Grand Est region opens Munich office to attract German investors

The Grand Est region of France is launching the ‘Ostfrankreich Expansion Desk’ in Munich to attract German investors. This new German-language contact point aims to facilitate business expansion and settlement in the border region, specifically targeting sectors such as cleantech, life sciences, digitalization, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and deep-tech.

Regional President Franck Leroy emphasized that the Grand Est serves as a natural industrial and economic link between France and Germany. Currently, Germany is the most important international economic partner for the region, accounting for approximately 30 percent of foreign investment projects in Grand Est.

In a separate development, the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft will showcase six research-based deep-tech startups at the Bits & Pretzels festival in Munich. These teams, supported by Fraunhofer Venture and the Fraunhofer AHEAD incubator, focus on technologies including industrial AI, cloud infrastructure for manufacturing, and digital construction monitoring. The initiative aims to accelerate technology transfer and bridge the gap between laboratory research and scalable business models.