After a record year 2021 for French Tech, there is no longer any doubt that 2022 gets off to a flying start. In just a few days, French Tech startups have raised a lot of money. We are thinking in particular of PayFit, Ankorstore, Qonto (which now holds the record for the largest fundraising in France) or even BackMarket, which became on January 11. the best valued French startup.
PayFit and Ankorstore, two new French unicorns
25 startups now have the status of “unicorns” in France (this means that their valuation exceeds one billion dollars). In short, French Tech is in great shape and this is excellent news. On January 6, 2022, PayFit became the 23rd French unicorn by raising 254 million euros. The startup, which publishes payroll software and HR solutions for small businesses in France, Germany, England and Spain, is looking to recruit 400 people this year to seriously beef up its product and customer service.
App Store developers earned 53 billion euros in 2021
Only four days later, on January 10, Ankorstore raised 250 million euros and in turn became the 24th tricolor unicorn. Two years after its creation, this fundraising marks a turning point for the company. Ankorstore, which sees itself as the “Revenge of local commerce against online commerce”, connects independent traders with a wide choice of suppliers. The number of employees of this startup should reach 1,500 within a year.
Qonto and BackMarket: the two biggest French Tech fundraisers took place on the same day
Finally, on January 11, Qonto announced a record roundtable at 486 million euros, which allows him to take the place of the 25th unicorn. A huge sum, never raised before in France, and much higher than the amount initially planned by the startup. For 5 hours, Qonto will also have benefited from the status of the French startup the best valued of French Tech (4.4 billion euros).
It was without counting on BackMarket (14th French unicorn), who, at the end of the day, in turn announced a gigantic fundraising of 450 million euros. Enough to allow him to blow the place of the most valued unicorn in Qonto and exceed the 5.1 billion valuation. Since its creation, BackMarket has raised approximately € 870 million in funding. The startup specializing in refurbished products is on the rise: one in ten French people now opt for a second-hand device.
Too bad for Qonto, which will easily be satisfied with this fundraising of 486 million euros, the biggest fundraising for a French startup. From now on, the neobank wishes recruit 1,500 new employees by 2025, half of which in its foreign offices and in particular in a new customer service hub in Barcelona. A lift that confirms the good health of fintechs. Indeed, Spendesk had already raised 100 million euros in 2021, just like the Franco-Belgian start-up Ibanfirst, which also raised 200 million euros last year.