“The problem with the French is that they don’t have a word for entrepreneur,” is a quote often attributed to President George W. Bush. Although there is little evidence that he did say it, it has a Yogi Berra quality to it that seems to fit a widely held perception that the French have little use for the word.
That seems to be changing, and the French seem to be rediscovering ‘entrepreneur’ and reclaiming it, because the quality of the French startups we (Traveling Geeks) have been meeting with all week, has been very good.
Although it seems to be a fairly recent phenomenon and one that relies on a compelling mix of government programs and tax breaks, nevertheless it appears to be bearing fruit. While many countries have tried to encourage the formation of startups through various incentives, the French might have gotten the mix just right.
Paris diary: France seeks to reclaim 'entrepreneur' | Tom Foremski: IMHO | ZDNet.com
