For those who are passionate about entrepreneurship, it’s an exciting time to be in France. The growing availability of talent, top-ranked education institutes, evolving regulatory system, and other key factors have formed a startup ecosystem that is growing stronger and better every day.
According to Financial Times, France is breeding unicorns faster than any other country in Europe this year. Over the past three years, the number of startups valued at more than €1B has trebled in France. In comparison, the UK has seen a rise of just 69 per cent and Germany just 44 per cent.
Recently, many US tech investors like Tiger Global Management and Dragoneer invested in French startups propelling them to unicorn status. In a statement, Yoram Wijngaarde, founder of Dealroom, says, “Within Europe’s big tech hubs — London, Paris, then Berlin — Paris is the fastest growing.”
We have jotted down the list of French startups that joined the unicorn club in 2021 and are hiring right now.
Sorare
HQ: Paris
Founder/s: Nicolas Julia and Adrien Montfort
Founded: 2018
Total funding: €48M
Sorare is transforming online sports fandom and giving its community a new way to connect to the clubs and players they love. It is on a mission to make crypto fun and accessible to all through fantasy football.
Based out of Paris, Sorare provides a soccer team management game with digital NFT cards that fans can collect and trade. The platform has seen monthly card sales volume of over $80M since January 2021 across 140 countries.
Earlier this year, the French company raised €40M in a Series A round led by Benchmark. The company is backed by other investors like Accel Partners, e.ventures, and footballers Gerard Piqué, Antoine Griezmann and Rio Ferdinand.
Do you want to work with a company that deals with cutting-edge games and technology? Check their openings here.
Younited
HQ: Paris
Founder/s: Charles Egly, Geoffroy Guigou, and Thomas Beylot
Founded: 2009
Total funding: €326M
Younited provides an online platform designed to connect and facilitate financial transactions between lenders and borrowers without the intermediation of a traditional financial institution. Last month, the French company secured $170M funding in a round led by Goldman Sachs. Existing investors include Eurazeo, Bpifrance, and AG2R La Mondiale.
Currently, the French company is hiring for various positions like Anti-Fraud and Financial Security Manager to Data Analyst. Check out the vacancies here.
ManoMano
HQ: Paris
Founder/s: Philippe de Chanville and Christian Raisson
Founded: 2013
Total funding: €633M
ManoMano is an online marketplace for DIY, home improvement, and gardening products. It is a platform built specifically for the community of home and DIY lovers, enabling them to exchange tips and advice on their DIY or gardening projects. The company operates in six markets, including France, Belgium, Spain, Italy, Germany, and the UK, with over 3,600 seller partners and 10 million products.
Last month, the French company raised $355M (approx €299.43M) in its Series F round of funding, at a valuation of $2.6B (approx €2.19B). Want to put your skills at the service of innovative projects? Check out the vacancies here.
Believe Digital
HQ: Paris
Founder/s: Golan Nuchian
Founded: 2005
Total funding: €54.5M
Believe Digital is a music digital distribution company for independent labels and artists. The platform helps artists and labels build their audiences and careers, at all stages of their development, in all local markets around the world.
With 1,270 employees in over 50 countries, Believe owns several brands, labels and companies, including TuneCore, Nuclear Blast, Naïve, Groove Attack, and AllPoints. A couple of months back Believe raised €300M through its IPO round in Paris, at a valuation of €1.9B.
If you have a strong digital culture and passion for music, Believe has some vacancies for you. Check them out here.
Ledger
HQ: Paris
Founder/s: Eric Larchevêque, Joel Pobeda, Nicolas Bacca, and Thomas France
Founded: 2014
Total funding: €432M
Ledger develops security and infrastructure solutions for cryptocurrencies as well as blockchain applications for individuals and companies.
The French company aims to secure a new disruptive class of crypto assets – financial assets like cryptocurrencies or Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs), data assets like sensors, Internet of Things (IoT) devices, and digital identities like second-factor authentication or passwordless login.
A couple of months back, Ledger raised $380M (nearly €311.8M) in its Series C round at a valuation of more than $1.5B (approx €1.23B). The company is looking out for innovative and talented people. Click here to know more.
Back Market
HQ: Paris
Founder/s: Thibaud Hug de Larauze, Quentin Le Brouster, and Vianney Vaute
Founded: 2014
Total funding: €463M
Back Market is an online marketplace for refurbished electronics. The company offers high-quality professionally refurbished electronic devices and appliances to customers in 13 countries including the Netherlands, US, France, Germany, the UK, Italy, and more. Currently, the company has over 1,500 sellers on its platform and counting.
Back Market has a team of 480 employees across its 4 offices located in New York, Berlin, Paris, and Bordeaux. In May, the French company raised a $335M (approx €274M) in its series D round, at a valuation of $3.2B (nearly €2.6B).
Want to contribute towards a circular economy and free the planet from electronic waste? Back Market is hiring. Check it out here.
Shift Technology
HQ: Paris
Founder/s: David Durrleman, Eric Sibony, and Jeremy Jawish
Founded: 2014
Total funding: €265M
Shift Technology provides AI-based fraud detection for the insurance industry. Earlier this year, the company introduced Shift Insurance Suite to help insurers apply AI-based decision automation and optimisation technology solutions for the insurance industry.
It addresses critical processes across the insurance policy lifecycle as well as helps insurers achieve faster, accurate claims and policy resolutions. The company now serves more than 100 customers in 25 different countries and has analysed nearly 2 billion claims to date.
In May, the French company raised $220M (approx €182.58M) in its Series D round of funding at a valuation of more than $1B. Shift Technology is now hiring across positions from Data Engineer to Senior Data Scientists. Check it out here.
Alan
HQ: Paris
Founder/s: Charles Gorintin, Jean-Charles Samuelian
Founded: 2016
Total funding: €310M
Alan is a digital health insurance platform that offers insurance services by focusing on price-quality ratio health plans. The company provides health insurance plans to companies of all sizes – from startups to large enterprises. It also combines its health insurance offering with access to personalised health care information, proactive care, care delivery, payment, and post-care.
Alan says around 9,400 companies have opted for Alan in France, Belgium and Spain, including clients like WeWork, Deliveroo, JustEat, Vitaliance, and Big Mamma.
Alan also launched Personal care guidance to help people contact the right healthcare professional based on health issues. In April, the French company secured €185M in a Series D funding round, at a valuation of €1.4B.
Alan is hiring! Check out the vacancies here.
Vestiaire Collective
HQ: Paris
Founder/s: Alexandre Cognard, Christian Jorge, Fanny Moizant, Henrique Fernandes, Sebastien Fabre, and Sophie Hersan
Founded: 2009
Total funding: €397M
Vestiaire Collective is a global marketplace enabling people to buy and sell pre-owned luxury fashion products.
The French company is focused on transforming the fashion industry for a more sustainable future by promoting the circular fashion movement as an alternative to overproduction and overconsumption.
Vestiaire Collective is a member of the Ellen Macarthur Foundation, Paris Good Fashion, and the UN Fashion Alliance. The company has offices in London, New York, Milan, Berlin, and Hong Kong.
In March, the Fashion tech platform secured €178M from French luxury group Kering, and US investment firm Tiger Global Management. This round has granted Vestiaire Collective the “unicorn” status.
If you would like to join Vestiaire Collective, check out the career opportunities here.
