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Sectors of excellence

Lyon, Europe’s “impact factory”: where industry and innovation converge

A dynamic ecosystem supporting industrial and technological excellence.

At the heart of Europe, the Lyon region is the place where industry, innovation and positive impact come together. The dynamism and diversity of its ecosystem make Lyon a European leader in many areas. With strategic sectors such as chemicals, health, greentech and industry 5.0, our region combines economic competitiveness with environmental responsibility.

Here, industrial innovation is deployed to serve sustainable transformation: each sector develops concrete solutions to today’s major climate, technological and societal challenges. Explore an overview of the sectors of excellence that make Lyon a key European region, demonstrating that impact and performance can go hand in hand.

The eight sectors of excellence.

Discover the strategic sectors that make the Lyon region a leader in responsible European industry and a driver of innovation and sustainable development.

Femme scientifique qui regarde dans un microscope

Health and life sciences

Fiole d'un liquide vert avec des plantes autours

Chemicals and environment

Bras automatisé qui travail sur une chaîne de production

Industry 5.0

Energy

Sustainable construction

Mobility

Textiles

Femme devant une étale de marcher en train de sentir une orange

Food and agri-food

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Vue aérienne de lyon avec le Parc de la Tête d'Or à droite et le quartier des affaires en fond

The Lyon region, a European technological and industrial center.

Thanks to its state-of-the-art infrastructure, its innovation networks and its location in Europe, the Lyon region positions itself as a key player in sustainable reindustrialization. This environment of excellence offers unique opportunities for companies that want to grow in a competitive, regenerative environment. Investing in our region means accessing high-level technological resources, a pool of qualified talent and an active collaborative ecosystem, an essential ingredient for success in the new industrial era of impact and sustainable performance.

Companies that have chosen the Lyon region.

Many companies have chosen to develop their projects in the Lyon region. Discover their inspiring journeys and the keys to their success.

The biomanufacturing of the future is being built in Lyon. Support from ONLYLYON Invest has strengthened our partnerships to accelerate the industrialization of innovative therapies, working closely with patients. Here, the industry of life is taking shape.

Hervé de Malliard

President

MGA Technologies designs bespoke machinery and equipment that transform healthcare and industry: robots, smart machines, breakthrough innovations. Located in Roanne, the company makes the most of its valuable technical skills to accelerate innovations, from the lab to the factory.

Completed in 2017, JEPLAN’s KHP demonstration plant applies this recycling technology for the benefit of society, thanks to strong partnerships with IFPEN and Axens and the commitment of everyone involved in successfully launching the Rewind® PET demonstrator.

Masaki Takao

Président

In 2019, the agency put JEPLAN, a Japanese PET recycling specialist, in contact with Axens, a subsidiary of Ifpen. The two have partnered to co-invest in an industrial chemical PET recycling demonstrator.

Thanks to support from ONLYLYON Invest, setting up in Lyon was a natural process, strengthening our visibility and our integration into an innovative industrial environment.

Renaud Heitz

Co-founder and Technical Director

A pioneering French robotics company in the field of logistics, Exotec designs innovative automated systems, such as Skypod®, to optimize order picking. To strengthen its innovation, the group chose to establish its R&D hub in Lyon, the heart of a dynamic technological ecosystem.

Industry 5.0

Next40

Unicorn

Support from ONLYLYON Invest made setting up in Lyon simple and effective. Their communications gave us valuable visibility, and their network opened up key opportunities. Thanks to them, we were quickly able to join the industrial fabric of the Lyon region.

Christophe Desrumeaux

Partner

Demeter provides funding support for the energy and ecological transition for innovative start-ups, fast-growing SMEs and mid-sized companies, as well as for infrastructure projects. It has managed the impact seed fund for the Lyon and Saint-Étienne metropolitan authorities since 2021.

Impact funding

Energy transition

Industry

ONLYLYON invest has supported us effectively with human resources since our arrival. A dedicated expert helped us define our needs and identify qualified profiles in the local area. Thanks to this rigorous selection process, we have recruited key employees and started quickly with a strong team.

Baptiste Fullen

Co-founder

UTO is designing a new generation of folding and compact bikes. After helping them set up operations in the Lyon region, ONLYLYON Invest also supported them in structuring their team, advising them on internal organization and facilitating contact with local talent, which strengthened their team and meant they could start operating more quickly.