What is a FIE?
A Foreign Owned Company is a company based in France whose capital is partially or majority owned by foreign investors.
Euralille district Laurent Javoy
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Investing in Lille metropoleA European metropolis open to the world
Hello numbersForeign-owned companies
Lille Metropole,international host territory
A metropolis at the crossroads of Europe
At the crossroads of north-western Europe, Lille metropole is a centre of economic power: 120,000 companies, 540,000 jobs, and the largest concentration of international head offices in France outside Paris. Auchan, Decathlon, Bonduelle, IBM, Leroy Merlin, Mobivia-Norauto, Exotec… These global players have chosen the metropolis for one simple reason: its assets are mature, interconnected and supported by unique innovation ecosystems.
Whether you’re a start-up in an acceleration phase, an SME in search of new markets or an international group looking to establish a foothold in Europe, Lille Metropole has the terrain to match your ambitions.
We chose Lille because of its ideal geographical location. From our new headquarters, we have rapid access to the European capitals, enabling us to respond effectively to the demands of our customers, while offering an attractive living environment for our employees. It’s an ideal solution for combining proximity and quality of life. “
A European position that changes everything
Less than 300 km from five capital cities, Lille Metropole is one of the best connected cities in Europe. With Brussels just 35 minutes away, Paris 62 minutes and London 82 minutes away, setting up here means choosing a crossroads, not just a metropolis. This accessibility goes a long way to explaining why the region is now home to 930 foreign-owned businesses of 39 different nationalities.
A competitive property market
As France’s number 1 city for business real estate (Arthur Loyd 2025 barometer), Lille offers standards comparable to Paris or Lyon, at significantly lower costs. 141 business parks, a 2nd national business district with Euralille, flexible spaces in the heart of the city. And for teams relocating here: a living environment that makes all the difference – nature, mobility, European schools, etc.
Lille immediately struck us as being in line with our DNA. It’s an accessible, vibrant area with a strong networking spirit. And everyone told us: “Good idea!
An available talent pool
With 136,000 students and France’s 2nd-largest university metropolis outside Paris, the metropolis offers a pool of multi-disciplinary skills in all the key sectors: digital, health, industry, finance and agri-food. Well-trained profiles that stay and enable companies to recruit fast!
Lille Metropole is a strategic base: there’s talent, desire and a responsive ecosystem.
Lille metropole :a great place to live and work
A cultural metropolis of European stature
Lille Metropole shines with its rich and varied cultural offering. With nationally renowned museums such as the Palais des Beaux-Arts and the LAM, not-to-be-missed events (Braderie de Lille, Lille 3000, Séries Mania) and live music venues, Lille is a veritable artistic crossroads at the heart of Northern Europe.
Generous, deep-rooted gastronomy
In Lille Metropole, fine dining combines tradition and modernity. From staples such as mussels and chips, waffles, local cheeses and traditional beers, to 6 Michelin-starred restaurants, Lille offers a generous and convivial culinary experience, true to the Nordic art of living.
A green and eco-responsible metropolis
With its parks, gardens, banks of the Deûle and lakes, the metropolis offers a dynamic quality of life within easy reach. It is committed to soft mobility and sustainable tourism. And to top it all off, the sea is less than an hour’s drive away.
Intelligent, forward-looking mobility
The first city in the world to have an automatic metro (1983), Lille metropole continues to invest heavily in public transport and soft mobility. With a dedicated €2 billion investment plan, the metropolis is positioning itself as a connected destination, resolutely focused on the environmental challenges of the future.
A place where people come to work, and stay for pleasure. A metropolis on a human scale, entirely accessible by soft mobility – on foot, by bike, by metro, bus, tram or train – where conviviality is part of everyday life, combining tradition and innovation.
Sites of excellencerecognised throughout Europe
EuraTechnologies, Eurasanté, Euralimentaire, EuraMaterials, EuraCreative: five sites of excellence structure the region’s sectors. These are active ecosystems, with functioning incubators, dense business networks and direct links to research and innovation.
Focus on locations
An area with a proven track record
IBM (digital technology, cybersecurity) chose Lille in 1923 for its first regional office in France, and today employs over 800 people at Euratechnologies. The Japanese company YKK (textile industry, zip fasteners) set up its factory in Seclin in 1972. Atlas Copco Crépelle, founded in Lille Moulins in 1837 (industry, high-pressure compression), which was bought by the Swedish group in 1997, manufactures industrial compressors in Lille’s city centre, which are exported to 145 countries.
Bayer HealthCare (health), Heineken (food), Octopus Energy (energy), WTX Automotive (automotive): companies from all over the world that have found the conditions for their development here and have stayed.
930 foreign-owned establishments and 39 nationalities: this figure is not a promise. It’s a balance sheet covering all sectors.
In 2025, Hello Lille supported 22 start-up projects, generating 801 jobs over the next 3 years. One project in two was supported by an international company.
Focus
Belgium 🇧🇪RTL PatatFood industry
A Belgian family business founded in 1928, specialising in the storage, sorting, packaging, washing and distribution of potatoes and onions. Already established in Frasnes-lez-Avoing (close to the French border), RTL Patat is relying on Lille métropole – France’s no. 1 agricultural metropolis and no. 2 fruit and vegetable wholesale market – as a base.France’s leading agricultural centre and 2nd largest fruit and vegetable wholesale market after Rungis – to anchor its development on the French side.
25 jobs
United States 🇺🇸NOCEnergyCleantech
Develops a unique technology for producing and storing clean, high-temperature heat from renewable electricity. Lille métropole marks the first stage in its European expansion, thanks to its proximity to the Benelux, German, French and UK markets.
25 jobs within 3 years
Hello Lille’s network has been a major asset. Their knowledge of the local economic fabric and their ability to connect Zoho with key players enabled us to set up quickly and begin our activities without delay.
Invest
A project?
Hello Lille’s Invest team is your partner for setting up successfully in Lille Metropole.
In practical terms, we help you to :
- Identify the right contacts in the local ecosystem
- Connect your needs with the economic players in the area
- Speed up your set-up thanks to our network of partners
- Save time by avoiding mistakes along the way
Our 5-step approach
- Listening – We start from your real needs, not from a standard model
- Putting you in touch – We connect you to the right people: recruiters, institutions, networks, etc.
- Support – We guide you through the administrative and strategic steps involved
- Visibility – We promote your employer brand on our network
- Follow-up – We’ll be with you every step of the way.
