Exotec, the start-up worth two billion

Unicorns exist, there are even some in the North. This Monday, the company Exotec, based in Croix, near Lille, announced that it had just completed an exceptional fundraising with international investors. Specialized in the design and manufacture of logistics robots, Exotec has just given itself the means to fulfill its ambitions: to become the world leader in this sector.

In economics, a unicorn is a start-up in the field of new technologies not listed on the stock exchange and whose valuation is equal to or greater than one billion dollars. For Exotec, the question does not even arise since its fundraising of 335 million dollars (293 million euros) makes it possible to value the company up to 2 billion dollars (1.75 billion euros). A performance hailed by the Head of State, Emmanuel Macron, ahead of a trip he must make this Monday, in Alsace, around foreign investment in France.

Growth boosted by e-commerce and the health crisis

For Exotec, this is the largest fundraising since its creation in 2015. The confidence that the company has acquired from investors owes nothing to chance since its growth prospects are largely boosted by favorable economic conditions . The exponential development of e-commerce, further accelerated with the coronavirus health crisis, is forcing players in this sector to rethink their supply chains. And this requires automation, Exotec’s core business.

No wonder its flagship product, the Skypod system, is a hit. It is already widely used by around thirty major brands such as Decathlon, Uniqlo, Carrefour, Cdiscount, Geodis, etc. Skypod robots can fetch goods up to a height of 12 m, which allows storage to be rationalized and densified. in warehouses.

The next step for Exotec is to continue its development through a massive recruitment policy. The company intends to double the number of its employees to increase from 350 to 700 employees worldwide by 2023. At the same time, the “unicorn” wishes to hire no less than 500 engineers by 2025 for its research office and development. The latter will mainly be based at the company’s headquarters in Croix.