7th Choose France Summit: 56 projects and 15 billion euros of investment

For its seventh edition, the Choose France Summit brought together 180 French and foreign business leaders at the Château de Versailles on Monday 13 May. With 56 projects and 15 billion euros of investment, it was a ‘record’ edition. According to the Elysée, these announcements could create 10,000 jobs.

Choose France aims to present and explain to major international companies the reforms being carried out to promote economic activity in France. Since it was launched in January 2018 by the President of the Republic, the ‘Choose France’ Summit has established itself as a key annual economic event on the agenda of international industrialists and investors.

Here is an overview of the projects and investments announced at the Summit.

Seven projects concern new technologies: Emmanuel Macron began with a visit to Microsoft France, which plans to invest 4 billion euros to support French growth in the new artificial intelligence economy.

Amazon announced an investment of 1.2 billion euros. The American group plans to create 3,000 direct permanent jobs. The plan involves strengthening Amazon’s logistics network.

Accenture has announced the opening of two Generative Artificial Intelligence centres in Paris and Sophia-Antipolis.

Eleven companies will be investing to decarbonise their processes or launch new technologies in France. These include Mc Cain, the Canadian giant of frozen Chips, which is investing 1 billion euros in decarbonisation in Europe, of which 350 million euros will go to the French market.

Ten announcements concern the transport sector, green mobility and the greening of all modes of transport (maritime, aeronautical, rail and automotive), including Leonardo, which is announcing that ATR, the world leader in regional aviation, whose two turboprop models with up to 78 seats are currently the regional aircraft with the lowest CO2 emissions on the market, plans to recruit 150 new staff in 2024.

Nine investments aim to modernise the healthcare industry and guarantee the production in France of essential medicines and the medicines of the future. Abbvie, Astra Zeneca, Pfizer, GSK and Chiesi have all announced investments.

Recurrent investment by foreign companies already present in France, such as FedEx, Bolt, Mars and The Adecco Group, also confirms their confidence in the French economy. Finally, a number of financial projects have been announced (Blockchain.com, Euronext, Morgan Stanley, etc.).