French startups secured €67 million in funding across 13 deals this week, a significant drop from the €1.2 billion raised in the same period last year, reflecting the continued downturn in venture capital activity.
The largest round was a €30 million Series A for C12 Quantum Electronics, a spin-off from the École Normale Supérieure developing quantum processors based on carbon nanotubes. The round was led by Varsity Capital, EIC Fund, and Bpifrance, with participation from 360 Capital, BOLD, and business angels. Founded in 2020, C12 aims to build a fault-tolerant quantum computer and will use the funds to accelerate R&D and expand its team in Paris and Boston.
Other notable raises include:
* Eraole (€10M): Developing a low-carbon, long-range hybrid-electric aircraft, backed by Région Sud, Bpifrance, and others.
* Sesame (€8M): An app offering discounted last-minute services (beauty, wellness, sports), with funding from Frst, Kima Ventures, and angels.
* Splio (€6.5M): A customer engagement platform for retailers, receiving growth financing from Bpifrance and UI Investissement.
* Kiliba (€3.5M): A B2B SaaS platform digitizing logistics for African SMEs, in a round led by Saviu Ventures and AAIC Investment.
Smaller sub-€3 million rounds were closed by companies including HR tech firm Hrvey, AI-powered legal platform Lex, sustainable packaging startup LivingPackets, and refurbished electronics marketplace Gone.