The 10 French start-ups to watch in 2019

With about 350 French start-ups at the CES 2019 in Las Vegas, the French Tech scene is one of the most dynamic and the 3^rd most represented country at the Consumer Electronics Show, after the US and China. In this buoying context, Madyness, the French magazine dedicated to innovation, has edited a list of the most promising start-ups on which you should take a close look in 2019. Here is a selection of the 10 most promising French innovations for the coming year.

InnovaFeed

Using insect flour to feed farmed fish… If InnovaFeed was not the only one to think about it, the French start-up seems to be in good position to become one the world leaders. Backed by the European Union which allowed to feed farmed fish with such insect flour in 2017, the start-up has raised a total of €55 million in 2018 and plans to reach a production capacity of more than 10 000 tonnes per year (against 300 currently), triple its workforce by the end of 2019, and launch internationally from 2022.

Yuka

Yuka is an application that helps consumers to navigate in the supermarket shelves and make the right choices. Launched in January 2017 by Benoît Martin, François Martin, and Julie Chapon, the app shows a score out of 100 and uses a system of colored lights to inform about the harmfulness or benefits of the scanned food products.

Hari&Co

Hari&Co develops a range of organic products consisting of steaks and meatballs made only from vegetables grown in France. It offers an alternative to animal proteins, while not trying to imitate the taste of meat. The start-up closed a fundraising of €2.3 million in March 2018, to accelerate the development of its products in France and internationally.

Respire

Respire is a natural deodorant, made in France, vegan and recyclable. Natural products, in recent years, have made a strong comeback on the market. Respire launched a crowd-funding campaign in 2018 and had already pre-sold 500 deodorants in a few hours, then 10,000 in 15 days and finally 21018 at the end of the campaign, achieving 7000% of its original goal. The first products should be delivered next February.

Ledger

Founded in 2014, Ledger launched its new cryptocurrency hardware wallet, Nano X, at the CES 2019. The start-up has raised €70,1 million funding so far and offers promising perspectives with its Bluetooth-enabled wallet, accessible from smartphones and controlled in a seamless way through the Ledger Live Mobile App.

SpaceTrain

Launched by Emeuric Gleizes, SpaceTrain plans to connect Paris to Le Havre (Normandy) in 17 minutes! This hybrid object, neither train nor plane, could shape the future of sustainable transportation by promising no rejection of fine particles thanks to the absence of friction. Three years after its creation, this start-up has 15 employees and is now developing a first shuttle prototype of about fifteen meters long. This project is supported by several regions in France, convinced of its feasibility. The first life-size tests are expected to be launched by 2021. To be continued…

DNA Script

Cure cancer, cure orphan diseases or eradicate genetic diseases is what suggests the French start-up DNA Script. The latter is developing a technology that makes it possible to produce synthetic DNA more rapidly and with better results than with the current techniques. In just a year, DNA Script has raised €23 million funding, obtained two patents, filed 5 new patent applications and reached a staff of 35 people. The start-up announced that it has established in the US in November last year.

Talentsoft

The HR tech scale-up Talentsoft is on its way to becoming the next French Tech unicorn, considering its last fundraising of €45 million. Its plan is to strengthen internationally, while it is already used in 130 countries and available in 27 languages. The idea is to be able to better support its key account customers who already have or plan to deploy teams abroad, and has the ambition to become the leading HR tech platform in Europe.

App-Elles

App-Elles is a free safety app that helps women and girls who are victim of violence, that has received the CES 2019 “Tech for a Better World” award. The service offers features to alert relatives and help in case of violence or aggression. It allows you to record conversations, geolocate the user for his family, call or send an SMS to help or find support and help when needed.

Mobile Club

The concept of Mobile Club is to rent high-end smartphones at low prices, which fits perfectly into the zero-waste trend currently raging. Consumers want to be more responsible but are not all ready to swap their iPhone for homing pigeons just to reduce their carbon footprint. To rent rather than to buy (and especially to buy every year …) is a good start!