La French Tech mission has announced the 120 French startups it considers the most promising. They will benefit from streamlined services to help them scale up.
The third class of the Next40/French Tech 120 program has been unveiled this morning, designating the startups that the French government believes have all the ingredients to be successful international scaleups.
The program was launched 3 years ago to provide special assistance to select companies, from navigating bureaucracy to international promotion and hiring.
Speaking at a press conference, Digital Minister Cedric O said that the top 40 companies on the list (which form the Next40) raised more than €49.6 million each in 2021, compared to €22 million in 2020. The new entrants on this list are:
360 Learning
Aledia
Alma
Ankorstore
Descartes Underwriting
DNA Script
I@D Infinity
Lifen
Loft Orbital Tech
Lumapps
Lydia
Swile
Spendesk
Sorare
The criteria for the list include the amount of money raised and revenue growth.
Here is a reply of the press conference and a Q&A with journalists:
Founders and economists clashed at FDday’s grand finale as Gabriel Zucman defended his global wealth tax blueprint against Philippe Aghion’s warnings about stifling innovation and forcing AI champions abroad, igniting one of the event’s most heated debates yet.
The State of the French Tech Ecosystem 2024 report from Alexandre Dewez of 20VC finds an ecosystem that appears stable on the surface but is undergoing some important transformations underneath.
France gets a new AI and digital minister as Naïma Moutchou joins the Government du Jour. Kikleo uses computer vision and AI to fight food waste. Gojob secures €120 million to scale its AI temp platform globally. Plus: ETIs embrace AI, a real fake-news network exposed, and data centers under fire.
The FoodTech startup just raised €3.5M for its system that uses AI-powered cameras to track every uneaten bite in cafeterias. By turning food waste into actionable data, it helps kitchens cut costs, shrink their carbon footprint, and serve smarter, more sustainable meals.
A look at Q3 funding. (Be afraid!) Between September 29 and Oct 3 a total of 19 companies raised €138.5M including: Qovery, TiHive, DJUST, iNGage, Clarifeye, Plasana Medical, UP&CHARGE, Synboli, Popsink, MokN, Metreecs, SeaBeLife, MyFit Solutions, Kapsera, Sonar Clarity (Avanoo), and Initiativ.
Refugee women break barriers with Sistech, TiHive raises €8M to reinvent quality control, Serena closes €200M AI & energy fund, EF exits Europe for Silicon Valley, Harmattan AI eyes $1B valuation, and Paris solidifies its spot as France’s startup powerhouse.