2023-07-19 09:00:00
« Money, there is, but the funds operate a strategic repositioning, on fundamentals such as health, energies and clean tech », Analyzes Patricia Braun, president – partner of In Extenso Innovation Croissance, with the Tribune. According to the biannual barometer of its structure, the health and deeptech sectors (disruptive innovation) were particularly dynamic in the first half of 2023 in Occitanie, with respective growth of +67% and +49% in financing received compared to the first six months of 2022.
Funding for startups: French Tech holds up well despite the collapse of mega-raisings
The ecosystem keeps in mind in particular the fundraising of nearly 15 million euros from the company Pili, which is developing a process to decarbonize the production of color pigments, particularly for the textile industry. Inventor of innovative electrolysers dedicated to hydrogen combustion applications, the Hérault SME Bulane has completed a fundraising of 14 million euros with the ambition to decarbonise industrial and building heating processes. Finally, we must also highlight the fundraising of eight million euros from the Toulouse Health Tech Sêmeia positioned in medical telemonitoring.
No big round table in Occitania
Across the entire regional ecosystem, the firm In Extenso Innovation Croissance recorded 19 transactions for the first half of 2023 in Occitania, i.e. a stabilization compared to the same period in 2022. Conversely, with 126.2 million euros , compared to 150 last year, this represents a slight drop in the amounts raised.
“It’s not significant. The financing dynamic in Occitania is still there, despite the absence of a big round table. At the national level, these large operations are down 50% and this dynamic should continue in the next six months. The funds are more about monitoring their startups, with a little more controlled development. They are no longer in the growth at all costs”, comments Patricia Braun.
In this semi-annual barometer of the firm, it is nevertheless necessary to underline the absence in the statement of the fundraising of 54 million euros of the Toulouse SME Exotrail, specialized in particular in the development of electric motors for small satellites. Only, its head office being in Massy (Essonne), the operation is thus not counted for Occitania.
At the top of this regional barometer, we still find Ascendance Flight Technologies and its fundraising of 21 million euros to move forward on its hybrid VTOL project. Nevertheless, at the last Paris Air Show, the young shoot from Toulouse announced an extension of its financing round up to 34 million euros. Eyelights and its head-up display GPS for cars and motorcycles finds itself on the second step of the podium, with its funding round of 20 million euros, thus ahead of Pili. Also noteworthy in the Top 5, the presence of the new startup dedicated to space surveillance, LookUp Space, which raised 14 million euros.
Exclusive. EyeLights rush from mobility to defense with its HUD technology and aim for the Moon
The second half of 2023 for Tech in Occitania should nevertheless be marked by a major operation on the side of the young aircraft manufacturer Aura Aéro, which is about to complete a funding round of more than 60 million euros. ” As in 2022 and the first quarter of 2023, the current fundraisings are series A investments, therefore increasingly qualified first fundraisings for companies in the growth phase. It is the strength of our Toulouse ecosystem, dense and successful, which allows us to remain very optimistic for this year 2023. Despite the national drop in fundraising, we see in Toulouse emerging beautiful nuggets and this in various sectors, particularly in the technological and aeronautical sectors adds Frédérick Roques, Vice-President Finance of La French Tech Toulouse and Chief Financial Officer of Genoskin.
For four years, the association has kept its own barometer, with a scope different from that of In Extenso Innovation Croissance since it does not take into account operations on the Montpellier side, for example. Nevertheless, the finding is substantially identical: 147.5 million euros raised at the end of the second quarter of 2023.
Small fundraisers are dynamic
Over the first six months of 2023, French Tech Toulouse lists small, so-called seed operations, such as those of 1.5 million euros from the producer of electric charging stations Anyos, the 780,000 euros from Swan- H who wants to develop green ammonia, or even the half million raised by Floatee, who made a remarkable appearance on an M6 television program with his anti-drowning t-shirt.
After its passage on M6, Floatee sees its orders explode for its anti-drowning t-shirt
“In Occitania, fundraising for deals of less than one million euros has been multiplied by five over the first six months of 2023 compared to 2022. This is an extremely positive point. This means that there is real support for the start-up of new projects, in strategic areas”, analyzes the president – partner of In Extenso Innovation Croissance.
Faced with this dynamic, the firm has just joined forces with France Angels as part of its barometer to offer better visibility on the realization of these small fundraisers.
A network of business angels dedicated to aeronautics and space is born in Toulouse
1689816365
#Occitania #fundraising #fishing