France, a nation with a rich history of innovation and entrepreneurship, has witnessed an incredible surge in the number of unicorns – privately held start-up companies valued at over $1 billion – in recent years. With the rapid growth of the France economy and the rise of disruptive technologies, these 27 unicorn companies have become the driving force behind the nation’s rise as a global powerhouse.
So without any delay, let’s get started and discover the world of France’s unicorn companies!
List of 27 Unicorns in France
1. Back Market
A French e-commerce company that provides refurbished electronics and appliances, including smartphones, laptops, and TVs.
Company Details:
- Valuation: $5.70B
- Investors Name: Aglae Ventures, Eurazeo, Daphni
- City: Paris
- Industry: E-commerce & direct-to-consumer
- Total Funding Raised: $1.021B
- Founded Year: 2014
- Joined Unicorn Club: 5/18/2021
- Total Investors:
- Total Deal Terms: 4
- Website: https://www.backmarket.com/
2. Qonto
A French digital banking platform that provides banking solutions and services for businesses.
Company Details:
- Valuation: $5B
- Investors Name: Alven Capital, Valar Ventures, Tencent Holdings
- City: Paris
- Industry: Fintech
- Total Funding Raised: $703.39M
- Founded Year: 2016
- Joined Unicorn Club: 1/11/2022
- Total Investors:
- Total Deal Terms: 3
- Website: https://www.qonto.com/
3. Sorare
A French blockchain-based fantasy soccer game platform that provides collectible soccer player cards and games for players.
Company Details:
- Valuation: $4.30B
- Investors Name: Benchmark, Accel, SoftBank Group
- City: Paris
- Industry: E-commerce & direct-to-consumer
- Total Funding Raised: $737.08M
- Founded Year: 2019
- Joined Unicorn Club: 9/21/2021
- Total Investors:
- Total Deal Terms: 1
- Website: https://sorare.com/
4. Mirakl
A French e-commerce platform that provides a marketplace for buying and selling goods and services for businesses.
Company Details:
- Valuation: $3.50B
- Investors Name: Elaia Partners, 83North, Felix Capital
- City: Paris
- Industry: E-commerce & direct-to-consumer
- Total Funding Raised: $948M
- Founded Year: 2011
- Joined Unicorn Club: 9/22/2020
- Total Investors:
- Total Deal Terms: 4
- Website: https://www.mirakl.com/
5. ContentSquare
A French SaaS-based digital experience analytics platform that provides analytics solutions and services for businesses.
Company Details:
- Valuation: $2.80B
- Investors Name: Highland Europe, Eurazeo, Canaan Partners
- City: Paris
- Industry: Internet software & services
- Total Funding Raised: $812M
- Founded Year: 2012
- Joined Unicorn Club: 5/25/2021
- Total Investors:
- Total Deal Terms: 3
- Website: https://contentsquare.com/
6. ManoMano
A French online DIY marketplace that provides DIY solutions and services for individuals.
Company Details:
- Valuation: $2.60B
- Investors Name: General Atlantic, Piton Capital, Partech Partners
- City: Paris
- Industry: E-commerce & direct-to-consumer
- Total Funding Raised: $708.73M
- Founded Year: 2013
- Joined Unicorn Club: 7/5/2021
- Total Investors:
- Total Deal Terms: 3
- Website: https://www.manomano.fr/
7. Voodoo
A French mobile gaming company that provides mobile gaming solutions and services for individuals.
Company Details:
- Valuation: $2.31B
- Investors Name: Tencent Holdings, Goldman Sachs
- City: Paris
- Industry: Other
- Total Funding Raised: $569.95M
- Founded Year: 2013
- Joined Unicorn Club: 8/17/2020
- Total Investors:
- Total Deal Terms: 2
- Website: https://www.voodoo.io/
8. Ankorstore
A French B2B marketplace that provides B2B solutions and services for businesses.
Company Details:
- Valuation: $2.26B
- Investors Name: Global Founders Capital, Aglae Ventures, Alven Capital
- City: Paris
- Industry: E-commerce & direct-to-consumer
- Total Funding Raised: $420.89M
- Founded Year: 2019
- Joined Unicorn Club: 1/10/2022
- Total Investors:
- Total Deal Terms: 1
- Website: https://www.ankorstore.com/
9. Exotec
A French robotics company that provides warehouse automation solutions and services for businesses.
Company Details:
- Valuation: $2B
- Investors Name: Breega Capital, Iris Capital, 360 Capital Partners
- City: Croix
- Industry: Hardware
- Total Funding Raised: $446.7M
- Founded Year: 2015
- Joined Unicorn Club: 1/17/2022
- Total Investors:
- Total Deal Terms: 3
- Website: https://www.exotec.com/en/
10. BlaBlaCar
A French online marketplace that connects drivers and passengers for ride-sharing purposes.
Company Details:
- Valuation: $2B
- Investors Name: Accel Partners, Index Ventures, Insight Venture Partners
- City: Paris
- Industry: Auto & transportation
- Total Funding Raised: $564.3M
- Founded Year: 2006
- Joined Unicorn Club: 9/16/2015
- Total Investors:
- Total Deal Terms: 6
- Website: https://www.blablacar.com/
11. Vestiaire Collective
A French online luxury resale marketplace that provides luxury resale solutions and services for individuals.
Company Details:
- Valuation: $1.70B
- Investors Name: Eurazeo, IDInvest Partners, Balderton Capital
- City: Paris
- Industry: E-commerce & direct-to-consumer
- Total Funding Raised: $664.45M
- Founded Year: 2009
- Joined Unicorn Club: 3/1/2021
- Total Investors:
- Total Deal Terms: 4
- Website: https://www.vestiairecollective.com/
12. Alan
A French digital health insurance company that provides health insurance solutions and services for individuals and businesses.
Company Details:
- Valuation: $1.68B
- Investors Name: Index Ventures, Temasek, Portag3 Ventures
- City: Paris
- Industry: Fintech
- Total Funding Raised: $363.17M
- Founded Year: 2016
- Joined Unicorn Club: 4/19/2021
- Total Investors:
- Total Deal Terms: 2
- Website: https://alan.com/
13. Spendesk
A French spend management company that provides spend management solutions and services for businesses.
Company Details:
- Valuation: $1.50B
- Investors Name: Index Ventures, Eight Roads Ventures, General Atlantic
- City: Paris
- Industry: Fintech
- Total Funding Raised: $300.34M
- Founded Year: 2015
- Joined Unicorn Club: 1/18/2022
- Total Investors:
- Total Deal Terms: 2
- Website: https://www.spendesk.com/
14. Ledger
A French cryptocurrency hardware wallet company that provides hardware wallet solutions and services for individuals.
Company Details:
- Valuation: $1.50B
- Investors Name: Digital Currency Group, Draper Esprit, Korelya Capital
- City: Paris
- Industry: Hardware
- Total Funding Raised: $466.38M
- Founded Year: 2014
- Joined Unicorn Club: 6/10/2021
- Total Investors:
- Total Deal Terms: 4
- Website: https://www.ledger.com/
15. Deezer
A French music streaming service that provides music streaming solutions and services for individuals.
Company Details:
- Valuation: $1.40B
- Investors Name: Orange Digital Ventures, Access Industries
- City: Paris
- Industry: Internet software & services
- Total Funding Raised: $481.8M
- Founded Year: 2007
- Joined Unicorn Club: 8/2/2018
- Total Investors:
- Total Deal Terms: 3
- Website: https://www.deezer.com/
16. Veepee
A French e-commerce company that provides flash sales solutions and services for individuals.
Company Details:
- Valuation: $1.38B
- Investors Name: Summit Partners, Qatar Holding
- City: La Plaine Saint-Denis
- Industry: E-commerce & direct-to-consumer
- Total Funding Raised: $202M
- Founded Year: 2001
- Joined Unicorn Club: 7/20/2007
- Total Investors:
- Total Deal Terms: 2
- Website: https://www.veepee.com/
17. Younited
A French online lending platform that provides online lending solutions and services for individuals and businesses.
Company Details:
- Valuation: $1.16 B
- Investors Name: Weber Investissements, Schibsted Growth
- City: Paris
- Industry: Fintech
- Total Funding Raised: –
- Founded Year: 2009
- Joined Unicorn Club: 12/8/2022
- Total Investors:
- Total Deal Terms: –
- Website: https://www.younited-credit.com/
18. Doctolib
A French online healthcare booking platform that provides healthcare booking solutions and services for individuals.
Company Details:
- Valuation: $1.14B
- Investors Name: BPI France, Kerala Ventures, Accel
- City: Paris
- Industry: Health
- Total Funding Raised: $266.98M
- Founded Year: 2013
- Joined Unicorn Club: 3/19/2019
- Total Investors:
- Total Deal Terms: 3
- Website: https://www.doctolib.fr/
19. OVH
A French cloud computing company that provides cloud computing solutions and services for individuals and businesses.
Company Details:
- Valuation: $1.10B
- Investors Name: KKR, TowerBrook Capital Partners
- City: Roubaix
- Industry: Other
- Total Funding Raised: $1.243B
- Founded Year: 1999
- Joined Unicorn Club: 8/15/2016
- Total Investors:
- Total Deal Terms: 1
- Website: https://www.ovh.com/
20. EcoVadis
A French sustainability ratings provider that provides sustainability ratings solutions and services for businesses.
Company Details:
- Valuation: $1.00 B
- Investors Name: Astorg Partners, Princeville Global, Beyond Net Zero
- City: Paris
- Industry: Supply chain, logistics, & delivery
- Total Funding Raised: –
- Founded Year: 2007
- Joined Unicorn Club: 6/14/2022
- Total Investors:
- Total Deal Terms: –
- Website: https://www.ecovadis.com/
21. Lydia
A French mobile payments company that provides mobile payments solutions and services for individuals.
Company Details:
- Valuation: $1B
- Investors Name: NewAlpha, XAnge Private Equity, Tencent Holdings
- City: Paris
- Industry: Fintech
- Total Funding Raised: $260.33M
- Founded Year: 2011
- Joined Unicorn Club: 12/8/2021
- Total Investors:
- Total Deal Terms: 3
- Website: https://lydia-app.com/fr/
22. Dental Monitoring
A French dental tech company that provides dental monitoring solutions and services for dental professionals and patients.
Company Details:
- Valuation: $1B
- Investors Name: Vitruvian Partners, Merieux Equity Partners, Straumann
- City: Paris
- Industry: Health
- Total Funding Raised: $210.08M
- Founded Year: 2014
- Joined Unicorn Club: 10/21/2021
- Total Investors:
- Total Deal Terms: 1
- Website: https://dental-monitoring.com/
23. Swile
A French employee benefits provider that provides employee benefits solutions and services for businesses.
Company Details:
- Valuation: $1B
- Investors Name: Index Ventures, IDInvest Partners, Daphni
- City: Montpellier
- Industry: Fintech
- Total Funding Raised: $328.43M
- Founded Year: 2016
- Joined Unicorn Club: 10/11/2021
- Total Investors:
- Total Deal Terms: 2
- Website: https://swile.co/
24. Shift Technology
A French insurtech company that provides claims automation solutions and services for insurance companies.
Company Details:
- Valuation: $1B
- Investors Name: Griffin Gaming Partners, Andreessen Horowitz, Battery Ventures
- City: Paris
- Industry: Artificial intelligence
- Total Funding Raised: $319.72M
- Founded Year: 2014
- Joined Unicorn Club: 5/5/2021
- Total Investors:
- Total Deal Terms: 3
- Website: https://www.shift-technology.com/
25. Meero
A French photography company that provides photography solutions and services for businesses and individuals.
Company Details:
- Valuation: $1B
- Investors Name: Aglae Ventures, Global Founders Capital, Alven Capital
- City: Paris
- Industry: Artificial intelligence
- Total Funding Raised: $297.5M
- Founded Year: 2016
- Joined Unicorn Club: 6/18/2019
- Total Investors:
- Total Deal Terms: 3
- Website: https://www.meero.com/
26. Ynsect
A French insect farming company that provides insect farming solutions and services for businesses and individuals.
Company Details:
- Valuation: $1B
- Investors Name: Astanor Ventures, Upfront Ventures, IDInvest Partners
- City: Evry
- Industry: Other
- Total Funding Raised: $393.4M
- Founded Year: 2011
- Joined Unicorn Club: 2/21/2019
- Total Investors:
- Total Deal Terms: 1
- Website: https://www.ynsect.com/
27. PayFit
A HR software company that provides a payroll and HR management platform for small and medium-sized businesses, based in France.
Company Details:
- Valuation: $2.10B
- Investors Name: Accel, frst, Kima Ventures
- City: Paris
- Industry: Fintech
- Total Funding Raised: $497.24M
- Founded Year: 2016
- Joined Unicorn Club: 1/6/2022
- Total Investors:
- Total Deal Terms: 3
- Website: https://payfit.com/
Conclusion
In conclusion, France’s top 27 unicorns showcase the nation’s innovative power and economic growth. These companies are making a global impact and reshaping industries. Keep an eye on these trailblazers, as they continue to redefine success in the ever-evolving world of innovation.