Structuring for Sustainability: The French Tech Challenge

Hypergrowth is the holy grail for any startup. While this may seem true, it conceals a very different reality: ill-suited systems, decisions made under pressure… hypergrowth brings with it a host of illusions and problems. If not addressed in time, these difficulties become hindrances, or even obstacles, for these companies in the medium and long term. Thus, French Tech companies, by definition high-growth startups, must learn to manage this growth to make it reliable and sustainable. The question at hand is therefore: how to grow effectively to best support growth while remaining agile and flexible?   

Hypergrowth: Dream or Trap?

Under a hypergrowth regime, everything seems possible, figures explode, and staff numbers multiply. However, one thing surpasses the company: its model. Operations and structure cannot keep pace with this growth without being rethought. The sooner a company understands this, the more it ensures it avoids a host of structural problems. Understanding internal tensions, breaking points, and anomalies, then acting, means gaining, or rather not losing, time and money. Anticipation helps prevent dysfunction and growth slowdown.

4 Levers to Master Hypergrowth

Structuring means keeping growth on track. Indeed, when a company scales up, it must rethink itself, as the challenges are no longer the same. According to Joan Saccona, Sales Director at MeltOne, several factors are essential to rethink to support this scaling-up:  

• Structure and optimize processes to streamline internal operations 

• Implement key indicators to precisely monitor performance.  

• Clearly define everyone’s missions and responsibilities, and recruit the right talent for the right positions.  

• Integrate ERP and EPM tools to support operational efficiency.   

These factors must be prioritized according to the company’s needs in the scaling-up process. It is this complete restructuring that transforms a startup into a scale-up that masters its subject.  

Structuring Without Losing Identity

This complete restructuring can bring its share of trade-offs. Structuring means changing. But is it about changing everything? Does structuring mean giving up one’s identity? Fortunately, it is not about becoming someone else during this scaling-up. On the contrary, through structuring, the company has the power to solidify and transcribe its culture into its new organization. Good structuring affirms the company’s culture and vision at a new scale.

The illusion of hypergrowth is to deduce that it systematically leads to success. French Tech needs to structure itself to solidify its foundations, to dream even bigger, and to have a sustainable model.

Discover the experience feedback from 3 French Tech companies.

Several French Tech companies have successfully met this challenge, confirming their scale-up status. Three of them (Mistral AI, Doctolib, and ClubFunding) shared their experience feedback with MeltOne during a round table. Watch the video recap of this crucial period in their evolution.   

This article is inspired by an opinion piece published by Joan Saccona, Sales Director at MeltOne, in Les Echos newspaper in 2025