It’s not just Station F in French tech. Behind the Parisian showcase of the tricolor ecosystem, instituted by billionaire Xavier Niel, regional branches are trying to make the most of the game. This is particularly the case with EuraTechnologies, based in Lille, one of the largest incubators of startups in Europe.
The latter, which hosts more than 300 companies and 6,500 employees, announces that it has completed a funding round of 24 million euros to accelerate its development. On this occasion, the structure welcomes the Mulliez family, known in particular for its Auchan and Boulanger, and Entreprises et Cités (via ECTech) brands, to its capital. Historical investors, including the European metropolis of Lille, the Hauts-de-France region, Crédit Agricole Nord de France and Crédit Mutuel Nord Europe also participated in the operation.
A “gateway to Western Europe for start-ups“
This funding will enable the incubator to acquire new technological equipment, with particular attention paid to cybersecurity, AgTech and PropTech. The envelope also aims to give EuraTechnologies a more international scope, with the opening of around ten incubators “in Eastern European technology universities and in emerging digital ecosystems”.
The structure highlights in particular its geographical position to justify its key role in the European technological ecosystem. “EuraTechnologies, halfway between Paris, London, Brussels and Amsterdam, wants to be the gateway to Western Europe for start-ups in these ecosystems”estimates the incubator. “This fundraising will extend this dynamic to new players. Opening the capital of this technological gem to private investors will accelerate their digital transformation and create 3,000 additional jobs by 2027”specifies Martine Aubry, mayor of Lille and president of the supervisory board of EuraTechnologies.