France is the second market for educational and human resources technologies in Europe. With over €400M raised in 2021, the sector has dramatically grown in the past few years. Already well structured around dedicated clusters, business associations, and VCs, the edtech industry is confirming its strong potential. To find more resources, browse our downloadable guides
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Expert
Cécile Jupin
Retail & E-Commerce, EdTechExpert
The Expert’s Analysis
With the rise of digital uses, interest in education and human resources technologies has increased in France. Those involved in education and training are looking for innovative solutions. Corporate training and private schools are easier targets to test innovative tools. However, several governemental initiatives helps facilitate the integration of these innovations in public schools. France has developed strong policies to foster professional development, making it an attractive market segment.
From K-12 to Corporate Training: Different Markets
The EdTech sector is still young: of the 721 French edtechs, half were founded in the last 5 years. They account for more than 10,000 jobs. Their business models are mainly B2B and focused on the professional training segment. Twenty fast-growing companies are driving the sector, generating 70% of the industry’s revenue. Several of these startups have reached Unicorn status, such as 360Learning, PayFit, Spendesk, and Swile. They contribute to the vibrant technological innovation landscape in France.
Corporate Training and Lifelong education are the most mature markets. They generate 83% of the industry's revenue. Companies can tap into a vast pool of customers in the Paris Region, home to the highest concentration of Global Fortune 500 headquarters in Europe.
Higher education institutions are increasingly utilizing edtech solutions, with 40% of the edtech companies in France specifically targeting this segment. The Paris Region serves as an ideal testing ground for these solutions, hosting 70 prestigious schools (Centrale-Polytech, HEC, ESSEC, etc.) and 16 academic universities (Sorbonne, Paris-Saclay, etc.). Notably, the region boasts the highest concentration of higher education students in Europe.
The K-12 education segment, encompassing primary, middle, and high schools, serves as a secondary target for edtech companies. This is likely due to the challenges associated with engaging public institutions. As a result, only 27% of edtech companies in France actively position themselves in this market.
Opportunities in the Paris Region
Leverage the Paris 2024 Olympics
The Paris 2024 Olympics will attract a staggering 15.9 million visitors. The event will create over 150,000 seasonal jobs, making it an opportunity for businesses to adopt new solutions related to recruiting, training temporary staff, translation services, and catering to the needs of tourists.
Companies already established in France can access incentives from the Paris Region. The region actively supports vocational training initiatives for job seekers, aiming to address specific employment and skill requirements within each local territory.
Clusters, Incubators and Accelerators to Support Your Growth in Paris Region
Cap Digital cluster promotes Paris Region as one of the world leaders in digital contents, creative industries and services. Cap Digital covers 6 major activity fields including E-education, training & HR. Learn More.
Edtech France and AFINEF are the two main EdTech associations, gathering startups in K12, higher education or corporate training, institutional and associative partners, major companies and higher education institutions. Learn more about Edtech France and AFINEF.
Paris & Co Future of Work is the City of Paris’s program dedicated to HR Tech, HR innovation, and the future of work. Learn More.
NEOMA EdTech Accelerator is integrated into NEOMA Business School and work with its university and all the services to support hand in hand the acceleration of EdTech startups. Learn More.
Labo de l’Édition by Paris&Co, the platform dedicated to the publishing field, including Edtech, eLearning, and publishing houses. Learn More.
Download our guide to find the right accelerator for your company in Paris Region.
Edtech Events in Paris Region
Learning Technologies France, Paris, February – Learning Technologies France is an event for workplace learning and human resources that provides a conference program to more than 7,000 professionals involved in workplace learning and human resources from around the world. Learn More.
Unleash, Paris, October - Unleash World is an event gathering senior HR technology buyers, the industry’s top suppliers, startups, speakers, journalists, and analysts to connect and collaborate around the opportunities that HR tech offers. Learn More.
Educatec-Educatice, Paris, November - Educatec Educatice is an exhibition for educational innovation in France. In partnership with the Ministry of National Education and the Education League, the event is led by teachers, students, project leaders and speakers coming from all over France. Learn More.
In the News
Making It from Scratch! – The story of a Dutch Entrepreneur in Paris Region
For a passionate entrepreneur, it is sometimes necessary to take a leap of faith to bring an idea to life. For the Dutch founder and owner of Hyper Talented, Karel-Oscar van Hengel, taking the next step meant changing countries, learning a new language and a whole new way of doing business. Find out what motivated Karel-Oscar in setting up his own business in Paris Region and how he ended-up owning two businesses in less than four years.
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LingoZING Chose Paris Region
LingoZING! is a gamified edutaining app that uses comic books, picture books & graphic novels with enabling functionalities to help teach languages, subjects, culture & general literacy to children and adults. For the polyglot founder & CEO Kyra Pahlen, raised by the French educative system, coming back to France with her new company was a no-brainer. Read her interview below.
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