Provence Promotion confirms its ambitions and unveils its 2019 strategy

The agency's positive results are proof of the territory's attractiveness

Provence Promotion, the agency for those investing in Provence and which brings together the Marseille Provence Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Aix-Marseille Metropolis, has just published its annual figures for 2018. In all, 75 companies decided to invest in the Aix-Marseille-Provence Metropolis and Arles Region, generating nearly 1,800 jobs and saving another 239. These results are in constant progression and benefited from both a favorable French and European economic context, which enhanced attractiveness, and from the team's strong commitment to carrying out its missions outside the region ans abroad. For the 4th consecutive year, Provence Promotion asserts itself as the most international agency among those operating in a major French metropolis, with nearly half of the new installations being foreign businesses.

Provence Promotion, the investors' agency for the past 20 years, identifies and accompanies project leaders who are attracted by business opportunities in the Aix-Marseille-Provence Metropolis. Thanks to its prospecting activities and to the collective effort of the local players, 2018 saw many successes with 75 new companies setting-up their activities in the Aix-Marseille-Provence Metropolis and the Arles Region. These new installations generated nearly 1,800 jobs (1,788 to be precise). It's a significant increase of 44% in terms of job creation between 2016 and 2018.

For the 4th consecutive year, Provence Promotion asserts itself as the most international agency among those operating in a major French metropolis, with nearly half of the new installations being foreign companies. Foreign projects make up 43% of all the jobs created over the past three years and are headed by North America (United States and Canada), the United Kingdom, Spain and Germany.

These investments are carried out in the territory's 6 areas of excellence: digital economy; environment and eco-industries; maritime shipping and logistics; art of living; aeronautical and naval mechanics; health and well-being.

Some of the most notable investments include the €80M invested by Biocoop, the €17M invested by the MIF 68 or the €7M invested by ID Logistics to set-up its headquarters and create 150 jobs. The project leading to the greatest number of new positions is without a doubt that of the Canadian company specialized in CGI services with 180 projected jobs. These positive 2018 results are made possible by a proactive approach and by the increase in external prospecting activities as well as in the number of prospects visiting the territory. Our business sector experts met with nearly 800 companies worldwide in 2018.

They confirm the territory's attractiveness

This year, many of among the most innovative businesses chose to invest in the territory with the support of Provence Promotion.

It's the case of the Occitane group's startup studio Obratori, an incubator and accelerator for innovative projects in the fields of cosmetics, well-being and digital solutions for distribution; it recently integrated the Cité de l'Innovation et des Savoirs Aix-Marseille, a center for excellence in research, laboratories and local innovation.

To convey both the agency's positive results and the territory's attractiveness to the press, 2 foreign startups gave their testimonial during a press conference at the Palais de la Bourse on April 2.

Jaikrishnan Radhakrishna Pillai, founder of Bovlabs, an American startup, chose to setup in Provence with the goal of creating a market for trading green energies between individuals based on intelligent electrical micro-networks and blockchains.

Dr Maximillian Bock, cofounder of Netwookie, a start-up that developed a platform which allows one to rely on trustworthy service providers and professionals located in developing countries, chose Marseille because it's Europe's gateway to Africa and has the ability of attracting the best African talents.

In 2018, nearly 170 new businesses benefited from the team's advice in setting-up locally; that is 33% more than in 2017. Thanks to the Start in Provence program, 68 projects driven by high potential French and foreign startups received support compared to 32 in 2017, with 17 being finalized compared to 11 in 2017.

In 2019, Provence Promotion will concentrate on two new areas:

• The first will focus on reputation and image, with a new influence program bringing together all of the public and private partners.
• The second will focus on prospecting to attract the central functions of headquarters located in Paris or in large international capitals by relying on a Headquarters cluster that will be established around Aix-Marseille..

For more information, consult our annual activity report