A fundraising round, a product launch, a leadership statement: these events only matter if the right people hear about them. In the French tech ecosystem, media visibility is a strategic asset, not just a PR bonus.

Being mentioned in Les Echos or interviewed on BFM Business can transform a startup's trajectory: credibility with investors, appeal to talent, and legitimacy with major accounts. But press relations cannot be improvised. They must be prepared, targeted, and cultivated over time.

This guide presents the 7 essential tech media outlets for French startups in 2026, with everything you need to know for each: who they reach, what they publish, and how to get featured.

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Why choose the right media rather than all media

The classic mistake founders make when starting out in PR: sending the same press release to 200 journalists hoping it sticks somewhere. The result is usually zero or counterproductive.

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The reality of the French tech press in 2026 is that journalists receive dozens of pitches every day.

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What makes the difference is the relevance of the message to the media outlet's editorial line, and the quality of the relationship maintained with the editorial team.

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Targeting fewer, but better, is the golden rule of effective PR:

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• A poorly targeted media outlet won't publish, even if the topic is good
• A good angle in the wrong format goes nowhere
• A scoop sent to a journalist who doesn't cover your sector ends up in the trash

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The winning strategy is to identify 3 to 5 priority media outlets, understand their editorial line in depth, and build a relationship of trust with the journalists who cover your sector. This is exactly what a public relations agency specializing in tech does: mapping the media landscape and positioning your messaging in the right place, at the right time.

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The 7 essential tech media outlets for French startups in 2026

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1. Les Echos / Les Echos Start

Audience and positioning

Les Echos is the leading French business and financial daily newspaper, founded in 1908. With several million unique monthly readers, it is an essential reference for decision-makers, investors, and business leaders. Les Echos Start is the spin-off dedicated to entrepreneurship, startups, and innovation, and is the most relevant publication for tech founders.

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Les Echos is often compared to the Financial Times for its premium positioning and high-quality audience: senior executives, CEOs, CFOs, and investment funds.

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Types of content published

• Announcements of fundraising rounds (starting at €2-3M to gain visibility)
• Profiles of founders and executives in tech
• Trend analysis: AI, SaaS, fintech, deeptech
• Sector-specific reports and in-depth investigations
• Opinion pieces signed by experts

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How to get featured

The angle economic and business is paramount: revenue, impact on employment, and market size. Les Echos Start is more accessible for early-stage startups, particularly for topics surrounding innovation or societal impact.

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A press release that is well-structured with concrete figures is essential. Expert opinion pieces are also highly valued if your positioning is solid.

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Difficulty level: Hard
Competition is fierce. You need a strong angle, significant figures, or an exclusive.

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2. BFMTV / BFM Business

Audience and positioning

BFM Business is the leading French 24/7 business news channel. Its reach is massive: several million daily viewers, bolstered by a strong digital presence on bfmbusiness.com.

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The show Tech&Co is the go-to program for tech news, while Good Morning Business is THE place to be for major fundraising announcements.

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BFM Business reaches a wide audience: investors and entrepreneurs, as well as the general public interested in the economy.

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Types of content published

• On-air appearances during fundraising rounds or product launches
• Interviews with founders and executives
• Tech analysis with the Tech&Co show
• Reports on French innovation
• Debates and roundtables on economic trends

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How to get featured

BFM Business is highly driven by breaking news : a fundraising round announced in the morning can lead to a call from the editorial team that same day if it is significant enough. For Tech&Co, topics like AI, cybersecurity, and digital transformation are top priorities.

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A good press kit and immediate availability are essential. Please note: appearing on television requires real preparation; media training is highly recommended before your first appearance.

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Difficulty level: Medium to difficult
Accessible for major announcements (fundraising, key partnerships), but the angle must be clear and the executive must be comfortable speaking on camera.

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3. Maddyness

Audience and positioning

Maddyness has been THE go-to media outlet for the French startup ecosystem since its inception in 2013. With over1 million monthly readers, it is the most widely read platform by entrepreneurs, investors, startup employees, and innovation stakeholders.

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Maddyness positions itself as "the media for understanding the economy of tomorrow" and covers the entire startup lifecycle, from the initial idea to the scale-up phase.

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Types of content published

• Announcements of fundraising rounds (all sizes, including early stage)
• Founder profiles and in-depth interviews
• Studies and benchmarks on the French Tech ecosystem
• In-depth articles on trends: AI, impact, deeptech, B2B SaaS
• Thematic newsletters with a large, qualified audience

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How to get featured

Maddyness is one of the most accessible media outlets on this list for early-stage startups. An angle focused on innovation, impact, or the founder's story works well.

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Fundraising rounds, even modest ones, are regularly covered. The editorial team is responsive to email pitches, provided the topic is well-defined and the press release is professional. Maddyness also publishes sponsored content and editorial partnerships.

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Difficulty level: Easy to moderate
Ideal for initial media exposure. The quality of the pitch and the relevance of the topic make all the difference.

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4. Frenchweb

Audience and positioning

Frenchweb is a leading publication specializing in tech and digital, with approximately 77,000 daily unique visitors.

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Its positioning is more B2B and professional than Maddyness; it primarily targets tech decision-makers, CIOs, marketing directors, and scale-up executives.

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Every year, Frenchweb publishes the FW 500, a ranking of the most influential French tech companies, covering SaaS, fintech, healthtech, edtech, and e-commerce.

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Types of content published

• News articles on tech startups and scale-ups
• Interviews and podcasts with founders and investors
• Studies and rankings (FW 500, industry barometers)
• Market analysis and B2B trends
• Content on tech recruitment and management

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How to get featured

Frenchweb prioritizes concrete B2B angles : technology adoption, industry transformation, and data-backed case studies. Podcasts and audio formats are an effective entry point for executives looking to build their visibility. The daily Frenchweb newsletter is widely read by decision-makers, making a mention in it a significant boost to your credibility.

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Difficulty level: Medium
The quality of your business positioning and the clarity of your data are decisive factors.

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5. Forbes France

Audience and positioning

Forbes France is the French edition of the renowned American magazine. Its audience is premium and international, consisting of entrepreneurs, investors, and senior executives.

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Forbes France covers news about high-growth companies, profiles of inspiring leaders, and global economic trends through a French lens.

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Its global reputation provides a unique level of prestige, which is particularly useful for startups aiming for international expansion.

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Types of content published

• Rankings (30 Under 30, Next 1000, industry rankings)
• Profiles of executives and founders with ambition
• Articles on fundraising and success stories
• Key trends: generative AI, Web3, climate tech, impact
• Expert op-eds and strategic analysis

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How to get featured

Forbes France is particularly interested in inspiring stories : a founder with an unconventional background, a startup tackling a global issue, or exceptional growth.

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The "impact" and "industry disruption" angles resonate well with our editorial line. Participating in Forbes rankings (notably the 30 Under 30) is an effective way to get noticed.

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A polished press kit with high-quality visual assets is expected.

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Difficulty level: Moderate to difficult
Forbes France is selective but remains accessible if your story is compelling and your numbers speak for themselves.

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6. Le Figaro Économie / Figaro Tech

Audience and positioning

Le Figaro Économie is the daily business supplement of Le Figaro, one of France's largest national newspapers.

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‍Figaro Tech, created in partnership with Le Journal du Net, is the supplement dedicated to economic shifts driven by new technologies.

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Le Figaro reaches an audience of senior executives, business leaders, and decision-makers, who are often more conservative than Maddyness readers, but highly influential within large corporations and institutional bodies.

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Types of content published

• Analysis of economic shifts driven by digital technology
• Profiles of tech leaders and in-depth interviews
• Coverage ofopen innovation and partnerships between large corporations and startups
• Features on fintech, agritech, and medtech
• Consumer tech news (smartphones, AI, social media)

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How to get featured

Le Figaro prioritizes topics with significant economic or societal impact : employment, the transformation of traditional sectors, and innovation made in France.

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Angles focusing on collaboration between large corporations and startups are particularly valued by Figaro Tech. A pitch centered on the concrete impact of your technology on the French economy opens doors. Building relationships with journalists is key: Le Figaro focuses heavily on long-term, in-depth reporting.

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Difficulty level: Difficult
The editorial standards are high. It is better to aim for an in-depth interview rather than a simple announcement mention.

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7. L'Usine Digitale

Audience and positioning

L'Usine Digitale is the media outlet for the digital transformation of the economy, part of the Infopro Digital group (publisher of L'Usine Nouvelle).

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With approximately 774,000 monthly unique visitors, 167,000 daily newsletter subscribers, and an email database of nearly 900,000 addresses, it is a B2B media outlet with a massive and highly qualified audience.

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It targets CIOs, digital transformation directors, IT managers, and executives of SMEs and large corporations.

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Types of content published

• News onAI, IoT, cybersecurity, and Industry 4.0
• Use cases and digital transformation success stories
• Technical reports and SaaS/cloud solution comparisons
• Interviews with CIOs and B2B tech startup founders
• Events and conferences (Usine Digitale trade show)

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How to get featured

Usine Digitale is ideal for B2B tech startups whose solutions target industrial companies, CIOs, or operational teams.

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The concrete use case angle is incredibly effective: show how your technology has transformed a client's operations (with their permission). Exclusive studies and data are very well received by the editorial team.

It is also a media outlet that offers sponsored content and white papers for tech publishers.

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Difficulty level: Easy to medium
The variety of formats (articles, studies, events) provides numerous entry points for B2B startups.

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How to maximize your chances of getting coverage

Having a list of targeted media is good. Building a strategy to get featured is better. Here are 5 actionable tips for tech startups looking to secure their first press mentions in 2026.

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1. Focus on your angle first

Journalists don't cover companies, they cover stories and trends. Before sending anything, ask yourself: why is this topic relevant to this outlet's readers, right now? An angle anchored in current events (the AI wave, digital sovereignty issues, funding challenges) significantly increases your chances.

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2. Prepare an impeccable press kit

A press kit that is well-structured, including key figures, founder biographies, high-resolution photos, and market context, makes the journalist's job easier and demonstrates your professionalism. This is often what makes the difference between a response and radio silence.

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3. Personalize every outreach

A generic pitch sent in bulk does not work. Mention a recent article by the journalist, explain why your topic fits their editorial line, and propose a specific angle. A personalized pitch increases open and response rates by more than 80%.

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4. Choose the right timing

The tech press operates on current events : a funding announcement has an editorial shelf life of 24 to 48 hours. Send your press release on a weekday morning (between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m.), avoiding holiday periods or major events that occupy newsrooms.

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5. Prepare for your interviews

Landing an interview is one thing; nailing it is another. A founder who is poorly prepared, hesitant with their figures, or unable to summarize their value proposition in 30 seconds misses the opportunity. Media training helps you master your key messages, handle difficult questions, and project the right image, whether on the radio, on television, or for a written interview.

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In summary

The French tech media landscape in 2026 offers real opportunities for startups that know how to navigate it. Here are the key takeaways:

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• Maddyness and Frenchweb are the two most accessible outlets for initial exposure within the startup ecosystem
• Les Echos / Les Echos Start and BFM Business are the go-to references for high-impact announcements (fundraising, major partnerships)
• Forbes France is the media outlet for leadership and ambition, ideal for building an image as an inspiring executive
• Le Figaro Économie / Figaro Tech and L'Usine Digitale are particularly relevant for B2B startups targeting large enterprises
• An effective PR strategy is built on targeting, personalization, and consistency, not volume

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For startups looking to accelerate their media visibility without burning out from cold-pitching journalists, working with a PR agency specializing in tech is often the most cost-effective investment.

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Ready to land your first press mentions?

At Linker Agency, we help B2B tech startups and leaders build visibility in the media that matters, from securing your first press hits to positioning your leadership team as recognized industry experts.

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Contact our team to discuss your PR strategy and find out how we can help you get featured in the must-read tech media of 2026.