhoods particularly affected by unemployment.
In 2010, Talents des Cités juries brought together 120 experts, assessed 330 applications, and selected 39 regional winners.
The national jury composed of organizers and partners designated 11 national winners.
