GO Entrepreneurs Lyon 2026 – Entrepreneurship Event France

What to expect in 2026

GO Entrepreneurs Lyon 2026 is a major one-day entrepreneurship event bringing together creators, startup founders, business owners, future entrepreneurs, experts, support organisations, investors and business partners at La Sucrière in Lyon. The 2026 edition takes place on September 24 and is designed as a practical meeting place for people at different stages of the entrepreneurial journey.

The organisers expect around 10,000 participants, 300 speakers, 150 partners and 120 conferences and sessions. The programme combines a central Main Stage with eight additional stages located throughout the exhibition area, creating a broad programme covering entrepreneurship, innovation, finance, artificial intelligence, impact, business development, leadership and company growth.

The event is suitable for several different profiles. Someone with only an initial business idea can use the creator-focused content to understand legal structures, financing, marketing and sales. Established founders and executives can concentrate on growth, recruitment, digital transformation, management, financing and strategic development.

The 2026 programme also introduces several tailored routes, including GO Créateur, GO Dirigeant, GO Solo and GO Women, alongside thematic routes covering electronic invoicing, artificial intelligence, impact and business takeover. There is also a GO Gen Z pathway for young entrepreneurs and a GO Franchise pathway for people interested in creating or developing a franchise business.

Event dates

GO Entrepreneurs Lyon Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes 2026 takes place on Thursday, September 24, 2026.

Opening hours: 8:30 AM–6:00 PM

Visitor reception: The visitor reception closes at 5:30 PM.

The event is structured as a full day of conferences, workshops, demonstrations, networking, partner meetings and business discussions. Visitors can create a personalised schedule through the event platform and add individual sessions to their planning.

The programme begins in the morning with sessions for entrepreneurs, creators and business leaders and continues through the afternoon with specialist discussions, practical workshops and Main Stage presentations.

Visiting this event? Don’t miss out on these amazing activities and local experiences while you’re here.

Venue & event site

GO Entrepreneurs Lyon 2026 will take place at La Sucrière, a major event and exhibition venue located in the Confluence district of Lyon.

Venue: La Sucrière

Address: 49–50 Quai Rambaud, 69002 Lyon, France

The venue will host the Main Stage, eight additional stages, partner exhibition areas, networking facilities, workshops and other activities. The organisers describe the 2026 edition as an exhibition and meeting environment where visitors can meet around 150 strategic business partners and connect with more than 10,000 entrepreneurs and future entrepreneurs.

La Sucrière’s location on the Saône also makes it convenient for visitors combining the event with a stay in central Lyon or the Confluence district.

Full programme

The 2026 programme is built around 120 conferences, panels, round tables, demonstrations and practical sessions. Rather than concentrating on a single startup sector, GO Entrepreneurs covers the complete entrepreneurial lifecycle, from launching a first idea through financing, sales, recruitment, growth and business transmission.

Key programme areas include:

• Starting a business: Legal structures, first steps, business planning, positioning and getting a new company established.
• Business development: Sales strategy, customer acquisition, marketing, websites and commercial performance.
• Finance: Funding requirements, financing timing, business finance and discussions with organisations supporting entrepreneurs.
• Artificial intelligence: Practical uses of AI for entrepreneurs, automation, productivity and technology-driven business development.
• Impact entrepreneurship: Social and environmental impact, responsible business models and financing approaches.
• Leadership: Management, recruitment, delegation, externalisation and organisational development.
• Franchise: Creating a franchise model, standardisation, recruitment of franchisees and expansion.
• Business takeover: Opportunities and considerations for entrepreneurs looking at acquisition or business transfer.
• Electronic invoicing: Practical information about the French electronic invoicing reform and its implications for businesses.
• Women in entrepreneurship: Sessions addressing ambition, money, legitimacy and business development.
• Young entrepreneurship: Student entrepreneurship and opportunities for younger founders.

The programme is searchable by room, theme, pathway, format and partner, allowing visitors to build an individual itinerary rather than simply following the event chronologically.

Founders, investors & speakers

GO Entrepreneurs Lyon 2026 brings together founders, CEOs, business leaders, specialists and entrepreneurship ecosystem representatives.

Among the announced speakers are:

• Eric Larchevêque: Ledger, SKL, Nvst and Coinhouse; also a jury member on “Qui Veut Être Mon Associé ?”
• Alice Lhabouz: Alice Lhabouz Conseil and jury member on “Qui Veut Être Mon Associé ?”
• Jean Michel Karam: Memscap and Ieva Group; also associated with “Qui Veut Être Mon Associé ?”
• Sophie Lacoste: Fusalp.
• Anne-Laure Couplet: Dessange International.
• Sacha Rosenthal: Groupe Xefi.
• Sarah Hamza: Chef and restaurateur associated with Söma.
• Gautier Cloix: H Company.

The organisers indicate that more than 300 speakers will participate, giving the event a broad mixture of entrepreneurial experience, specialist expertise and practical business advice.

The event is not solely an investor conference. Instead, investors and financing specialists form part of the broader entrepreneurial ecosystem, alongside banks, public support bodies, incubators, business-service companies and other partners.

Startup sectors & themes

GO Entrepreneurs Lyon does not restrict participation to a single startup industry. The programme covers a wide range of sectors and business models, allowing founders from traditional businesses, digital companies, impact ventures and professional services to find relevant content.

The 2026 themes include:

• Technology and AI: Artificial intelligence, digital transformation and technology-led growth.
• Health and wellness: Business opportunities in health, beauty and wellbeing.
• Industry: Industrial entrepreneurship and technology-driven development.
• Sustainability: Impact businesses and environmentally focused entrepreneurship.
• Retail and consumer businesses: Commercial strategy, customer acquisition and brand development.
• Food and hospitality: Entrepreneurial experiences and business development in food-related sectors.
• Franchise: Building and scaling replicable business models.
• Creative industries: Entrepreneurship connected with communication, content and other creative activities.
• Professional services: Consulting, accounting, marketing, digital services and specialist expertise.
• Student entrepreneurship: Supporting younger founders and emerging projects.

A specific 2026 session on promising sectors identifies digital, ecological transition, health and industry among areas where entrepreneurial opportunities are being examined.

Pitch competitions & startup showcases

Pitching is an important part of the event’s practical entrepreneurship programme. One of the confirmed 2026 activities is the Marathon Pitch Lyon, organised with Bpifrance as part of the Entrepreneuriat Quartiers 2030 programme.

The 2026 Marathon Pitch is specifically aimed at entrepreneurs who are based in, or intend to establish their business in, priority neighbourhoods covered by the French QPV framework. Candidates can be entrepreneurs at the idea stage or people who have already launched their businesses.

The selection process includes an application period, review by a selection committee and participation in the live event at La Sucrière. The competition is intended to give entrepreneurs an opportunity to present their projects publicly and gain visibility.

There are also pitch-focused educational sessions. For example, “Le pitch : savoir en parler, c’est déjà convaincre” focuses on constructing a persuasive pitch and learning from entrepreneurs about the approaches that helped them communicate their businesses more effectively.

Talks, panels & workshops

The educational programme is one of the central elements of GO Entrepreneurs Lyon. Sessions are distributed across the Main Stage and eight additional stages, together with activities located on partner stands.

Examples from the 2026 programme include a session on choosing the right legal status when launching a business, covering structures such as individual businesses, micro-enterprises, EURL, SARL, SAS and SASU.

Other confirmed sessions cover:

• AI for entrepreneurs: Using artificial intelligence to automate repetitive tasks, improve processes and create more time for innovation and management.
• Electronic invoicing: Understanding the new French invoicing framework and the support available to businesses.
• Commercial strategy: Building an effective sales and business-development strategy.
• Recruitment and delegation: Deciding which activities should be recruited internally, delegated or outsourced.
• Entrepreneurship and impact: Examining how student entrepreneurship and responsible business can address social challenges.
• Women in business: Discussions around ambition, financial issues and legitimacy when building a company.
• French technology companies: A Main Stage discussion about how French startups can develop into international technology leaders.

Visitors should bring their own headphones because the organisers use an audio system for conferences and workshops designed to reduce noise levels across the venue.

Registration & ticket types

Registration for GO Entrepreneurs Lyon 2026 is free.

General registration: $0

Professional visitor access: $0

Entrepreneur and founder access: $0

Young entrepreneur access: $0

The official registration system is open to the general public, while the event itself is designed around entrepreneurs, future entrepreneurs, business leaders and the wider entrepreneurship ecosystem.

There is no standard paid conference ticket structure advertised for the 2026 Lyon edition. Registration provides access to the event environment, with visitors able to personalise their programme and participate in available networking and partner activities.

A separate charge applies to the on-site cloakroom: approximately $2.30 per item and $3.50 per piece of luggage, based on the organiser’s published rate converted to USD. This is a venue service rather than an event admission fee.

Investor & networking opportunities

Networking is one of the defining elements of GO Entrepreneurs Lyon. The event provides an online and on-site environment where participants can discover partners, request meetings and communicate with other attendees.

The official platform allows registered visitors to:

• Contact participants: Search for other registered participants who have accepted networking.
• Request partner meetings: Select an event partner and request an appointment through the partner profile.
• Build a schedule: Add relevant conferences, workshops and meetings to a personal planning area.
• Use networking rooms: Registered users can participate in digital networking rooms through messages, audio or video.
• Receive recommendations: The platform can provide personalised participant recommendations.

The organisers expect more than 10,000 entrepreneurs and future entrepreneurs, creating a broad environment for finding potential customers, partners, suppliers, advisors and business contacts.

For founders seeking investment, the event should be viewed as a broader business and entrepreneurship networking environment rather than a dedicated venture-capital conference. The programme includes financing discussions and business-support organisations, but the official 2026 programme does not advertise a separate investor-only pass or dedicated venture-capital matchmaking programme.

Exhibitors & participating companies

The exhibition area brings together around 150 partners and organisations supporting entrepreneurs and businesses.

The partner ecosystem includes organisations from areas such as financing, accounting, business support, digital services, entrepreneurship networks, innovation, employment, insurance, technology and public-sector assistance.

Confirmed ecosystem participants include major institutions and networks such as Bpifrance, the Métropole de Lyon and other entrepreneurship-support organisations. Pépite Université de Lyon, for example, operates a stand and provides support to student entrepreneurs, with its programme serving around 400 student entrepreneurs each year.

Partner stands are designed for direct conversations rather than simple product displays. Visitors can seek diagnostics, advice, solutions and introductions relevant to their projects.

The exhibition therefore works alongside the conference programme: attendees can listen to a session on financing, recruitment or digital transformation and then move directly into the exhibition to speak with organisations working in that area.

Funding, investment & business opportunities

Funding is addressed through practical sessions rather than through a single investment track.

The programme includes discussions about when to seek financing, how much funding a company may need and the challenges entrepreneurs can encounter when approaching financing providers. A confirmed session titled “Timing, montant, refus : tout ce que vous devez savoir sur le financement” examines financing timing, funding amounts and experiences with financing refusals.

The event also includes support around impact finance. A BNP Paribas Act for Impact session focuses on support for entrepreneurs working on social and environmental impact, including extra-financial criteria, impact measurement and financing solutions.

Other business opportunities include:

• Customer acquisition: Improving sales, marketing and conversion.
• Partnerships: Meeting organisations that can support company development.
• Franchising: Understanding how a successful business model can be duplicated.
• Business takeover: Exploring acquisition and succession opportunities.
• Digital transformation: Identifying tools for automation and business efficiency.
• International growth: Learning about strategies for scaling technology and businesses beyond France.

Event rules & professional access

GO Entrepreneurs Lyon is open to the general public through free registration, but the programme is designed primarily around entrepreneurship and business development.

Visitors should register before attending and use their personal event account to manage their programme and networking appointments.

Headphones: Visitors should bring personal headphones and a charger to listen to conferences and workshops through the event’s audio system.

Personal schedule: Sessions can be added to the individual planning area through the official platform.

Networking: Participants can contact other registered attendees when those users have opted into networking.

Meetings: Partner appointments should be arranged through the official event platform.

Venue services: A cloakroom and food area are available during the event.

Professional conduct: Visitors should respect exhibitors, speakers, scheduled meetings and other attendees throughout the event.

The event organisers also recommend arriving early for popular sessions because registration does not necessarily guarantee a reserved seat in individual conference rooms.

How to get there

La Sucrière is located in Lyon’s Confluence district at 49–50 Quai Rambaud.

The venue is accessible from central Lyon by public transport and is also connected to cycling routes and nearby parking facilities.

Visitors travelling from Lyon city centre can use the tram network toward the Confluence area and continue to La Sucrière. The location is also suitable for visitors staying around Perrache, Presqu’île or central Lyon.

For those arriving by car, the organisers identify the Pôle de Commerces et de Loisirs Confluence parking facility as a nearby option.

Public transport & parking

Public transport is one of the recommended ways to reach GO Entrepreneurs Lyon.

Tram: T1 and T2 to Hôtel de Région Montrochet.

Bus: S1 to La Sucrière.

Cycling: A Vélo’v station is located on Rue Hrant Dink close to La Sucrière.

Car parking: The Pôle de Commerces et de Loisirs Confluence parking is located nearby at 5 Rue Paul Montrochet, 69002 Lyon.

Car sharing: The organisers encourage participants to share journeys and identify BlaBlaCar, Karos and Mobicoop as car-sharing platforms.

Because the event is concentrated into a single day, arriving by public transport can also make it easier to remain at the venue for the full conference and networking programme without dealing with parking during the busiest periods.

Accommodation areas

Visitors travelling from outside Lyon can choose accommodation in several parts of the city.

Confluence: The closest area to La Sucrière and a convenient option for visitors who want to minimise travel time.

Perrache: A practical transport location close to the Confluence district and Lyon’s main rail connections.

Presqu’île: Central accommodation around Bellecour and Cordeliers provides easy access to restaurants, shops and business districts.

Part-Dieu: A useful option for visitors arriving by high-speed train and looking for extensive hotel and transport connections.

Villeurbanne: An alternative for visitors who want access to Lyon’s wider public transport network.

For 2026, Revolugo is the official accommodation partner and provides a selection of hotels with negotiated rates for GO Entrepreneurs visitors.

Accessibility

GO Entrepreneurs provides visitor services designed for a large professional event at La Sucrière. Public transport access includes tram and bus connections, while the venue is situated in the Confluence district with nearby cycling facilities and parking.

Visitors with specific accessibility requirements should contact the organisers before the event so that current arrangements can be confirmed.

The event’s digital platform also helps visitors manage their individual schedules, which can be useful for planning conference attendance, partner meetings and breaks in advance.

The use of a headphone-based audio system for conferences is designed to reduce noise levels across the exhibition environment. Visitors should bring compatible personal headphones and a charger.

Previous year’s highlights

The previous GO Entrepreneurs Lyon edition took place on September 25, 2025, also at La Sucrière.

The 2025 edition recorded approximately 10,650 participants, 300 speakers, 150 partners and 120 conferences. The organisers highlighted the event’s networking area as a central part of the experience, bringing together entrepreneurs and future entrepreneurs for contacts, partnerships and business discussions.

The 2025 speaker programme included entrepreneurs and business leaders such as Jean Michel Karam of Memscap, Ieva Group and Skill; Laureen Schein of La Belle Boucle; Gilles Moreau of Verkor; Mélanie Gallix Le Hesran of Advini Rhône Provence; Baptiste Pignol of Maison Pignol; Charline Bresse of Groupe Lavorel Hotels; and Pascal Houdayer of Laboratoires Boiron.

The previous edition also offered specialist sessions around artificial intelligence, entrepreneurship, food, fashion and business development, demonstrating the event’s broad approach rather than a narrow focus on technology startups.

The 2026 edition continues this format while increasing the announced partner count to 150 and maintaining 300 speakers and 120 conferences.

Official registration & tickets

GO Entrepreneurs Lyon 2026 offers free registration for visitors.

Admission: $0

Registration: Free

Event date: September 24, 2026

Venue: La Sucrière, 49–50 Quai Rambaud, 69002 Lyon, France

Visitors should complete registration through the official event platform before attending. The registration system provides access to the personal event area, where participants can prepare their schedule, explore speakers and sessions, arrange partner meetings and use the networking functions.

Official GO Entrepreneurs Lyon 2026 registration and event website (https://www.go-entrepreneurs.com/fr/lyon)