France stays Europe’s main vacation spot for international direct funding, however in 2025 its focus has shifted from quantity to strategic, high-value initiatives. The European’s France correspondent, Euan Doran, experiences on how the nation is concentrating on key sectors and increasing funding past Paris to safe long-term development
At a café close to the Ministry of the Economic system in Bercy, only a quick stroll from the Seine, officers I’ve spoken to have talked overtly about capacité d’attraction – France’s skill to tug in capital, expertise, and industrial ambition from overseas. Whereas this isn’t a brand new objective, the way in which it has pursued it has modified. Earlier than, the main target was on the variety of investments coming in. Now, officers say they’re extra cautious about what sort of capital arrives, the place it comes from, the place it goes, and what it does. The federal government is zeroing in on sectors they imagine matter for the lengthy haul: synthetic intelligence, life sciences, superior logistics, and vitality transition. They’re additionally making an attempt to unfold funding past Paris, towards areas with a robust industrial previous and room to develop.
This new focus exhibits up within the newest figures. France led Europe in international funding for the sixth yr operating in 2024, with 1,025 initiatives — almost a fifth of all European investments. These initiatives led to 1,688 funding choices and nearly 38,000 jobs created or saved. That’s a slight drop from 2023, however nonetheless properly above the degrees earlier than the pandemic.
Now, in 2025, the main target has shifted once more. Officers right here aren’t chasing larger numbers, however higher ones. They need investments that match their technique, cowl completely different areas, and assist sectors seen as essential for the last decade forward. Digital transformation is on the coronary heart of this. With Europe targeted on controlling its knowledge and AI energy, France is positioning itself as a dependable and rising hub. A primary instance is Microsoft, which put €4 billion into cloud and AI initiatives right here final yr. They’re constructing a brand new knowledge centre in Mulhouse, upgrading amenities in Paris and Marseille, and hiring lots of of engineers and technicians. France is actually and figuratively taking management of its AI future, a precedence shared by regulators and politicians.
Amazon can also be deepening its roots right here with €1.2 billion invested in cloud and logistics, creating over 3,000 jobs. Their upgrades assist enhance tech work outdoors Paris and ensure world firms keep anchored in France.
On the Select France Summit in Could, in the meantime, Prologis introduced a €6.4 billion plan to construct 4 new knowledge centres in Île-de-France and broaden logistics networks for AI-powered provide chains. This funding highlights rising collaboration between authorities and enterprise on France’s digital future.
Elsewhere, life sciences stay a key a part of France’s technique. It’s about bringing capital in and securing the provision chains for important medicines. Finally yr’s Select France Summit, Pfizer dedicated €500 million to increasing analysis and growth in France. Their focus is on AI-powered drug discovery and scientific trials, with robust hyperlinks to startups and universities.
And earlier this yr, AstraZeneca revealed a €365 million enlargement of their Dunkirk web site, boosting manufacturing of organic medicines like monoclonal antibodies and mRNA vaccines. This can create lots of of specialized jobs and assist native coaching programmes.
Collectively, these initiatives are making a pipeline from analysis to manufacturing, and placing France on the forefront of healthcare innovation throughout the continent.
France can also be working to unfold funding past Paris. In 2024, three quarters of FDI initiatives had been outdoors Île-de-France, and a 3rd had been in cities with fewer than 100,000 individuals. That pattern is rising this yr, with locations like Hauts-de-France, Grand Est, and Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes attracting extra investments. These areas provide a mixture of industrial heritage, logistics hyperlinks, and rising expertise swimming pools. Investments there typically include workforce growth, like AstraZeneca partnering with technical colleges in Dunkirk or Microsoft reaching out to regional universities.
Taken collectively, these actions present that international funding is more and more seen as a catalyst for lasting financial and social advantages in native areas.
The approaching years will take a look at whether or not France can maintain its capacité d’attraction amid inflation, regulatory adjustments, and rising world protectionism. For now, the nation seems to be holding agency on the high of Europe’s FDI rankings, quietly reshaping what management means in an evolving world financial system.
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