Can we start with an introduction and an explanation of why the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Enterprises Agency was established?

Cécilia Tejedor, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Entreprises: The agency Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Entreprises was established in May 2017 as a result of a change in French law. Previously, French departments were directly responsible for fostering the development of SMEs in their territories. However, this power was transferred to local governments, leading many departments to disband their small agencies that were established to support businesses. The president of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, Laurent Wauquiez, did not want the expertise and value of these agencies to be lost, so he decided to create a large regional agency to take on the ex-local agencies as its subsidiaries. Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Entreprises is a legal merger of 15 such structures that had previously been managed on a departmental level.

What are the specific aims of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Entreprises?

The Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region has a strong economy, with a GDP of €241 billion, which is 12% of the GDP of France. We anticipate continued growth in the coming years, and our aim is to prepare companies in the region to contribute to and take advantage of this growth. We are working towards simplifying the landscape for SMEs and gathering together all the strengths of the new region of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes in order to foster cross-fertilization of companies. This includes identifying companies with high growth potential and offering them support in various areas such as HR and training, financing, investment, strategizing innovation projects, and boosting internationalization.

What specific support is available for SMEs and start-ups?

There are several ways in which we support SMEs and start-ups. One area we focus on is facilitating their access to European grants and funding schemes, such as Eurozone 2020 and Instrument Expertise. SMEs often face challenges in accessing these schemes on their own due to limited resources and lengthy application procedures. However, as a result of the merger of several agencies, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Entreprises has a wealth of experience in completing successful applications and is well-equipped to help companies across the entire region. Increasing the number of SMEs benefiting from European funding is one of our key performance indicators.

Can you tell us about the specific assistance offered to aerospace companies?

We provide a range of assistance to aerospace companies, particularly in facilitating business-to-business contacts and internationalization efforts. For example, we attend aeronautical business shows and set up meetings with international companies that may be interested in working with companies in our region. We also offer support with logistics for companies from high-priority countries for internationalization, such as the US, Canada, China, and Germany, to set up their businesses in the region. This includes organizing business visits for international companies to meet local companies. Additionally, we invest in market intelligence research and prepare a detailed catalog of key sectors in our region, which we promote on our website and local social networks and distribution channels.