Your commercial team between France and Central Europe.
We help Central European companies grow sales in France, and French companies develop business across Central & Eastern Europe. We identify buyers, distributors, customers and suppliers, open the right doors, and stay involved through follow-up and negotiation.
Based in Paris. Connected across Central Europe.
France is a major market. Cold emails rarely open it.
French buyers take time to trust new suppliers. They often prefer to negotiate in French and are far more responsive when someone local follows the conversation.
Many companies come to a trade fair, collect business cards and watch promising leads go cold a few weeks later.
Hiring internally is another option, but it means taking on fixed costs and long-term commitments before the market opportunity has been validated.
A local commercial team, without the fixed cost of hiring.
We act as your commercial team in France.
We identify the right partners, reach decision-makers, arrange meetings, follow up in French and keep conversations moving between your visits.
For French companies, we work in the other direction, helping you find customers, distributors, suppliers and commercial partners across Central & Eastern Europe.
From market validation to commercial execution.
Start with a market audit, partner search, trade fair support or ongoing representation. We can help you test the market first, or become your commercial team on the ground once you are ready to grow.
For companies from Central Europe expanding into France
France Readiness Audit
Validate before you invest
A practical assessment of your product, pricing, competition, regulatory requirements and most realistic route to market. You receive a clear recommendation on whether to enter now, adapt your approach or wait.
Fixed price
France Readiness Audit
Validate before you investFor companies considering France that want to understand the opportunity before committing significant budget.
What you get
- Product and pricing assessment for France
- Key competitors and distribution channels
- Regulatory and certification points to verify
- Recommended route to market
- Initial target companies and partner profiles
- Written report and debrief call
Your Team in France
Ongoing commercial representation
A local commercial presence for companies ready to develop France without hiring a country manager from day one. We approach buyers and distributors, organise meetings, follow up in French, gather market feedback and keep opportunities moving.
Monthly retainer + success fee
Your Team in France
Ongoing commercial representationFor companies ready to build business in France over the medium to long term.
What's included
- Identifying and approaching distributors, retailers, buyers and other relevant partners
- Meetings with prospects on your behalf or alongside your team
- Follow-up in French so promising conversations do not disappear
- Market feedback on pricing, product and competitors
- Regular calls and reporting
- Success-based compensation where appropriate
Trade Fair Representation
Turn a few days at the fair into months of business development
We help you prepare before the fair, represent you on the ground and continue the conversation once everyone has gone home.
Per event
Trade Fair Representation
Turn a few days at the fair into months of business developmentFor companies exhibiting at French trade fairs that want more than foot traffic and business cards.
What's included
- Selecting priority prospects before the event
- Outreach and meeting booking
- Presence on your stand
- Interpretation and support during meetings
- Lead qualification
- Structured follow-up after the fair
Legal & Company Setup Coordination
Get the local setup right
Need a French entity, contract, registration or specialist advice? We coordinate trusted French lawyers, accountants and other advisers so you have one commercial point of contact throughout the process.
On request
Legal & Company Setup Coordination
Get the local setup rightFor companies establishing a presence in France or dealing with local legal and administrative requirements.
What's included
- Coordination with advisers on the appropriate company structure
- Introductions to trusted lawyers, accountants and notaries
- Coordination of contracts and registration processes
- Support between your company and local advisers
- One point of contact throughout the process
For French companies developing business in Central & Eastern Europe
Your Team in Central & Eastern Europe
Business development for French companies
We help French companies develop sales across Central & Eastern Europe without building a local commercial team from day one. We identify the right markets and prospects, approach decision-makers locally, organise meetings and support you through follow-up and negotiation.
Project fee or monthly retainer
Your Team in Central & Eastern Europe
Business development for French companiesFor French companies looking to develop new customers, distributors or commercial partners across Central & Eastern Europe.
What's included
- Identifying the most relevant markets and target companies
- Building and qualifying prospect lists
- Direct outreach to distributors, buyers and potential customers
- Organising meetings with decision-makers
- Support during meetings and negotiations
- Local follow-up after your visits
- Ongoing market feedback and commercial reporting
Partner Search in Central & Eastern Europe
Find the right supplier or production partner
We help French companies identify manufacturers, suppliers and production partners across Central & Eastern Europe according to their technical and commercial requirements. Candidates are screened before introduction and, where relevant, can also be visited on site.
Project fee
Partner Search in Central & Eastern Europe
Find the right supplier or production partnerFor companies looking to source, manufacture or build a reliable supplier base in Central & Eastern Europe.
What's included
- Search based on your technical and commercial criteria
- Shortlist of relevant companies
- Initial qualification and capability checks
- Site visits where required
- Introductions to selected partners
- Support during meetings and negotiations
Pricing depends on the scope of the project. After the first call, you receive a clear proposal before any work begins.
Trade runs on trust. Trust takes presence.
Bohemia Connect was founded by Jakub Smetana, former Head of the CzechTrade office in Paris. During his time at CzechTrade Paris, he supported more than 100 companies entering and developing the French market, from industrial manufacturers to consumer brands and design companies.
The same pattern appeared again and again. Strong product. Promising first meeting. Then silence. The companies that made progress usually had someone on the ground who followed up, understood how local buyers operate and kept the relationship alive between visits.
Most companies cannot justify building a local team before the market has proved itself. That is the gap Bohemia Connect fills, in both directions between France and Central Europe.
- Senior, hands-on involvement on every account
- We speak your language and your customers’ languages
- We stay involved beyond the introduction and help move opportunities forward
Jakub SmetanaFounder, Bohemia Connect
How we work together
- Discovery call30 minutes, free. We discuss your product, objectives and whether the market looks realistic.
- Market assessmentWe look at the market, competitors, pricing, distribution and regulatory questions.
- TargetingWe identify the companies that are actually worth approaching.
- OutreachPersonal contact with decision-makers, in their language.
- MeetingsWe organise the conversation and stay at the table with you.
- RepresentationFollow-up, new opportunities and commercial development over time.
Questions companies ask first
Which sectors do you work with?
We are strongest in sectors where commercial development depends on relationships, local market knowledge and access to the right decision-makers. This includes industrial and B2B companies, construction and interiors, consumer brands, design and selected technology businesses. If we do not believe we have the right expertise or network for your sector, we will tell you before starting the project.
Do you work on commission only?
Usually not. Entering a new market requires research, targeting, outreach and meetings before the first contract is signed. Most projects therefore use a fixed project fee or monthly retainer. A success fee can be added when it makes sense for both sides.
Can you guarantee results?
No one can guarantee that a buyer will sign a contract. What we can provide is structured business development, access to relevant decision-makers, consistent follow-up and clear market feedback. If we believe your offer is not ready for the market, we would rather tell you early than spend months approaching the wrong companies.
Do I need a French company to sell in France?
In many cases, no. EU companies can often sell into France without creating a French subsidiary. However, VAT, employment, product regulation, logistics and the way you operate locally can affect the right setup. Where specialist advice is needed, we coordinate with French legal and accounting partners.
Do you also work with French companies?
Yes. We help French companies develop business across Central & Eastern Europe in two ways. We can act as your business development partner, identifying customers, distributors and new commercial opportunities. We can also identify and qualify manufacturers, suppliers and production partners when you are looking to source in the region. Depending on the project, this can include research, outreach, qualification, meetings, site visits and negotiation support.
Let's talk about your plans.
Book a free 30-minute call. Tell us what you want to achieve and we will give you an initial, practical view of the market, including when the right answer is simply: not yet.