The class of 2022 of the program French Tech Next40/120 has been unveiled on February 1, 2022 by Cédric O, the Secretary of State for the Digital Transition. A third edition that allows promote new start-ups and more generally to promote the excellent health of the tech ecosystem.
French Tech is in great shape
Integrating the French Tech Next40/120 program is not trivial for the young shoots concerned. It is prestigious: it allows French start-ups to be considered as successful and promising, certainly. But it is also dedicated support. Indeed, this program launched in 2019 aims to support the best French start-ups, to help them become technology leaders in their respective fields.
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In 2022, the entry ticket has clearly been revised upwards. Result of a record year in 2021. Over the past year, French Tech has seen the number of fundraising increase by 26% in volume and 115% in value compared to to the year 2020. Proof that French Tech has acquired a certain maturity. This had an impact on the French Tech Next40/120 program: the lowest fundraising in the Next40 increased from 22 million euros in 2021 to 49.6 million in 2022.
In all, 120 French start-ups are chosen to join either the Next40 or the FT120. The operation is quite simple: the other 80 companies that cannot qualify for the Next40 are donated to the French Tech 120 program. They must respect certain conditions: 40 are selected on the criterion of raising funds of at least 20 million euros and the 40 others on the criterion of turnover. It must be more than 5 million euros in 2020 and its growth must be between 25 and 50%.
The class of 2022 of the French Tech Next40/120
The Next40 saw 8 new entrants land this year. We find IAD, Sorare, Dental Monitoring, Loft Orbital Technologies, Descartes Underwriting, 360 Learning, Malt and Lifen. French start-ups in great shape, some of which have become unicorns in 2021. OVHcloud and Believe leave Next40 after going public in 2021.
The ranking of the French Tech Next40/120.
There is also movement on the side of the FT120. Driven by its 8 million users and a turnover of 60 million euros in 2021, MYM is making its debut. Others like Leocare or Yousign have also joined this closed circle of the most successful start-ups in France. Some companies have also left the Next40, but are still listed in the FT120. This is the case for Akeneo, Heetch, JobTeaser, Klaxoon, OpenClassrooms, Sendinblue, Skeepers, Wynd and Yubo.
These 120 companies are counting on the creation of 19,000 new jobs in France and abroad in 2022. This is neither more nor less than double the forecast of the previous promotion. Looking ahead a year, the class of 2023 could be even stronger. The year 2022 has started very strong, with record fundraising and many new unicorns. We think in particular of PayFit, Ankorstore and Qonto, which are now part of the less and less closed circle of French unicorns. Also, BackMarket has recently become the most valued French startup.