Case Study: How a Scaleup Expanded to France in Under 3 Months
For international startups, expanding into France can seem like a long and complex process. Incorporation, banking, payroll, hiring, and sales often take months. Yet with the right planning and execution, it is possible to be operational in less than 90 days. This case study shows how one scaleup successfully launched in France in under 3 months, what steps they took, and how other companies can replicate this approach.
Background
The company: a US-based SaaS scaleup providing enterprise workflow automation.
Series B funded.
200 employees worldwide.
Clients in the US, UK, and Germany.
Goal: open a French subsidiary to target the French enterprise market.
Challenges identified:
No local entity or bank account.
Lack of knowledge of French payroll and compliance.
Need for quick sales traction to justify investor expectations.
Step 1: Incorporation of a French SAS
The company needed a legal entity fast. They chose an SAS for flexibility and credibility.
Tasks completed:
Drafted bylaws tailored for foreign ownership.
Deposited €10,000 share capital.
Published legal notice.
Filed at the Commercial Court.
Timeline: 5 weeks from start to receiving K-Bis (official company registration).
Step 2: Bank Account Setup
Opening a French bank account is often the main bottleneck.
Initial attempt with a traditional bank delayed the process.
Switched to a fintech solution (Qonto) to secure a deposit certificate within 4 days.
Completed incorporation without waiting for the traditional bank.
Result: capital deposit confirmed in week 2, account active by week 6.
Step 3: Payroll and Compliance
The company wanted to hire quickly but avoid payroll mistakes.
Implemented outsourced payroll system from day one.
Drafted CDI contracts compliant with French labor law.
Set up mandatory benefits: health insurance, transport reimbursement, meal vouchers.
By week 7, payroll was ready for the first employees.
Step 4: First Hires
The hiring plan focused on sales and customer success.
Country Manager: €110,000 gross salary with bonus structure.
2 Account Executives: €60,000 gross each with OTE.
1 Customer Success Manager: €50,000 gross.
Recruitment supported by local agencies and morn.
All hires signed contracts by week 9, ready to start in month 3.
Step 5: Sales Pipeline
Parallel to incorporation and hiring, the company built pipeline.
Identified ICP in France: large enterprises in manufacturing and telecom.
Launched outbound campaigns in French.
Scheduled first 20 discovery meetings.
By the time the French entity was live, sales activity was already underway.
Timeline Recap
Week 1: Kickoff with legal and banking setup.
Week 2: Capital deposit via fintech.
Week 5: SAS incorporation finalized, K-Bis received.
Week 7: Payroll and benefits operational.
Week 9: First hires onboarded.
Week 12: Sales team active with pipeline of 20+ meetings.
Total time to market: under 3 months.
Results After 6 Months
4 enterprise contracts signed in France.
Local revenue exceeded $1M ARR.
French subsidiary positioned as EU hub for further expansion.
Investors validated France as a strong growth market.
Lessons Learned
Use an SAS from the start for flexibility and credibility.
Avoid delays by using a fintech bank for capital deposit.
Outsource payroll early to stay compliant.
Hire local sales talent before launch to accelerate pipeline.
Run incorporation and commercial activity in parallel to save time.
How morn Helped
morn acted as the operational partner for the expansion. Services included:
Managing capital deposit and banking.
Setting up payroll and HR compliance.
Generating pipeline through ICP definition, lead generation, and booked meetings.
With morn, the scaleup went from zero presence in France to a fully operational subsidiary in less than 3 months.
Conclusion
Expanding to France does not need to take half a year. With proper planning, prioritization, and the right partner, startups can be incorporated, hiring, and selling in under 90 days.
The key is to combine legal setup with immediate commercial action. By doing both in parallel, you avoid the trap of waiting for months before generating revenue.
