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French Tech prepares to take a new direction

After a prolonged period of political uncertainty, France has appointed Michel Barnier, the European Union's former Brexit negotiator, as its new prime minister. However, parliament is currently in a state of uncertainty deeply divided, which is creating uncertainty in several economic sectors, including the country's thriving startup environment, which until now had received support from the government.

French Tech is not just a concept that encompasses the 25.000 new French companies; it also represents an initiative supported by a government entity, the French Technological Mission, whose director, Clara Chappaz, will end her three-year contract this month, she told Les Échos. The timing is informal, but also worth noting. Her replacement, she said at the end of August, should be someone who is not afraid of transformation and sees it as an opportunity.

It refers to an undoubtedly unique position. This team operates under the supervision of the Ministry of Economy and Finance. Its work is focused on the gigantic campus called the Station F The main objective of this position is to support the development and strengthening of the start-up environment in France and abroad. The candidate must be able to communicate with public officials, politicians, large companies and journalists.

It is no longer possible to apply at this time, however, as this is a position described as highly desired, there is likely an adequate number of interested candidates. Chappaz, who will not be involved in the selection process, mentioned in a conversation in August that he received multiple calls daily from potential applicants. He may have communicated information similar to what he shared with his colleagues. followers on LinkedIn: He said that France is fortunate to have the French Technology Mission and that its performance in leading it was exceptional.

However, what has happened in the past does not determine what will happen in the future, and the person who succeeds Chappaz will be working in a very different context than when she took over the role in 2021. This is because French Tech itself has undergone changes over those years, leading to the adoption of new priorities for the French Tech Mission.

Chappaz has undergone transformations over the past three years. During this period, there have been three changes of Secretaries of State for Digital Affairs, which is a common situation in various public administrations. The main change was related to technology itself and the macroeconomic environment: the year 2024 presents marked differences compared to 2021.

As in other regions, French startups experienced the fluctuations of the pandemic and the intense fundraising activity that accompanied it, only to return to normal a few months later. Geopolitical instability followed, leading to the perception that nations needed industrial leaders in whom they could place their trust.

For the French Technology Mission, which celebrated its tenth anniversary in 2023, this meant adjusting to the strategic agenda of France 2030. The French technology in the year 2030 will be characterised by less focus on highly valued companies and more attention on deep-tech startups and their impact on the economy. Not that I was responsible for the initial initiative: it was President Emmanuel Macron who set the goal of creating “25 French startups” by 2025. After achieving that feat in 2022, he called for the acquisition of 100 startups worth $2030 billion each by XNUMX.

The fact that France currently has growing companies like BlaBlaCar and Doctolib is significant, and communicating this internationally has certainly enhanced their reputation. However, a decade after the term “unicorn” was created, technology worldwide has progressed. It was time for France to recognise that its start-ups had also undergone transformations, with the emergence of companies like Mistral AI and Pasqal (or closures, like Luko).

The France Digitale organisation, which represents start-ups and investors in the French digital environment, has witnessed this transformation within its members since its establishment in 2012. “There are start-ups in various sectors, such as manufacturing and healthcare, which I consider to be strategic priorities for France’s competitiveness, as well as for its sovereignty and that of Europe,” said Director General Maya Noël.

In line with this development, Nöel mentioned that it would be interesting if Chappaz's successor came from one of these strategic sectors. However, this is not to call into question his track record (Chappaz joined from Vestiaire Collective, a second-hand fashion marketplace) or that of his predecessors.

Various measures implemented under Chappaz's leadership reflect the demands that the sector has been promoting. One example is "I choose French technology"an initiative in which 300 companies and 80 institutional entities have committed to collaborate in increasing the number of public contracts and acquisitions to start-ups. Noël says that they have been asking for this for 10 years.

In any case, France Digitale would prefer to see more streamlined processes, especially in the current issue of exits (or lack thereof). A person with direct experience in growing companies and international expansion could be of great value to management. On the other hand, a new director with a track record in public service could be able to effectively manage administrative aspects in the event that La French Tech does not have government backing, as expressed by Noël.

The French Tech Mission presents arguments that could be effective with various sectors of political support: startups are responsible, directly and indirectly, for 1,1 million jobs and contribute to the reindustrialisation of France. Many people have also committed themselves to the Parity PactChappaz and her team's proposal is to promote gender equality in the technology sector.

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