MWC 2022: Provence Promotion returns to the field

The agency is prioritizing face-to-face meetings with foreign companies and start-ups

After two years away from this international fair, Provence Promotion is heading to the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2022 in Barcelona from February 28 to March 3, 2022.
The international flagship event is just few days away and the agency is fine-tuning its strategy around four key actions: Prospect, Promote, Position and Propose. Provence Promotion targets both growing start-ups and large foreign groups with an identified interest in investing in France. Partnering with My Global Village ans La Coque, a community of French-speaking decision-makers assembled at Business France's French Tech Pavilion of Business France, Provence Promotion will attend numerous start-up pitches and offer "learning expeditions" to the most promising organizations so they can discover the Aix-Marseille-Provence digital ecosystem with a customized itinerary.

With 1,500 exhibitors, 7 halls and more than 150 countries represented, the 2022 edition intends to make up for the two previous years which were affected by the pandemic. All appropriate measures are, of course, in effect at the Fira de Barcelona for show attendees.

The biggest names in telecoms, like Huawei, Nokia and Thales' Technology have confirmed their attendance. The major trends in mobile industry technologies will be explored from a connectivity perspective and brought together under the theme "Connectivity Unleashed". Developments in 5G, artificial intelligence, the Cloud, fintech, smart cities, manufacturing and, more generally, all the devices that will offer interconnectivity in the future, to everyone's benefit. Innovative small businesses, start-ups and telecom giants will all showcase their latest products and services.

To represent French innovation and know-how, more than 50 exhibitors will be in the French Tech Pavilion by Business France (Hall 5 - 5B41 & 5B61), the largest national pavilion at the trade fair.

To further its goal of attracting mobile, telecom and digital companies to its region, Provence Promotion is developing its line of attack around a 4P strategy: Prospect, Promote, Position and Propose.

-> PROSPECT the IT and mobile sector

In the highly competitive world of telecommunications, digital and IOT, knowing how to connect to the right professional networks is essential. It is a long-term effort in which Provence Promotion engages to reach decision-makers at growing companies and invite them to discuss their needs.

"Because I'm in charge of growing the IT sector in Provence, I have been attending MWC for many years. That is a big help when it comes to knowing how to navigate this huge show and optimize business meetings," says Laetitia Biciacci who is currently finalizing her schedule during the event.

The prospecting targets include service companies, major international accounts, digital content creators, network operators and scale-ups in the fields of 5G, IOT, AI and smart cities that will find everything they need in Provence to succeed in their endeavors.

"Our prospecting strategy aims to approach large groups with whom we are already talking, and to discover talented start-ups to whom we offer the opportunity to come and discover the digital ecosystem thanks on one of our learning expeditions. We have planned to attend pitch rounds in partnership with the My Global Village community, which brings together many French-speaking decision-makers and entrepreneurs," explains Laetitia Biciacci who will be a member of the jury and will reward nine start-ups at the conclusion of the four pitch rounds.

-> PROMOTE the digital ecosystem in Provence

Showcasing infrastructure, publicizing places dedicated to innovation and highlighting skills and talents are among the tasks entrusted to Provence Promotion to promote the entire digital ecosystem of the Aix-Marseille-Provence Metropolis and Pays d'Arles.

To persuade interlocutors to put Provence in their sights for their growth plans, the agency will also rely on concrete examples of companies in the sector that have successfully set up shop in Provence, such as the Belgian AI specialist Eura Nova, a small business that just moved into a new site in Marseille, and the digital services company Privowny which has been developing in Aix-en-Provence since 2017.

On February 28, the party organized by Business France will be an opportunity for Provence Promotion to highlight the advantages of Provence in a friendly networking setting.

-> POSITION Provence at the heart of the global digital economy

For more than 20 years, Provence Promotion teams have been following international developments in the sector. Each time it participates in a fair, conference or thematic workshop is an opportunity to position Provence on the world stage.

The region is located at the crossroads of global telecommunications networks. Aix-Marseille just moved up from the 9th to 7th rank among international internet hubs.

It also has a large pool of skills with:

• 44,000 employees in the digital sector in Aix-Marseille
• more than 200 tech champions (total sales above 5 million euros)
• 280 digital training courses with 23,300 individuals trained per year.
   

-> PROPOSE business implementation solutions

Provence Promotion is a key contact for digital companies seeking to move into the Aix-Marseille-Provence region.

As an economic development agency, its network is a gateway that facilitates access to the digital ecosystem in Provence. Its job is to propose relevant, lasting solutions to business leaders whether they are at the head of a large group, a small business or a growing start-up.

It can also provide advice on:

• identifying partnerships with local stakeholders in the ecosystem,
• searching for real estate based on a set of specifications,
• finding funding,
• supporting relocation efforts to attract talent.

In the last three years, the support and assistance provided by Provence Promotion have enabled 80 digital economy companies to set up in Aix-Marseille.