Business grants in France: funding your company project in Lyon
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A facilitator for your project funding.
Business grants in France can support company projects involving growth, innovation, recruitment, sustainable transition or business location. However, access to these public funding schemes depends on several criteria, including the company’s sector, size, location, project maturity and economic objectives. In Lyon, ONLYLYON Invest helps businesses understand available funding opportunities, identify the right contacts and structure their project locally.
Our support covers all the financial aspects of your business setup: securing public and private funding, financial modeling, connecting you with local economic stakeholders, and promoting your project to institutional partners.
€470M
raised by Lyon and Saint-Étienne tech start-ups in 2024
€300M
in funding needs handled by our agency every year
2 nd
biggest financial center in France
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Funding and grants to support your business project in Lyon.
Whether you need tools for securing debt, equity or grants, we are in close contact with the Lyon financial ecosystem and we can help you establish a presence and grow your business, in France or abroad.
What funding opportunities are available for businesses in Lyon?
Business Establishment Support
Planning to open an office, launch a new facility, relocate operations, or invest in the Lyon region? A range of support programs can help facilitate and accelerate your business establishment project.
Innovation Funding
Whether you are developing new products, running R&D programs, validating a proof of concept, or scaling up industrial production, dedicated funding opportunities are available to support your innovation strategy.
Recruitment Support
To support your growth, various programs can help finance recruitment, training, and workforce development initiatives tailored to your business needs.
Sustainability & Energy Transition Support
Decarbonization, energy efficiency, circular economy initiatives, and environmental impact reduction are increasingly supported through public funding programs designed to accelerate sustainable transformation.
Industrial Development Support
Expanding a production site, investing in equipment, modernizing facilities, or increasing manufacturing capacity? Dedicated funding solutions can help support your industrial development plans.
International Expansion Support
From export development and international trade shows to the creation of overseas subsidiaries and global market expansion strategies, a range of programs can help support your international growth ambitions.
Lyon’s business funding ecosystem
€70 million investment fund managed by Demeter, supporting sustainable industrial start-ups in Lyon and Saint-Étienne with a strong environmental and societal impact.
The French public investment bank supporting local businesses, from public-interest grants to stock market listings, with a wide range of funding tools.
Caisse d’Épargne Rhône Alpes (CERA) is a regional mutual and cooperative bank supporting individuals, companies and local authorities. It has 445,000 members and focuses on local accessibility, innovation and responsibility.
Lyon Place Financière has been the center of a committed, dynamic community of more than 300 finance and support players since 1987, alongside regional companies wishing to be part of the local financial dynamic.
Complete, personalized, free support to guarantee the success of your company in Lyon and the surrounding region.
FAQ business grants
Yes, a company may sometimes combine several public funding schemes, but this depends on the rules of each programme. Some grants and financial support schemes can be combined, while others include limits, exclusions or specific conditions related to the project, eligible expenses or total amount of public support received.
It is best to identify business grants and public funding opportunities before starting expenses or officially launching the project. Many schemes require the application to be submitted beforehand. Planning ahead helps secure the timeline, prepare the right documents and improve the chances of obtaining funding.
No, business grants in France are not reserved for large companies. Very small businesses, SMEs, startups, mid-sized companies and large groups can access different schemes depending on their profile, sector, location and project type, including innovation, recruitment, investment, energy transition, export or business location.