Aral Desnos

Your insiderguide to theFrench techecosystem.

⌁ Aral Desnos

For ambitious tech companies ready to grow in Europe.

Scroll
I.

Out and About

Portrait of Ceren Aral Desnos

Ceren Aral Desnos

Attorney · Paris & Istanbul Bars
Legal Director · Tech Founder

  1. 01Bars

    Dual-qualified attorney.

    Admitted to both the Paris and Istanbul bars.

  2. 02Istanbul

    IP litigator.

    Represented Silicon Valley tech giants before Turkish Courts.

  3. 03Brussels

    Director of Legal & Compliance of MedTech Europe.

    Before her role at MedTech Europe, as a Life Sciences & EU Policy expert, she represented the Turkish pharmaceutical and medtech industries, as well as Tusiad, before the EU institutions.

  4. 04Paris

    Legal Director of Getir France.

    She joined as one of the first employees and stayed until the very last day through hypergrowth to an €11 billion valuation, and back. Build, hypergrowth, scale across borders, even collapse.

  5. 05Station F

    Today, a tech founder.

    Not just an insider of the French tech ecosystem, a founder living it in real time in the world's biggest startup incubator. She has been building Akademino, an AI-native digital cultural home for the multicultural kids of the world.

When Turkish and international tech companies come to France looking to grow, they face the same questions she has answered for others, and for herself.

This is what she brings to the table.

II.

Don't be a stranger

You don't have to be incorporated in France to sell your products. But the right presence is the key. A solid GTM strategy and the right accelerator program can get you into the ecosystem faster than you think.

One thing is non-negotiable however: EU standards compliance. GDPR, AI Act, sector-specific regulations. Getting this right is what separates the companies that scale from those that stall.

And if you do decide to incorporate, you unlock a second layer: increased impact, faster growth, and access to the funds and subventions that make France one of Europe's most compelling markets for tech companies.

Aral Desnos advises you through this process end to end.

III.

The Practice

01You want to define your go-to-market in France and meet your first customers+
  • ▸France is post-Brexit Europe's leading tech hub, the right entry point for the continent.
  • ▸Knowing who to talk to, how to approach them and what they expect is half the battle.
  • ▸The right customer meetings. Conversations started. Meetings set.
02You need legal and regulatory compliance without killing your momentum+
  • ▸GDPR, EU AI Act, sector-specific regulations (CE marking, HDS). France has strict standards.
  • ▸Non-compliance blocks sales, kills enterprise deals and disqualifies you from public procurement. Done right, it becomes your competitive edge.
  • ▸What applies, clarified. What's urgent, prioritised. Keep moving.
03You want to incorporate in France, but don't know which entity, how and at what cost+
  • ▸France is more welcoming than you think, with incentives designed to help tech companies find their growth in the early years.
  • ▸Branch office, SASU or SAS: the right structure depends on your situation, your team and your ambitions.
  • ▸The right entity, chosen. The process, handled. No surprises.
04You want to learn about European and local funds, subventions and tax incentives+
  • ▸France is not only a massive economy but also a generous public funding ecosystem. Incorporating here means accessing the best of both worlds.
  • ▸Most foreign founders don't know this exists or assume it's out of reach.
  • ▸The opportunities relevant to your stage and sector, identified, decoded, actionable.
05You want to know more about Station F and access French accelerators and corporate programs+
  • ▸Station F hosts 40+ accelerator programs: corporate, sector-specific, deeptech, generalist.
  • ▸They are highly selective, but once you're in, they plug you directly into customers, investors and ecosystem insiders.
  • ▸The right program, at the right time, shortlisted. A strong application, built.
06You want to identify the right VCs and build your investor roadmap for Europe+
  • ▸The European VC landscape is fragmented. Knowing who invests in what, at what stage, matters enormously.
  • ▸The right funds, targeted. A pitch that lands in Europe, sharpened.
07Your team needs to relocate: visa, mobility, setup+
  • ▸Multiple pathways depending on the needs of your company and talent.
  • ▸The right structure, chosen. The right pathway, mapped. No bureaucratic surprises.