France is set to receive €20 billion ($22.47 billion) in new investments following this year’s “Choose France” business summit, President Emmanuel Macron announced Monday.
Speaking at the Palace of Versailles, Macron said the projects span key sectors such as defense, energy, industry, and artificial intelligence. The French leader also highlighted a separate €20 billion pledged for AI-focused projects at a summit held in Paris earlier this year.
“This is a very complete edition,” Macron told a gathering of CEOs and entrepreneurs. “You delivered a lot of investments in different fields: AI, telecom, green hydrogen, and the circular economy.”
Among the largest deals, U.S. logistics giant Prologis will invest €6.4 billion to build four data centers near Paris. British fintech Revolut plans to invest €1 billion over the next three years to expand operations in France and apply for a French banking license.
Other announcements included a €100 million drone factory in southwest France from Portuguese company Tekever, and upcoming deals involving the UAE’s AI-focused MGX fund, Amazon, and Britain’s Less Common Metals Limited in the rare earth sector.
Macron’s pro-business reforms and annual summits at Versailles have helped improve France’s image among investors, shifting perceptions of it as a high-tax, rigid economy. According to EY’s European Investment Monitor, France has been Europe’s top destination for international investment for six straight years.
Still, Macron faces pressure at home. Job cuts in the industrial sector and a growing number of French firms investing overseas have sparked concern. Drugmaker Sanofi recently announced plans to spend at least $20 billion in the U.S., drawing criticism from French lawmakers.
“We have to invest much more in AI, green tech, defense, and security—especially because this is a race,” Macron said.
While France continues to attract global investment, EY noted a drop in overall project numbers across Europe for the second year in a row, in contrast to a 20% rise in the U.S., driven by tax incentives and business-friendly policies.
