EuraTechnologies raises €24m to back deep tech startups, open 10 incubators in Eastern Europe

EuraTechnologies raises €24m to back deep tech startups, open 10 incubators in Eastern Europe

Published: 24-06-2022 11:55:00 | By: Pie Kamau | hits: 3218 | Tags:

EuraTechnologies announced the raising of €24 million to back deep tech startups and open 10 incubators in Eastern Europe. Europe's largest startup incubator welcomes the Mulliez family (through the Mulliez Family Association - AFM) and Entreprises et Cités (via ECTech), among other private investors.  All of EuraTechnologies' historical shareholders are also participants in this funding round. The majority of shareholders obviously remains public, with the Lille European Metropolis as the reference shareholder.

Nicolas Brien, Chairman of the Board, EuraTechnologies: ''We are honored to welcome new investors who support our ambitions and proud of the confidence that our historical shareholders are renewing with this round of financing. After the covid crisis, our startups are more mature and face new challenges, such as the shortage of talent in digital professions. We are betting on deeptech and will equip ourselves with state-of-the-art facilities so that startups can make technological leaps. In a technology ecosystem marked by Parisian centralism and mega-fundraising, EuraTechnologies will continue to cultivate its uniqueness. Located in a recognized eco-district and operating its programs in working-class neighborhoods, EuraTechnologies has shown that digital and ecological transitions can go hand in hand. Starting next year, EuraTechnologies will expand to ten countries to export our unique know-how in transforming brownfields into startup incubators.''

Created in 2009, the incubator is considered a forerunner of French Tech and a model of brownfield rehabilitation. In 10 years, it has succeeded in its mission to support digital development and the creation of local and sustainable jobs: more than 6,500 created to date. Today, the incubator is embarking on a new strategic phase to better support all economic, environmental, and social transitions. This unprecedented operation will enable EuraTechnologies to deploy an ambitious roadmap, focusing on four areas:

Jobs 

  • EuraTechnologies will strengthen its team to offer more international and deeptech support to its startups.
  • In line with its main mission of helping create jobs, the incubator aims to create 3,000 additional permanent jobs on its sites by 2027, through the long-term success of the startups it supports and the companies in its ecosystem.

 

State-of-the-art equipment and collaboration

  • EuraTechnologies will invest €10 million in state-of-the-art technological equipment, focusing on a few key sectors; cybersecurity, agritech and proptech.
  • EuraTechnologies aims to become a hub that brings together the world of research and deeptech startups for the region: on the one hand, by giving startups easy access to high tech equipment and, on the other hand, by making this equipment available to partners (R&D centers, universities, large groups, etc.).
  • One of the first planned investments is a cyber range for the Cyber Campus.

 

Environmental transition and NetZero commitment

  • In response to two major transitions in place- the first concerning digital technology and the other the environment and energy - EuraTechnologies has made strong commitments and aims to become the 1 st NetZero incubator in Europe by 2030.
  • This ambition does not stop at the company level. EuraTechnologies wants to bring its entire ecosystem on board with this transition. All entrepreneurs will receive NetZero training and will have access to tools to accelerate their transition.

 

The opening of 10 countries in Eastern Europe and emerging ecosystems: 

  • EuraTechnologies will open 10 incubators in Eastern European technology universities and in emerging digital ecosystems.
  • Halfway between Paris, London, Brussels and Amsterdam, EuraTechnologies aims to be the gateway to Western Europe for startups in these ecosystems.

 

EuraTechnologies' historical investors are the Lille European Metropolis, the Hautsde-France Region, the City of Lille, Crédit Agricole Nord de France, Caisse d'Epargne Hauts de France and Crédit Mutuel Nord Europe.

Barthélémy Guislain, Chairman, Management Board, Mulliez Family Association: ''When EuraTechnologies' amazing adventure began, its founders (including Pierre de Saintignon) were already talking about the idea of integrating large companies from the region into their ecosystem. Since then, EuraTechnologies has become a European reference and the region's companies have developed significantly. These two paths are now coming together to accelerate the development of a promising ensemble. These reciprocal contributions will be tinged with a persistent spirit of innovation and an innate entrepreneurial dimension. This reflects the history of the territory and of those who have crafted its economy.''

en.euratechnologies.com