Launch of the new French Tech DeepNum20 programme

The 3rd French Tech DeepNum20 sectoral programme showcases a clear objective: to deepen the support of French start-ups operating in the priority sector of digital technology. The industry-focused plan was announced on 29 July by “Mission French Tech”, the government mission team responsible for supporting the structuring and growth of the French start-up ecosystem, in France and internationally. This programme stems from two previous projects: French Tech Green20 and French Tech Agri20.

The next European and world leaders

This new plan now affects various digital and electronic fields and, more specifically nanoelectronics, electronic chips, robotics, cloud technology, 5G technology, artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, the “greening” of digital and cyber security.

According to the Government, innovations in these sectors are “a major challenge for France in order to have sovereign and secure digital technologies”. The new minister responsible for the digital transition thus considers that the French Tech DeepNum20 programme is an “additional lever for action that will make it possible to support start-ups that innovate and develop solutions that are already indispensable today, in growth sectors”. Thanks to this programme, these start-ups should strengthen the capacity of France to provide trusted, high-performance and sovereign digital solutions and turn them into European and world leaders.

Better support and greater visibility

To be eligible for the programme open until 21 September, candidate start-ups must meet the following criteria:

• the company’s head office must be located in France;
• the company must be independent, i.e. hold at least 51% of its capital.

As specified by the French Ministry of the Economy, companies selected by an independent jury of leading profiles will be part of the 2022 French Tech DeepNum20 class. As such, they will be offered one year of dedicated support from the French government services competent in the targeted fields through the network of French Tech correspondents present in over 60 French administrations and public services. Winners will also have the opportunity to benefit from integration into certain economic diplomacy actions and other visibility actions.

Additional programmes for innovative start-ups

The French Tech DeepNum20 programme is part of the France 2030 plan and is consistent with other industry-focused projects announced previously, such as the French Tech Agri20 programme, which aims to create technological champions offering disruptive innovations that meet the main food and agricultural challenges. The 22 winners of the first edition of this programme were announced on 13 July.

Similarly, the French Tech Green20 programme is designed for start-ups developing disruptive innovations in favour of  eco-transition, and set to become leading companies in their market in the coming years. A second edition of this competition was opened in April 2022

To know more 

- Press release from the ministry of economy, finances and industrial and digital sovereignty

- The French Tech website

Photo credit: © La French Tech