France stands as a prominent player in the life sciences and healthcare sector within Europe. It holds a significant position in the global pharmaceutical market, ranking fifth in terms of market value. France’s public and private healthcare spending accounts for 11.2 per cent of GDP, the highest among European Union countries, surpassing the Netherlands (9.9 per cent) and the UK (9.8 per cent). In terms of employment, France ranks second in the pharmaceutical sector (after Germany) and fourth in the medtech sector, following Germany, Italy, and the UK.
Investments in France thrive on strong collaborations between the private and public sectors, exemplified by the competitiveness clusters. These clusters, known as “pôles de compétitivité”, facilitate collaborative R&D projects by bringing together companies, public research labs, and academia. Their goal is to foster the development of innovative products, processes, and services. The competitiveness clusters were established in France in 2004 and function as membership organizations that unite SMEs, large companies, and research and higher education institutions around specific topics within specific French regions.
France boasts six health competitiveness clusters, which are: Atlanpole Biotherapies, Cancer-Bio-Santé, Eurobiomed, Lyonbiopole, Medicen Paris Region, and Nutrition-Health- Longevity. The Healthcare Innovation 2030 plan, a €7.5 billion (£6.5 billion) project sponsored by the French government, aims to position France as a global leader in healthcare research by 2030. The plan encompasses initiatives such as the creation of biotech clusters and optimisation of clinical trial organisation, among other strategic endeavours.
In this article, we're particularly interested in two key hubs of the French life sciences industry: Paris and Lyon.
Life sciences real estate in the Paris region
With 12.2 million inhabitants, 1.1 million businesses and some of the best universities in the world, the Paris region accounts for 5.4 per cent of EU GDP, making it one of Europe’s main economic zones. Moreover, the Paris region hosts around 700,000 students, including 120,000 international students. Four of the region’s universities (Paris Saclay University, Paris Sciences et Lettres, Sorbonne University and Paris University) are ranked in the Top 100 best universities in the world.
