👋 Welcome to our weekly recap of the big news + funding in the French tech ecosystem this week.

🚀 Bonjour, tech enthusiasts!

In this week's French Tech Wire, the buzz is all about AI and resilience:

🤖 Paris is All-In on AI As France gears up for its big AI summit next month, La French Tech Grand Paris' Managing Director, Alexandra André, shares how they’re helping to supercharge AI adoption in the capital. From fostering collaborations to driving innovation, Paris is primed to lead the global AI wave.

🚀 Spotlight interview: Label Emmaüs founder, Maud Sarda, talks to us about the second-hand online commerce market, the challenges posed by ultra-fast fashion giants like TEMU and SHEIN, and how Label Emmaüs is driving change with a sustainable, socially inclusive model that puts people and the planet first.

📈 Triumphs and Challenges Big wins this week include Younited’s €152M IPO, marking a fintech milestone, and Shift4Good’s €220M fund for sustainable mobility. Meanwhile, David Balland’s shocking kidnapping and rescue reminds us of the real-world stakes in the tech world. On a brighter note, Julie Huguet is charting an ambitious future for La French Tech Mission, with a focus on funding, collaboration, and inclusivity.

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Chris O'Brien + Helen O'Reilly-Durand

🚀 Tech Talk 🚀

🕵️‍♂️ David Balland, co-founder of Ledger, and his girlfriend were abducted from his home in Cher, France, on January 21 by assailants demanding a substantial cryptocurrency ransom. The kidnappers separated them and transported them to another location, and then contacted another Ledger co-founder to demand a ransom. Following a coordinated operation by the national and local police, Balland was safely released on January 22. After his release, he received medical attention for injuries to his hand. Meanwhile, investigators used surveillance footage and phone records to trace the location of his girlfriend, who was released on January 23. As part of the effort to secure their release, investors said that part of the ransom was paid. Almost all of these cryptocurrencies have been traced, frozen, and seized. In total, more than 230 national police (gendarmes) were involved in the investigation. The Paris prosecutor's office arrested 10 people – nine men and a woman – between the ages of 20 and 40 who are facing possible charges of kidnapping and ransom demands involving organized crime, which carry a maximum penalty of life imprisonment in France. Balland, who co-founded Ledger in 2014 but departed the company in 2021, now leads a virtual reality startup in Vierzon. | Maddyness, Le Figaro, BFM TV

🗺️ Julie Huguet, director of La French Tech Mission, unveiled her roadmap for 2025, emphasizing a business-first approach. She wants to strengthen collaboration between startups and large corporations, believing these partnerships are crucial to accelerating the growth of French tech companies. Additionally, Huguet plans to enhance the competitiveness of startups by improving access to funding and simplifying administrative procedures. She also highlights the importance of reshaping the image of French Tech to make it more inclusive and reflective of the diversity of French entrepreneurs. This strategic direction largely marks a continuation of past programs but comes as the French tech ecosystem seeks to adapt to current economic and technological challenges. | La Tribune, Les Echos, Le Figaro

🤝 Jean de La Rochebrochard, known for leading Xavier Niel's Kima Ventures, has joined U.S.-based VC firm Cassius as a partner. Announcing the move on his Substack, de La Rochebrochard expressed enthusiasm for collaborating with Cassius founder Emmanuel Seugé to deploy the firm's third $50 million fund, with plans for a fourth fund in 2026. Cassius, established in 2017, focuses on seed investments across North America and Europe, boasting a portfolio that includes French startups like Sorare and amo. Despite his new role, de La Rochebrochard will continue leading Kima Ventures. This transition follows his departure from New Wave in early 2024 due to internal disagreements. De La Rochebrochard emphasized the importance of building partnerships with individuals who share common values and offer complementary strengths. | Substack, Les Echos, Sifted

♻️ Impact-driven VC firm Shift4Good has closed its first fund at €220 million to support startups developing sustainable solutions in the transport and mobility sectors. With a focus on reducing carbon emissions and driving innovation, the firm plans to back around 25 startups globally, prioritizing early-stage investments. The fund is supported by key institutions like the European Investment Fund and Bpifrance. | Maddyness

💸 Startup studio 4Elements has raised €27.4 million to support the creation of groundbreaking ventures aimed at advancing the climate transition. The studio will use the funds to launch and nurture startups addressing critical sustainability challenges, such as renewable energy, circular economy, and sustainable agriculture. Backed by both private and institutional investors, 4Elements aims to become a flagship of climate innovation. | Maddyness, EU-Startups

📈 Consumer credit fintech Younited made a splash on the Paris stock exchange, raising over €152 million in its initial public offering. Known for its AI-driven lending platform, the company plans to use the funds to accelerate international expansion and diversify its financial services. Younited’s listing marks a significant milestone for the European fintech scene, highlighting investor confidence in the sector. | Maddyness, Les Echos

♻️ The BNP Paribas Solar Impulse Venture fund is set to invest €172 million in profitable, eco-friendly startups that address pressing environmental challenges. Focused on the intersection of sustainability and financial returns, the fund aims to back ventures in renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, and low-carbon technologies. | Maddyness

Spotlight Interview: Maud Sarda, Founder of Label Emmaüs

Maud Sarda, Founder of Emmaüs' online marketplace “Label Emmaüs,” is a force to be reckoned with. Emmaüs is a charitable organization founded in 1949 to combat poverty and is best known in France for its network of centers that allow people to donate and buy second-hand items ranging from clothes to furniture.

A natural activist, Sarda is deeply committed to creating a fairer, more inclusive world through a potent mix of tech innovation, social impact, and active lobbying. For Sarda, the tech economy is not just about numbers and growth, it is a tool to foster humanity and equality. 

In this sense, Sarda’s passion for social justice is leading her to sound the alarm against online fast-fashion giants like TEMU and SHEIN with their massive marketing budgets, low-quality, environmentally harmful products, and practices that harm the most vulnerable. 

As the leader of Label Emmaüs -  an online associative marketplace for quality second-hand goods - Sarda is fighting back. In this interview, she shared her journey, her vision, and the battles she is determined to win.

Deep Dive: How La French Tech Grand Paris is shaping innovation in France's capital

With over a decade of experience in communications, venture capital, and entrepreneurship, Alexandra André now heads La French Tech Grand Paris (FTGP). Tasked with uniting and empowering the Paris region’s tech players, she’s spent the past year championing initiatives that bridge startups, corporates, and investors in unprecedented ways.

We sat down with her to talk about FTGP’s mission, the newly launched AI Track, and their ambitions to position Paris as a global innovation hub.

“AI is reshaping industries worldwide, and Paris has all the ingredients to lead this revolution," André said. "Through the AI Track, we’re helping startups connect with corporates, scale faster, and overcome common barriers, whether it’s accessing data, navigating regulations, or securing investment.”

Funding

📇 Company: Shippeo
🔍 Description: The most recommended real-time transportation visibility platform in the world.
💻 Website: http://shippeo.com
📍 HQ City: Paris
🧗 Round: Late VC
💰 Amount Raised: €27.27M
🏦 Investors: Battery Ventures; Partech; Bpifrance; NGP Capital; Yamaha Motor Ventures; Shift4Good; LFX Venture Partners; Woven Capital
👨💼👩💼 Founders: Pierre Khoury; Frédéric Jouenne; Jean-Bastien Dussart; Jérôme Burtin; Lucien Besse; Thibaut Morlot; Brice Hua
🗞️ News: FrenchWeb

📇 Company: Mob-Energy
🔍 Description: Mobile charging robot for electric vehicles.
💻 Website: http://mob-energy.com
📍 HQ City: Villeurbanne
🧗 Round: Early VC
💰 Amount Raised: €15.00M
🏦 Investors: Tikehau Capital
👨💼👩💼 Founders: Ilyass Haddout; Salim El Houat; Maxime Roy
🗞️ News: LinkedIn

📇 Company: Kraaft
🔍 Description: Reinventing interfaces in factories through voice recognition and natural language processing (NLP).
💻 Website: https://www.kraaft.co/
📍 HQ City: Paris
🧗 Round: Series A
💰 Amount Raised: €13.00M
🏦 Investors: Brick & Mortar Ventures; Stride.VC; Chalfen Ventures; Dawn Capital; OSS Ventures
👨💼👩💼 Founders: Thomas Reygagne; Cédric Boidin
🗞️ News: JDN

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