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Lyon industry: key sectors driving innovation and sustainable growth

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

The strengths that make Lyon a strategic industrial hub.

Lyon stands out as one of the most strategic industrial territories in France and Europe. At the heart of a dense, connected and innovative economic ecosystem, the city brings together sectors of excellence, high-performing infrastructure, skilled talent and leading companies. For industrial players, Lyon offers an ideal environment to produce, innovate, decarbonize operations and accelerate business location projects with the support of ONLYLYON Invest.

Industrial sectors driving Lyon’s economy.

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

Digital and industrial tech

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

Industry in Lyon: a complete ccosystem to grow your business.

Combining industrial strength, scientific excellence, world-class infrastructure, and dedicated business support, Lyon offers all the conditions needed to drive ambitious industrial projects. Whether establishing a manufacturing facility, launching an R&D initiative, expanding production capacity, or advancing decarbonization efforts, companies can rely on Lyon’s industrial ecosystem for the partners, talent, and solutions they need at every stage of growth.

Sustainable industry at the heart of Lyon’s strategy.

Lyon is also positioning itself as a leading hub for industrial transformation, supported by its infrastructure, innovation ecosystem, and high-value industrial sectors. This momentum is reflected in a wide range of industrial decarbonization initiatives driven jointly by manufacturers, energy providers, and research organizations across the region.

Explore industrial decarbonization

Companies strengthening Lyon’s industrial ecosystem.

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

We have joined a highly dynamic ecosystem in the field of chemistry, notably with Axel’One, which provides high-quality technical facilities, as well as competitiveness clusters that offer valuable support.

Baptiste Andrin and Hichem Ichou

Co-founders

H&B Materials is a deep tech startup developing bio-based, PFAS-free solutions to make textiles water-repellent, high-performance, and more sustainable, compatible with existing industrial processes.

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.

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.

Lyon confirms its strategic role for industrial companies looking to produce, innovate and grow in France and across Europe. Thanks to its sectors of excellence, high-performing infrastructure, skilled talent and commitment to a more sustainable industry, the Lyon region offers a strong environment to bring ambitious industrial projects to life, with local support from ONLYLYON Invest.