French Tech 2030: The Champions Driving National Sovereignty
The Mission French Tech has announced the 2025 promotion of the French Tech 2030 program, featuring 80 emerging companies selected for their strategic potential in critical technological sectors. Once again, startups originating from the HEC entrepreneurial ecosystem are strongly represented, accounting for 20% of the entire cohort. These new champions are set to secure France's technological independence and accelerate its economic and industrial transformation.
French Tech 2030: Ensuring Sovereignty and Technological Performance
Launched in 2023, the French Tech 2030 program aims to accelerate the emergence of French champions who will structure an ambitious French technological landscape. The 80 companies in the 2025 cohort are designing concrete solutions across key fields such as artificial intelligence and its applications, cybersecurity, quantum technologies, robotics, electronics, space, and critical infrastructures. All these strategic solutions serve the public interest: protecting personal data, preventing disinformation, and securing critical infrastructure.
Beyond technological performance: they are helping build a safer, more sustainable society, as well as ensuring the country maintains control over critical technologies.
Ultimately, French Tech 2030 aims to position France as a technological nation that attracts talent and capital, and shines internationally. President Emmanuel Macron highlights this imperative for audacity and independence, stating:
“France has always been a Nation of pioneers, builders, and inventors. From Pascal to Pasteur, from Concorde to Ariane, our history is marked by the audacity of those who dared to push the limits of the possible. Today, facing technological, climatic, and geopolitical upheavals, our country must once again choose audacity. This is what the French Tech 2030 program is all about: making France a sovereign technological Nation that attracts talent and capital, and that shines internationally.”
This massive investment and public policy effort ensures that French schools, laboratories, and companies are at the forefront of technological revolutions in strategic domains like AI, cybersecurity, quantum computing, space, robotics, and semiconductors.
16 startups from HEC Paris among French Tech 2030
The HEC Paris entrepreneurial community contributes significantly to the momentum of the French Tech 2030 program, with 16 startups selected for the 2025 cohort. This group, representing 20% of the promotion, underlines the growing involvement of HEC Paris graduates (HEC Alumni) and Deep Tech startups from the HEC Paris Innovation & Entrepreneurship Institute support programs, such as CDL-Paris, HEC Challenge + and Incubateur HEC Paris, in sovereignty technologies.
CDL-Paris
- Biomemory – CDL Climate 2023–24
- Isentroniq – CDL Next Gen Computing 2025–26
- Diamfab – CDL Next Gen Computing 2024–25
- Delos Intelligence – CDL AI 2024–25
- Ion-X – CDL Space 2022–23 et Challenge +
HEC Challenge +
- Snowpack – Challenge + 2020
- Steerlight – Challenge + 2021
- Mirsense – Challenge + 2016
- NcodiN – Challenge + 2022
- Quandela – Challenge + 2017
Incubateur HEC Paris
- Qevlar AI – Meta AI 2024
- Neuralk-Ai – Meta AI
- Inbolt and two HEC Alumni founders
In total, 6 of these 16 companies were founded by HEC alumni:
- Inbolt: Louis DUMAS (M.19) / Albane Dersy (H.19)
- Comand AI: Loïc Mougeolle (M.11)
- Elistair: Guilhem de Marliave (M14)
- HarfangLab: Grégoire Germain (EMBA.10) / Xavier Boreau (EMBA.10)
Key Figures for HEC Paris-Affiliated Laureates
In total, in 2025 these 16 companies account for:
- 604 direct jobs (out of 3,200 for the whole cohort)
- $1.1 billion in valuation
- €30 million in funding (spread through 55 rounds)
These companies are positioned across highly strategic deep tech sectors, directly addressing France’s technological sovereignty needs:
Quantum Computing: Quandela (Challenge + 2017) is an important player in the quantum sector. Quandela has notably sold a quantum computer to OVHcloud and is deploying one in Canada in partnership with Exaion (an EDF group subsidiary).
Data Storage and Sovereignty: Biomemory (CDL Climate 2023-24) designs high-capacity data storage solutions using DNA, which is key for sovereignty and defense, ensuring control over information and offering a robust, low-carbon impact solution.
Semiconductors: Diamfab (CDL Next Gen Computing 2024-25) is developing a disruptive innovation in the semiconductor sector, aiming to replace silicon - whose supply is becoming critical - in high-demand applications such as energy, spatial technology, nuclear, medical, and quantum computing.
Cybersecurity: HarfangLab (featuring 2 Alumni) is a cybersecurity firm, while Qevlar AI (Incubateur HEC Paris) operates in the AI domain. Both companies are partners of Orange, the 2025 promotion’s sponsor.
Robotics: Inbolt (Incubator & 2 Alumni: Louis Dumas and Albane Dersy) deployed its robotics solutions in a Stellantis factory. This led to a 97% reduction in downtime and a return on investment (ROI) within 3 months for the client, demonstrating measurable economic impact.
Behind French Tech 2030: Selection Criteria and Benefits for the Laureates
The selection process for the French Tech 2030 promotion is rigorous, based on both mandatory eligibility criteria and qualitative assessment of strategic interest and technological maturity.
To qualify, companies must be French-founded since 2012, headquartered in France, privately held (with no single commercial shareholder owning over 39.9% and no more than 75% foreign-owned), unlisted, and financially sound. They must have raised or generated at least €3 million since January 2023 and demonstrate proven innovation through the Research Tax Credit or French/European public funding.
Beyond eligibility, selection focuses on strategic contribution to France’s sovereign digital ecosystem (cloud, quantum, AI, cybersecurity, robotics, semiconductors, energy, space), the excellence and maturity of their technology (including Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 6+ and ties to research), and an ambitious business model with strong growth potential in France and internationally.
Integrating the French Tech 2030 program provides laureates with the same level of visibility and support framework offered to the 120 French tech champions in the French Tech Next40/120. This tailored, year-long support program offered by the Mission French Tech and its partners is designed to accelerate their development and address highly strategic technological challenges.
The 2025 French Tech 2030 promotion, announced on November 6, 2025, reinforces France’s commitment to building a technologically sovereign future. Collectively, these laureates demonstrate significant economic power and potential: they have raised €1.1 billion since their creation, invested over €130 million in R&D in 2024, and hold 353 patents. Their success underscores that deep tech is now a fundamental lever for sustainable growth, job creation, and the reindustrialization of French territories.
Download press kit (in French)