Formula 1 Grand Prix attracts investors to the region

About twenty executives attended the race and then made business visits

To seize the opportunity of the Formula 1 French Grand Prix which took place over three days on the Circuit Paul Ricard track in Castellet, Provence Promotion partnered with RisingSUD and Business France to organize a two-for-one experience for a group of 20 companies: watch the high-speed auto race from a private box and participate in a personalized business tour of the region the next day.

These companies ‒ identified as potential investors ‒ were hosted on the eve of the final race at the top of La Marseillaise Tower in the Sky Center, a prime showcase for the attractivity of the Aix-Marseille-Provence metropolitan area. According to the needs of their potential expansion or relocation projects, custom tours and B-to-B meetings were arranged for them on the following Monday. One of the businesses hosted is an American-Swedish company that is in the process of formalizing a technological partnership with ConnectWave.

As another successful edition of the Formula 1 Grand Prix unfolded in Castellet (Var department), Provence Promotion continued its efforts to win over new investors for the Aix-Marseille-Provence region and Pays d'Arles.

Provence Promotion teamed up with RisingSUD and Business France to invite business leaders with a high level of interest in growing their business in Provence. From start-ups and SMEs to major corporations, the businesses represent a variety of sizes and sectors, including digital, logistics, aeronautics and lifestyle.

First, they were welcomed to a meet-and-greet at the Sky Center in the World Trade Center in the Euroméditerranée business district before attending the Grand Prix final the next day and thrilling to the revving of the engines.

From the racing circuit to the economic circuit

"Going to the finals was an unprecedented experience for the managers and decision-makers who participated," explains Philippe Stéfanini, Director of Provence Promotion. "Major sporting events like the Grand Prix are opportunities to seize upon to draw in our biggest prospects. Our goal is to get them from the racing circuit to the economic circuit."

Thus, Provence Promotion organized tailored itineraries in response to the guests' plans and interests: tours of facilities, networking with potential partners or economic actors in their industry, briefings on financial aid or mobility support programs, etc.

The agency's role is to help them effectively navigate their future ecosystem and to enable them to identify the best solutions for setting up operations.

SeriousFun: an imminent partnership

One of the foreign companies in attendance was SeriousFun, an American-Swedish company that is formalizing a partnership with ConnectWave, a leading player in the region in developing IoT solutions. Its ten-plus years of expertise in connected objects are an asset for the consulting firm which specializes in industrial innovation and aims to create a micro-factory in France.

This project was identified in the framework of Provence Promotion's prospecting agreement with Business France on the West Coast of the United States supported by Euroméditerranée. It is the culmination of two previous trips to Marseille and two decisive meetings with Jean-Luc Chauvin, President of Provence Promotion and the Marseille Provence Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and Didier Parakian, Member of the Council for the Marseille Provence Metropolitan Area and Territory and Deputy to the Mayor of Marseille.