Lyon Startups to Watch in 2027: Verified Companies in Fintech, Health Tech, Food Tech and Climate Tech
Lyon is home to the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes health cluster Lyonbiopôle, the university deep tech incubator Pulsalys, the emlyon business school incubator and the H7 startup hub. Its startups reflect that mix: software for finance teams and freelancers, biotech and medtech companies, and climate companies that work with heavy industry. The 2026 version of this article listed ten startups, but some of them are not based in Lyon at all, and many figures had no source. For this 2027 edition we checked every company again in November 2026 on its own website and its French legal notice (mentions légales), which must give the registered office. Six names from the old list stay, four were removed, and three new Lyon companies were added.
Quick answer: the Lyon startups to watch in 2027 are Agicap (cash management software, more than 8,000 clients), Indy (accounting app for freelancers), Smash (large file transfers), Verley (animal-free whey proteins, formerly Bon Vivant), Healshape (a resorbable breast bioprosthesis), ENYO Pharma (kidney drugs), Vizcab (carbon data for buildings), Mecaware (battery recycling) and Naali (saffron supplements). Founders get support from Pulsalys, the H7 startup hub, Lyonbiopôle, ONLYLYON Invest, the emlyon incubator and Bpifrance.
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Why Lyon Matters for Founders in 2027
Lyon's startup scene has three strengths. The first is health: ENYO Pharma and Healshape are both based in the city, and Lyonbiopôle, the health innovation cluster of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, runs its own acceleration programme. The second is business software: Agicap and Indy both grew from Lyon into companies that serve customers across France and Europe. The third is industry: Mecaware recycles battery waste from factories and Vizcab sells carbon data to the construction sector. For first-time founders, the easiest way in is usually a programme such as Pulsalys, the emlyon incubator or a desk at H7.
For the wider picture, compare our guides to the best countries for startups in Europe, the best cities for AI startups in Europe and the deep tech cities in Europe.
Lyon Startups to Watch in 2027 Compared
Sources: each company's official website and legal notice, checked 5 November 2026; Verley's facts from the press releases published by its investor Sofinnova Partners, because its own site did not load.
The Lyon Startups to Watch in 2027
1. Agicap: cash management for European companies
Agicap sells software that brings a company's bank accounts and accounting data together for cash management, cash forecasting, payments and transfers, collections and bank reconciliation, with AI features on top. Its about page says it has more than 8,000 clients across Europe, more than 700 employees in five European offices (Lyon, London, Berlin, Barcelona and Milan) and local operations in 11 countries. Its legal notice names AGICAP SAS, registered in Lyon, at 57-59 rue de Saint-Cyr in Lyon's 9th district.
Lesson for founders: Agicap picked a pain every company has, not knowing how much cash it will have next month, and kept adding the tools around it. A narrow first problem can grow into a whole platform.
2. Indy: accounting app for freelancers
Indy is an app for freelancers and small companies in France: it helps them create a company, keep their books, send quotes and invoices, handle electronic invoicing and file tax returns, and it offers a business account with cards. Its homepage shows a 4.8 rating on more than 16,000 Trustpilot reviews and a badge as an approved e-invoicing platform, and it offers a free plan called Essentiel. Its legal notice names Indy.fr SAS, registered in Lyon, at 94 rue Robert in Lyon's 6th district.
Lesson for founders: Indy turned a dreaded admin task into a product people rate highly. When a new obligation such as electronic invoicing arrives, the tools that make compliance easy win new customers.
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3. Smash: file transfers without size limits
Smash lets anyone send large files and folders through a link or by email, with no sign-up. Its site says there are no file size limits and offers options such as password protection, expiry dates and email notifications. Its legal notice names SMASH & CO SAS, registered in Lyon, at 2 rue Claire in Lyon's 9th district.
Lesson for founders: Smash competes in a crowded market by removing friction: no account, no size limit. A simpler experience is still a valid edge against big players.
4. Verley: dairy proteins without cows
Verley, formerly Bon Vivant, makes whey proteins through precision fermentation: microorganisms produce the same proteins found in milk, without animals. According to a press release published by its investor Sofinnova Partners, Verley raised a $38 million Series A on 24 February 2026, led by Alven with Blast and Bpifrance joining earlier investors such as Sofinnova and Sparkfood, and describes itself as based in Lyon. An earlier release from October 2025 said Verley had received a GRAS "No Questions" letter from the US Food and Drug Administration for its proteins. Verley's own website did not load when we checked in November 2026, so we used these releases.
Lesson for founders: Verley sells to food companies, not to shoppers. In food tech, a B2B ingredient with regulatory approval can reach the market faster than a new consumer brand.
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5. Healshape: breast reconstruction through regeneration
Healshape was founded in Lyon in January 2020 by six co-founders and is led by CEO Sophie Brac de la Perrière. It combines biochemistry, tissue engineering and 3D bioprinting to make natural, personalised and resorbable bioprostheses. Its first product, UR SHAPE, is a breast bioprosthesis for women who have had a mastectomy after breast cancer: it gradually disappears as the body regrows its own tissue. On 13 October 2026 the company announced that it had won the 2026 EY Entrepreneur of the Year National Award in the Startup category. Its site gives its head office at 60C avenue Rockefeller in Lyon's 8th district.
Lesson for founders: Healshape offers women an alternative to permanent synthetic implants. Women's health has many unmet needs, and founders who know them well can build strong companies.
6. ENYO Pharma: new drugs for kidney disease
ENYO Pharma is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing drugs for patients with impaired kidney function. Its lead compound, Vonafexor, is in Phase 2 development for Alport syndrome, a rare kidney disease, and for chronic kidney disease (CKD). Its latest press release announces the appointment of Jeff George as chairman to prepare the company for Phase 3. Its legal information names ENYO Pharma SA, registered in Lyon, at 9-13 rue des Cuirassiers in Lyon's 3rd district.
Lesson for founders: Drug development takes many years and several funding rounds. ENYO shows how biotech founders bring in experienced leaders as they move towards larger trials.
7. Vizcab: carbon data for construction
Vizcab sells a life cycle assessment (LCA) platform that helps construction firms measure and cut the carbon footprint of buildings, with AI features and access to more than 21,000 EPDs (environmental product declarations). It also offers Vizcab Campus, a free set of tools and resources, an Excel add-in and an API. Its about page says it has a team of more than 50 people and names Guillaume Lafont and Thomas Jusselme as founders; its technology comes from a patent based on Thomas Jusselme's research at EPFL in Lausanne. Its terms name Combo Solutions SAS, registered in Lyon, at 26 rue Louis Blanc in Lyon's 6th district.
Lesson for founders: Vizcab gives away a free campus of tools and sells the full platform. A free entry point helps a specialist B2B product reach the engineers who will later buy it.
8. Mecaware: strategic metals from battery waste
Mecaware turns end-of-life batteries and battery production scrap into strategic metals such as lithium, nickel and cobalt that can go back into new batteries. Its site says its process uses no sulphates and produces no effluents, and that it builds compact units close to the waste, including directly at gigafactories. Its news page says it joined the EIC Scaling Club of the European Innovation Council. Its legal notice names Mecaware SAS, registered in Lyon, at 41 boulevard Marcel Sembat in Vénissieux, part of the Lyon metropolis.
Lesson for founders: Mecaware treats waste as a source of raw materials. Europe wants its own supply of critical metals, and startups that help deliver it have strong allies.
9. Naali: saffron food supplements
Naali sells food supplements made with saffron, such as gummies it markets for stress and for sleep, online and through retail points of sale listed on its site. Its legal notice names QAMIAB SAS, registered in Lyon, at 49 rue Audibert et Lavirotte in Lyon's 8th district.
Lesson for founders: Naali built a consumer brand around one ingredient. A clear, single story is easier to sell online and in shops than a long product range.
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Where Lyon Startups Get Support
- Pulsalys: the deep tech incubator and accelerator of Lyon and Saint-Etienne, created in December 2013 to turn research from the Université de Lyon labs into companies. It runs startup workshops and announced an English-language Bootcamp Explorer for autumn and winter 2026.
- H7: the startup hub in the Confluence district, in a 5,000 m² former factory, which the City of Lyon calls the totem site of Lyon French Tech. It has 350 workstations, meeting rooms and a studio, open 24 hours a day.
- Lyonbiopôle: the health competitiveness cluster of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, with innovation support, calls for projects and a health acceleration programme.
- ONLYLYON Invest: the economic development agency co-run and co-funded by the Métropole de Lyon and the local chamber of commerce, which helps companies set up in the Lyon area (the old ADERLY address now leads here).
- emlyon business school incubator: running since 2008 and supporting about 60 startup projects a year; it says 70% of its incubated startups are still in business five years later.
- Bpifrance Bourse French Tech: a national grant from France's public investment bank for early innovation projects, up to EUR 30,000 and up to 50% of eligible costs (70% for some companies), for programmes of up to 24 months.
Women founders can also look at the programmes in our lists of accelerators for female entrepreneurs in Europe and grants for female entrepreneurs in Europe.
What Changed Since the 2026 List
We kept a company only if its own site or a primary press release confirms that it still operates and is based in the Lyon area. Four names from the old list did not pass:
- Latitude: the rocket company's own site says it is based in Reims, not Lyon.
- Upway: we could not confirm a Lyon address; its site blocked our check, and press reports place the refurbished e-bike company in Gennevilliers, near Paris.
- Novadiscovery: the clinical trial simulation company now trades as Nova In Silico, and its site lists no address we could check.
- Koban: the CRM's legal notice gives a publisher in Grandris, a village in the Rhône department well outside Lyon, and the old claim that it launched in 2021 had no source.
- Bon Vivant stays under its new name, Verley.
- Figures removed: the old ENYO Pharma "$104.5M", Indy "95,000 customers" and other numbers had no source. We use only figures that the companies or their investors publish.
- New in this edition: Healshape, Mecaware and Naali, three Lyon companies we could verify on their own sites.
Which Lyon Startup Should You Learn From?
- You build B2B software: study Agicap, which grew from one finance problem into a platform used across Europe.
- You sell to freelancers or small firms: study Indy and how it uses rule changes such as e-invoicing.
- You compete with big tech: study Smash and its focus on less friction.
- You build biotech or medtech: study ENYO Pharma and Healshape, and the long path through clinical trials.
- You build food tech: study Verley and its B2B ingredient model.
- You build climate or industrial tech: study Vizcab and Mecaware, which sell to industries under regulatory pressure.
- You build a consumer brand: study Naali and its one-ingredient story.
How Founders Use Lyon's Startup Scene
Look at who backs these companies: Verley's Series A brought together Alven, Blast, Bpifrance, Sofinnova Partners and Sparkfood, and Mecaware joined the EIC Scaling Club. If you build technology, compare them with the funds in our guide to deep tech VCs in Europe, and look at Pulsalys and the emlyon incubator next to the programmes in our list of startup incubators in Europe.
Meet the community at the best startup events in France and the startup events in Paris, and read the European startup ecosystem country by country. Comparing cities? See our verified lists of Munich startups to watch, Zurich startups to watch, Berlin startups to watch, Antwerp startups to watch and Lisbon startups to watch.
Before you copy any of these business models, test them with real customers. Many founders leave marketing until a funding round depends on it, so start early: list your startup in the F/MS marketing directories, publish your startup press release, and write about your product with the F/MS AI SEO Tool or the AI SEO Blog so customers, investors and AI assistants can find you.
FAQ About Lyon Startups to Watch in 2027
Which Lyon startups should I watch in 2027?
Our verified list: Agicap, Indy, Smash, Verley (formerly Bon Vivant), Healshape, ENYO Pharma, Vizcab, Mecaware and Naali. Each still operates and gives a Lyon-area address in its legal notice or press releases, checked in November 2026.
Which Lyon startup has the most customers?
Of the companies we checked, Agicap gives the largest client number: more than 8,000 clients across Europe, according to its about page. Indy shows more than 16,000 Trustpilot reviews on its homepage.
Is Agicap based in Lyon?
Yes. Its legal notice names AGICAP SAS, registered in Lyon, at 57-59 rue de Saint-Cyr in Lyon's 9th district, and its about page lists offices in Lyon, London, Berlin, Barcelona and Milan.
Which Lyon startups work in health?
Healshape develops a resorbable breast bioprosthesis for women after mastectomy, ENYO Pharma develops drugs for kidney disease, and Naali sells saffron food supplements. Lyonbiopôle supports health startups in the region.
Which Lyon startups work in climate and industry?
Mecaware recycles battery waste into lithium, nickel and cobalt, and Vizcab helps construction firms measure the carbon footprint of buildings. Verley makes dairy proteins without cows.
Why were Latitude, Upway, Novadiscovery and Koban removed?
Latitude's own site says it is based in Reims; we could not confirm a Lyon address for Upway; Novadiscovery now trades as Nova In Silico with no address on its site; and Koban's legal notice points to a village outside Lyon.
Where can startups get support in Lyon?
Pulsalys for deep tech from university labs, the H7 startup hub, Lyonbiopôle for health, ONLYLYON Invest for companies setting up in the area, the emlyon business school incubator and Bpifrance grants such as the Bourse French Tech.
Is there a Lyon startup founded or led by a woman?
Yes. Healshape is led by its CEO and co-founder Sophie Brac de la Perrière, and won the 2026 EY Entrepreneur of the Year National Award in the Startup category. The Fe/male Switch startup game is another way to practise building a startup.
What can founders learn from Lyon startups?
Start with one clear problem, offer a free entry point, sell to businesses when consumer markets are slow, and bring in experienced leaders before the hardest phase.
Where can I get a backlink by writing about my startup?
You can publish a guest post in one of the Fe/male Switch startup blogs, which rank in Google and in AI tools. Get a quality backlink.
About the Author
Violetta Bonenkamp, also known as MeanCEO, is an experienced startup founder with an impressive educational background including an MBA and four other higher education degrees. She has over 20 years of work experience across multiple countries, including 5 years as a solopreneur and serial entrepreneur. Throughout her startup experience she has applied for multiple startup grants at the EU level, in the Netherlands and Malta, and her startups received quite a few of those. She’s been living, studying and working in many countries around the globe and her extensive multicultural experience has influenced her immensely.
