The French Riviera asserts its ambitions as a European metropolis through major innovative projects: Sophia Antipolis, the leading European technology park and a reference in the field of ICT, Nice as a smart city, city of “contactless” and NFC, the Eco-Valley pioneering in ecotechs, and the smart grid projects in the department are evidence of the strong commitment of the institutions.
On the French Riviera, a favorable innovation ecosystem has facilitated a high concentration of R&D centers and the emergence of numerous startups and spin-offs.
Many of them stand out in national and international competitions. They also benefit from innovative structural projects supported by the institutions.
The PACA region is the second most business-creating region in France – 70,000 in 2010, with an average annual increase in creations of 4.2%. It is also the second French region for business angels’ investment, after Île-de-France, according to France Angels (the national federation of business angel networks).
In 2012, more than 4 million euros were invested in 36 companies in the region. The PACA region ranks third nationally for the filing of patents, trademarks, and licenses.
Startups on the French Riviera benefit from rich professional networks of incubators and business incubators, support networks, and dedicated hosting offers.
The region has also seen various spin-offs emerge, thanks to the connections between research institutes, educational institutions, companies, and entrepreneurs.
Many have been acquired by groups, French or foreign, and others have achieved remarkable fundraisings.
The SATT Sud-Est, an accelerator of technology transfer, also promotes fruitful connections in innovation.
Numerous events, organized by professional associations notably in Sophia Antipolis or on the Nice Côte d’Azur Metropolis, and collaborative research projects organized by competitiveness clusters offer rare and unprecedented opportunities for startups to interact with global leaders based on the French Riviera.
Young startups, innovative SMEs, and multinationals continue to accumulate national and international distinctions.
