Brittany

An innovative maritime region in the west of France, whose capital (Rennes) is only 1 hour 25 minutes from Paris by high-speed train (TGV), Brittany – with its pleasant environment – offers many advantages, including a vibrant economy and a significant R&D and innovation environment in the European context (innovation clusters, 16 innovation centers and a network of seven technology hubs).

Manufacturing in Brittany: Accounting for 16% of the region’s produced wealth, manufacturing has grown up around a number of key sectors: agri-food, telecommunications, car-making, shipbuilding and (more recently) digital technology. Historically a farming and fishing region, Brittany has developed a strong ecosystem for the agri-food industry, covering some 70,000 jobs and a third of the region’s businesses. It has become established as a leading region for health and nutrition.

Telecommunications and electronics: With Brittany being the second most important telecommunications center in France and the fifth most important region for electronics, Breton manufacturing has built a global reputation in these fields through the establishment of research centers, French and international industrial groups and numerous SMEs.

Digital technology: With its highly specialized training facilities, Brittany is a digital technology hub (photonics, big data, Internet of Things, augmented reality) and has become one of Europe’s benchmark regions for cybersecurity. It is home to an ecosystem of world-renowned businesses, research teams for top institutions, cyber teams from the French Ministry of Defense and many high-tech SMEs and contractors. It also welcomes investors in digital technology, particularly through its ‘image and network’ and TES clusters (photonics, big data, Internet of Things and cybersecurity).

Car-making: With 250 companies mustering 17,000 jobs, Brittany is harnessing its expertise and production capacity to carbon-free mobility: electric vehicles, intelligent transport and autonomous transport.

Shipbuilding: As the fourth most important industry in Brittany, shipbuilding is booming: it covers civil and military shipbuilding and ship-repair yards for fishing, yachting, oceanography and passenger transport

Tourism a major business with a remarkable coastline

Brittany is the fifth most popular tourist destination, and its remarkable coastline moves it to second place for seaside holidays, attracting 2.8 million tourists. Tourism generates 57,600 jobs and some 8% of the region’s GDP.

Leading region for marine science and technology

Brittany is firmly committed to the development of marine renewable energy (MRE), biotechnology and eco-industry. With 36 research teams, the region is host to France Energies Marines, an energy transition institute of excellence, and has become established as a trailblazer for marine science and technology.

Invest in Bretagne is a free, tailor-made and confidential service offered by the Brittany region to foreign companies planning to develop/establish their activities in Brittany. The Invest in Bretagne team supports you at each stage of your project based on your needs:
– Collect information about your market to approve your project with you.
– Search for potential partners – companies, industries, research laboratories (private and public), support and institutional structures, and program of visits and meetings according to your needs and project.
– Propose sites that correspond to your needs.
– Support you in all your procedures (administrative, legal, etc.) for your facilities.
– Assistance for your international development once you have settled in Brittany.
– Assistance with your future expansion projects, in particular with regard to financing.

Skills and talents

Brittany can count on qualified and professional men and women. The Breton population enjoys an excellent system of education that is close to the needs of companies and is thus highly qualified. Every year, the region welcomes more than 110,000 students at four universities organized by the European University of Brittany and 27 Grandes Écoles.

Discover the higher education institutions and all the training courses in Brittany: invest-in-bretagne.org/why-bretagne/skills-talents/

Start-ups benefit from a welcoming and dynamic ecosystem in Brittany: the seven Breton technopoles host 700 innovative companies each year.

Two certified French Tech capitals: French Tech Rennes St Malo and French Tech Brest +, with specializations in the fields of telecommunications, agri-food and cybersecurity, health/e-health, new mobility, creative industries and fintech.

Numerous incubators and accelerators, including Le Poool, Le village by CA, 1Kubator, IMT Atlantique, as well as numerous co-working spaces and third-party locations throughout the region.

Investment funds and business angels: Go Capital, Breizh Angels, Bretagne Capital Solidaire, West Web Valley, Bretagne Jeunes Entreprises, Arkea Capital, Nestadio Capital, Breizh Up.

Events: Start West, Go Invest, Start-up on the beach, Ticket To Pitch.

Invest in Bretagne introduces you to the different structures, based on your needs.

Brittany offers an exceptional quality of life – wide access to culture and leisure, a wide variety of landscapes where people can recharge their batteries, strong social cohesion, low cost of living, cities on a human scale, quality public services.

https://www.brittanytourism.com/