French Tech has demonstrated its resilience in 2026, with 18,000 active start-ups and scale-ups and 450,000 direct jobs – a record high despite a challenging national economic climate. As Julie Huguet, Director of the French Tech Mission, points out, this edition marks ‘an unprecedented acceleration’ in the ecosystem’s geographical, technological and sectoral diversification.

A dynamic that is spreading across the regions. 57.4 per cent of start-ups are now based in the regions, accounting for 42 per cent of jobs in the sector — demonstrating the importance of French Tech to the national economy.

Funding is rising sharply. With €4.96 billion raised in the first half of 2026, the ecosystem confirms investors’ confidence, driven by ever more ambitious mega-deals. France retains its third place in the European rankings, just behind the United Kingdom and Germany.

New sectors of excellence. ArtificialIntelligence , DeepTech, quantum computing, space technology and GreenTech are emerging as the new drivers of growth, led by companies such as Mistral AI and Pasqal, France’s first quantum unicorn.

A strengthened global presence. Major corporate groups are becoming active partners within the ecosystem, whilst the French Tech network – with 19 Capitals and 106 Communities spread across the globe – supports the international reach of French start-ups and scale-ups.

L’article French Tech: a driving force for sovereignty est apparu en premier sur La mission French Tech.

Launched by Mission French Tech in 2019, French Tech Tremplin supports entrepreneurs from backgrounds, regions or social circumstances that remain under-represented in the innovation ecosystem. This new cohort once again illustrates the wealth of talent across the whole of France and reaffirms the programme’s ambition: to foster the future success stories of French Tech by giving opportunities to entrepreneurs who, without this scheme, would find it more difficult to access support networks, funding and entrepreneurial resources.

A cohort that better reflects entrepreneurial diversity

Of the 102 successful companies, 33 are led by women, representing 32.4 per cent of the cohort.

Whilst men remain in the majority, this proportion demonstrates the programme’s ability to foster the emergence of more female entrepreneurs in a sector where they remain largely under-represented. It also serves as a reminder that inequalities in access to technology-based entrepreneurship persist and fully justify the continuation of targeted measures to promote equal opportunities.

Talent discovered across the country

One of French Tech Tremplin’s long-standing strengths is its ability to identify entrepreneurs well beyond the major technology hubs. The Class of 2026 is representative of this ambition. The laureates are spread across all French regions, both in mainland France and in the overseas territories.

The regions of Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur (17.6 per cent), Île-de-France (12.7 per cent), Hauts-de-France (10.8 per cent), Nouvelle-Aquitaine (10.8 per cent), Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes (7.8 per cent) and Bourgogne-Franche-Comté (6.9 per cent) are among the most strongly represented.

The overseas territories, for their part, account for nearly 14 per cent of the laureates, with entrepreneurs from Réunion, Martinique, Mayotte, Guadeloupe and French Guiana.

A programme that reaches its target audiences

French Tech Tremplin continues its mission to open up entrepreneurship to groups that are still under-represented. Thus:

As these criteria are cumulative, some entrepreneurs fall into several of these categories. These figures demonstrate that entrepreneurial talent exists everywhere and that access to opportunities remains a major challenge for many business founders.

Entrepreneurs starting out with limited resources

This report also highlights the funding difficulties encountered when launching an entrepreneurial project.

These figures serve as a reminder that access to initial funding remains one of the main barriers to the creation of innovative businesses.

A French Tech network active throughout France

This fifth cohort is also the result of the work carried out each year by the French Tech Capitals and Communities, which identify talent at the local level. This year, the regions most strongly represented are:

Thanks to this regional network, French Tech Tremplin continues to open the doors to innovative entrepreneurship for individuals who are still too often excluded from traditional networks.

The 102 laureates will now receive support from partner incubators to consolidate their entrepreneurial projects, develop their businesses and join the French Tech community.

L’article The 102 laureates of the 5th cohort of the French Tech Tremplin Incubation programme announced at VivaTech est apparu en premier sur La mission French Tech.

Nine new major groups have joined the “Je choisis la French Tech“ initiative: Safran, Eutelsat, Atos, Bouygues Construction, Groupe Rocher, Fnac Darty, Crédit Agricole S.A., Groupama and Stellantis. Together with the 14 already on board, there are now 23 major French companies that have collectively committed to spending over 2 billion euros on purchases from French start-ups and scale-ups.

The government is organising its efforts on a ministry-by-ministry basis

For the first time, each ministry is appointing a “Je choisis la French Tech“ ambassador. Acting as a key liaison within their respective departments, their role is to raise awareness of the solutions offered by French start-ups and scale-ups amongst public procurers, to build concrete bridges between public procurement and the tech ecosystem, and to drive a cultural shift in the government’s procurement practices.

France is spearheading a tech movement across Europe

Inspired by the “Je choisis la French Tech” model, the “Choose European Tech” initiative is now mobilising major corporations, public agencies and European ministries to direct more contracts towards the continent’s start-ups and scale-ups. Belgium, Germany, Bulgaria, Spain, Portugal, the Czech Republic, Romania and Serbia have already joined the movement.

Diversity is at the heart of the ecosystem’s challenges

Launched in 2019, the French Tech Tremplin programme promotes equal opportunities in entrepreneurship. Since its inception, nearly 2,000 entrepreneurs have received support. The 2026 cohort, comprising 102 successful applicants spread across mainland France and its overseas territories, illustrates this ambition, with 45 per cent of entrepreneurs coming from priority neighbourhoods under urban policy (QPV) and 32.4 per cent being women. Thanks to the commitment of the French Tech Capitals and Communities, these entrepreneurs will benefit from local support to accelerate the development of their projects.

L’article French Tech: together, we are building technology champions dedicated to shared progress est apparu en premier sur La mission French Tech.

For the first time, each ministry is appointing a ‘Je choisis la French Tech’ ambassador. Acting as a key liaison within their respective departments, their role is to raise awareness of solutions offered by French start-ups and scale-ups amongst public sector buyers, to build concrete bridges between public procurement and the tech ecosystem, and to drive a cultural shift in the government’s procurement practices. By bringing together the ambassadors of this inter-ministerial network at VivaTech, the government has a new tool to accelerate public innovation and strengthen its technological sovereignty at the heart of government departments.

Major groups exceed €2 billion in commitments

Nine new major groups have joined the programme: Safran, Eutelsat, Atos, Bouygues Construction, Groupe Rocher, Fnac Darty, Crédit Agricole S.A., Groupama and Stellantis. Together with the 14 already on board, there are now 23 major French companies collectively committed to exceeding €2 billion in purchases from French start-ups and scale-ups. From aerospace to retail and construction, the programme covers the entire French economy.

France is bringing together a Europe-wide tech movement

This scaling-up does not stop at the borders. Inspired by the ‘Je choisis la French Tech’ model, the ‘Choose European Tech’ initiative is launching a joint effort with major European buyers – private groups, agencies and ministries – to channel their procurement towards the continent’s start-ups and scale-ups. Among the countries involved are Belgium, Germany, Bulgaria, Spain, Portugal, the Czech Republic, Romania and Serbia. These communities aim to mobilise the innovation ecosystems in each of these countries to foster a European momentum around innovative procurement. At a time when the European Commission is embarking on its initial work on ‘European preference’, the initiative aims to bring about a cultural shift: to convince European buyers to direct their procurement towards the continent’s start-ups and scale-ups. What France has built up over three years is now being used as the foundation for a European ambition.

L’article ‘Je choisis French Tech’ has surpassed the 2 billion mark and is expanding across Europe est apparu en premier sur La mission French Tech.

These frontrunners are active in the most strategic technologies: AI, quantum computing, biotechnology and aerospace. The French Tech Next40/120 supports these winners, who are building the technological capabilities underpinning France’s and Europe’s industrial, energy and digital sovereignty.

L’article Class of 2026 of the French Tech Next40/120 program est apparu en premier sur La mission French Tech.

For the first time, Normandy and New Caledonia have been granted French Tech Capital status after several years as Communities. In total, 19 Capitals and 28 Communities now hold this designation in France, demonstrating the maturity and structure of regional ecosystems. Grenoble, the world’s 7th largest deep tech hub, and Toulouse, the European capital of space, embody this drive for excellence.

A rapidly expanding international network

Internationally, the French Tech network is expanding with 78 Communities in 57 countries, including 15 new locations. Priority markets such as the United States (Raleigh, Washington D.C.) and Germany (Hamburg, Frankfurt) are being strengthened, whilst new territories, such as Saudi Arabia, Armenia and Chile, are opening up new opportunities for French start-ups. The “Je choisis la French Tech” programme is now being rolled out internationally and helps forge direct links between French start-ups and major international clients, in partnership with Business France and diplomatic missions.

Five priorities to accelerate growth

The network is focusing its efforts on:

L’article Looking ahead to 2026–2028: the French Tech Mission announces the third phase of the French Tech Capitals and Communities accreditation scheme. est apparu en premier sur La mission French Tech.

A key event for executives, finance teams and administrative managers looking to prepare.

Would you like to take part?

Join us on 2 April 2026 at 11am.

L’article Electronic invoicing explained by the leaders of French Tech est apparu en premier sur La mission French Tech.

Japan and South Korea are among the world’s most technologically advanced markets. Currently, 18% of French Tech Next40/120 companies are already active in Japan, while nearly one-third of French Tech 2030 start-ups identify South Korea as a strategic priority.

Approximately ten start-ups and scale-ups will be at the forefront of this delegation, including:

Additional French companies participating in the visit include Look Up Space, Quobly, Innovafeed, Miratlas, Unseenlabs, Contentsquare, and Metron.

The program will feature business meetings, economic forums, and engagements with local ecosystems, coordinated with Business France, Team France Export, and MEDEF International.

Key speeches and announcements are expected throughout the visit. Interview opportunities will be available with Julie Huguet and selected delegation companies.

Press contact : ft.presse@finances.gouv.fr

L’article Press release : French Tech heads to Japan and South Korea est apparu en premier sur La mission French Tech.

The U.S. market has become a key arena for French Tech: nearly 40% of Next40/120 companies are already active there. This momentum is driven by the excellence of French innovation and by highly sought-after talent across the Atlantic. In this context, participation in leading global tech events is a critical lever for acceleration.

A first delegation focused on cybersecurity is already on site to attend the RSA Conference from March 23 to 26. This major global gathering offers a unique opportunity to increase visibility, forge strategic partnerships, and capture new opportunities in a highly competitive market.

Participating companies:

From April 4 to 6, a second delegation focused on applied artificial intelligence will participate in HumanX. Its objective is to showcase concrete, business-driven AI applications, highlighting French expertise and talent in this fast-growing field.

Participating companies:

Through these two delegations, France reaffirms its ambition to position itself as a leading force in global innovation.

L’article French Tech continues its international expansion in the United States est apparu en premier sur La mission French Tech.

The new generation of champions working towards technological sovereignty and shared progress

The 80 new laureates are developing strategic solutions in key areas such as artificial intelligence and its applications, cybersecurity, quantum technology, robotics, electronics, space technology and infrastructure.

Their ambition goes beyond technological performance: they are helping to build a safer, more sustainable society. They thus embody the next generation of French Tech: a new generation that combines technological excellence with responses to the challenges of tomorrow.

The new builders of French technological sovereignty

Together, they are helping to build an ecosystem of excellence around digital sovereignty, ensuring that France retains mastery and control of its key technologies.

Each of these companies illustrates the diversity and power of French expertise. Here are a few examples:

In two years, French Tech 2030 has established itself as an accelerator for champions. The first cohort saw the emergence of companies that have become emblematic of French tech and are now recognised worldwide, with some already winning French Tech Next40/120 awards, such as Mistral AI, Alice&Bob, and Exotrail.

In concrete terms, the winners benefit from a year of tailored support from the French Tech mission and its partners to accelerate their development, remove regulatory barriers and take advantage of a collective dynamic that encourages peer-to-peer exchanges, a valuable lever for sharing experiences and best practices.

With proven economic and industrial potential, these companies’ priority is to scale up.

This 2025 promotion confirms France’s ability to bring about disruptive innovations with industrial and international ambition. With €130 million already invested in R&D last year, €1.1 billion raised, 353 patents filed, 18 factories in place and 27 in the pipeline, the technological and commercial success of these companies is the result of cutting-edge research and high-level training.

These start-ups embody a new generation of companies that want to scale up and transform innovation into future industrial successes. Together, they are consolidating the country’s sovereign technological infrastructure: from space to artificial intelligence, robotics and industry.

French deep tech is no longer just a breeding ground for innovation: it is becoming a lever for sustainable growth, the creation of skilled jobs and the reindustrialisation of regions.

L’article French Tech 2030: discover the new class! est apparu en premier sur La mission French Tech.