The French Tech Next40/120, a promotion committed on all fronts

The 2023 promotion of the French Tech Next40/120 program has just been released. And once again this year, HEC Paris is pleased and proud to discover the exceptional results of the winning startups, and more specifically of HEC Paris graduates! Let's take a look at this new list of winners, the startups "made in HEC" that are included and the commitments of the new selection.

1 in 4 French Tech Next40 startups founded or co-founded by an HEC Paris graduate

This year, 25% of the NEXT40 startups are HEC Paris Alumni: Ankorstore, Descartes Underwriting, Doctolib, Ivalua, Loft Orbital, Mirakl, Qonto, Ÿnsect, Younited, ZEPLUG. A huge congratulations to the 10 startups founded or co-founded by an HEC graduate, which represent 25% of the Next40 ranking! 

These winners, selected for their performance - but not only - are joined by other startups that together are shaping the economic landscape of France. Indeed, each of them has proven its usefulness in our daily lives, as well as in the lives of companies, especially in supporting their digital transformation. 

« We are very proud to be included in the Next40 index. This year's selection makes us particularly proud, because the program is more than ever focused on impactful topics: from diversity and inclusion to ecological transition issues. These are topics that are important to us at Qonto. »
Alexandre Prot, Co-founder and CEO of Qonto 

A total of 21 startups "made in HEC" also appear in the FT120: Adikteev, Agriconomie, Cubyn, Inotrem, Le Collectionist, Libon, MEDADOM, Ornikar, papernest, Pennylane, Skello and Ankorstore, Descartes Under, Doctolib, Ivalua, Loft Orbital, Mirakl, Qonto, Ynsect, Younited, ZEPLUG. This selection confirms that HEC Paris remains the school that generates the most promising startups in France!

It is doubly satisfying to see these startups benefit from the French Tech program and to know that they are fully committed to a more responsible and equitable world. Committed because in 2023, performance alone will no longer be enough to earn a ticket to the program.

What changes in 2023 in the French Tech Next40/120

Engagement will therefore play a pivotal role in this new class. 2023 is an exceptional year for this government support program, which for the very first time invites the winning class to get involved in societal and environmental issues, and thus adopt a more comprehensive approach to performance. While the highlight of the year 2022 was the launch of the Parity Pact co-constructed with the class of 2022, this year's winning startups have all agreed to commit to parity, inclusion, and ecological transition. 

« In 2023, by taking into account issues of sovereignty, profitability, job creation, impact and ecology, this new class of French Tech Next40/120 will contribute to the construction of an increasingly responsible business model. »
Bruno Le Maire, Minister of Economy, Finance and Industrial and Digital Sovereignty

In terms of parity, however, there is still room for improvement. Among the CEOs, founders and co-founders of startups listed in the 2023 edition of the French Tech Next40/120 only 15 are women. We salute the presence of Emmanuelle Fauchier-Magnan, an HEC graduate and co-founder of Skello, a startup that passed through the HEC Launchpad and HEC Paris Incubator programs. While this figure is a testament to the progress made, it also highlights how far we still have to go to achieve parity. HEC Paris congratulates these female entrepreneurs and hopes that the appearance of these women in such a ranking will serve as a role model for future generations. 

At HEC Paris, we are convinced that education and coaching remain fundamental to attract more women into the entrepreneurial sphere. In fact, our school continues to develop a series of initiatives to encourage more women to enter entrepreneurship and tech with, among others: 

 

• The WomenEntrepreneurs4Good (WE4G) program in partnership with the Women's Forum for the Economy & Society (Publicis Groupe) - which is going international after 2 successful years in Europe.
• The launch in 2022 of the FWE40 (French Women Entrepreneurs 40), a ranking to promote women leaders in France.
• The HEC Stand Up program for ambitious women who want to make their entrepreneurial dreams come true.
• The organization of the 'Beyond Gender Balance: Enabling the man-woman alchemy within organizations' event on the occasion of the #WomenInScienceDay, in the presence of Jean-Noël Barrot, to discuss parity within organizations in the Tech sector.

Why is the French Tech Next40/120 so significant?

A pioneer in the French entrepreneurial ecosystem, French Tech has established itself over the past 10 years as the reference movement for French startups. By bringing together startups, investors and decision makers, French Tech aims to make France one of the most attractive countries in the world for startups.

The French Tech Next40/120 program, in addition to showcasing the most promising startups in France, is shaping the economic landscape of France. The winning startups are also selected for their contribution to France's transformation projects. This year, the choice was largely focused on disruptive innovations, ecological transition and industrial sovereignty, which contribute to achieving the objectives of France 2030. As a reminder, the France 2030 plan aims to sustainably transform key sectors of our economy (energy, automotive, aeronautics and space) through technological innovation.

The GreenTech sector is therefore experiencing significant growth in France in 2023, which is reflected in the new French Tech Next40 class:

• 10 startups in the green transition sector, including 7 new ones, and featuring ZePlug and Ynsect - two startups co-founded by an HEC graduate.
• 7 industrial startups, including Ynsect. 
• 8 DeepTech startups, including the 'made in HEC' Loft Orbital and Ynsect and welcoming 3 new ones this year: Flying Whales, Innovafeed and Verkor.

How to get your entry ticket?

To have the chance to join the program, Mission French has developed a very specific and even more demanding methodology in 2023. To be eligible, candidate startups must either be a French unicorn that is not listed on the stock market or have raised at least €100 million between 2020 and 2022. As for the 80 places that complete the French Tech120, they are reserved for other startups with high potential.

Now, each of the laureates must also commit to diversity and inclusion in order to encourage the entire ecosystem to focus even more on these crucial subjects.

See you next year to achievements the results of this unique class!

More information on the Innovation & Entrepreneurship Center