Philly Versus is a series of guest posts highlighting what the region can learn from other successful startup ecosystems — and where Philadelphia can lean into its own identity to stand out. Part one is a post by Bonnie Ravina, founder of Full Circle: 360 Marketing, on what she learned from working in Paris. Read part two on Silicon Valley here.

I worked inside “FrenchTech” from its early days in 2008 through 2023, supporting multiple B2B startups, leading workshops with accelerators and advising as a go-to-market and operating partner for a Paris venture capital firm. 

After seriously considering a move to Paris  — including a six-month stint in 2022 — I ultimately realized there’s no place like home: Philadelphia. Diving deep into Philly since then, I recognized a very similar mix of opportunity, vibes — and differences.  

Here’s my take on the Paris scene and where Philly can adapt the best ideas from overseas. 

Culture matters

Starting with the basics, the brash Silicon Valley ethos of “move fast and break things” is anathema to French DNA, which prizes product perfection. Risk of failure often limits ambition and imagination. Engineering talent is world-class, but B2B sales and marketing are undervalued and grossly misunderstood. 

Like Philly, the community is insular. Being a so-called “shiny American” (a compliment-ish about bringing high energy) in SaaS marketing was a novelty that opened doors, but only through trusted introductions.   

National commitment

France went all-in on building a globally known tech economy. Big policy shifts, aggressive promotion and domestic investment fueled growth. Today, VivaTech is Europe’s largest tech show—unimaginable a decade ago. (We seem to be knitting a growing public/private partnership in PA now.) 

Community cohesion

Paris built a holistic startup ecosystem with universities, accelerators, investors and economic development groups cross-pollinating. Successful founders actively mentor new startups. (Philly’s fragmentation is its Achilles’ heel.)  

At the center of it all is BPI, the sovereign wealth fund. Its accelerator, Le Hub, provides low-cost loans, direct investment and comprehensive programming. They host workshops, speed coaching and showcase the “Top 40” most promising startups each year. BPI is practically the center of gravity for FrenchTech. (Ben Franklin Technology Partners can follow this blueprint!)  

Corporate engagement

France’s largest companies (the CAC 40) are all over its startups. BNP Paribas (finance), Saint Gobain (manufacturing), Orange (telecom) and SNCF (rails) all run pilots, co-develop products, host labs and sponsor meetups. Not every partnership translates into revenue (and this sometimes actually distracts startups, TBH), but it builds credibility and pathways to scale. (This is Philly’s biggest opportunity.) 

Deep tech focus

Paris highlighted its engineering talent with major pushes into AI, analytics and cybersecurity. Flagship accelerators and hubs like Cyber Campus and Station F created critical mass and self-organizing “sub” ecosystems. 

Local investment is ‘de rigueur’

French VCs fund French startups. Period. But rounds are small, risk tolerance is low and ambitious founders often chase foreign capital anyway. Unicorns are rare, and instead ambitious startups are acquired early by US firms – sometimes by design – specifically for their product elegance.  

Here’s what Philly could steal. 

Philly swagger

Parisians wear pride on their (beautifully crafted) sleeves. Philly’s “gritty” perpetual underdog identity undersells us. We’re home to top talent and universities, a thriving food and culture scene, affordability and prime East Coast access. Let’s own that. 

A unified ecosystem

Paris grew because it acted as one. Philly startup hubs are fragmented, and silos dilute momentum. To scale visibility and impact, Philly needs a more connected regional approach with Center City at the center. 

Ben Franklin Technology Partners, PA’s innovation plan and growing city support could anchor that, but we lack a strong champion today. As Technical.ly’s Chris Wink has noted, Philly needs a unifying force again.  

Make Philly the ‘Enterprise Lab’

With its diverse economy of small businesses and Fortune 500s across multiple industries, Philly should be the country’s top testbed for B2B startups. Yet few corporations are deeply engaged.  

I’m making this my local mission! We need more advisory boards, pilots and matchmaking between startups and corporates. Our businesses could sponsor demo days, hackathons and pitch competitions to stay close to innovation, perhaps in coordination with the Philly Chamber of Commerce and others.  

Philly-first investment

Our VC culture mirrors France’s caution: small rounds, low risk tolerance. We have strong, local, wildly successful investors who do make big bets in other cities. Tell us what we need to do to bring you back home. 

Open to outsiders

Paris is tough to break into, but Philly also has a “locals-only” feel. With new energy from returnees and newcomers, we should embrace the mix of chemistry to spark fresh ideas and “get shit done.” 

From ‘maybe’ to momentum 

Philly shouldn’t mimic Paris — or Silicon Valley or Austin. But we do need to scale our grit into swagger, unify our silos, engage corporations and bet on our own founders. 

Paris shows what’s possible when an ecosystem builds pride, cohesion and commitment. Philly has all the raw ingredients. 

Now it’s time to move from “maybe” to “let’s go!” or, as they say in Paris, “Allons-y!”