As part of the 60th anniversary of their twinning, Montpellier and Heidelberg have decided to launch an innovative operation to support the internationalisation of their companies in order to minimise the share of risk and to be able to support their international success.
Thanks to the political will of the Mayors and Presidents, the economic development departments of the cities of Heidelberg and Montpellier have designed a business exchange programme to intensify economic cooperation between the two cities.
Internationalisation must be the result of a strategy in line with the company's needs, but it must also respect the mandatory stages of preparation, discovery, positioning and maturation.
These exchanges are set up to avoid certain pitfalls: bad strategy, time-consuming, legal questions, financial or HR consolidation, among others. They will be ongoing, following the progression of the four steps of the internationalisation chain thanks to the International Economic Taskforce of Montpellier Méditerranée Métropole and the support of key institutional and private players, including the Franco-German Business Network, RAFAL.
The Metropolis and city of Montpellier and the City of Heidelberg are therefore offering a first level of "discovery" support during the week of 11 to 17 September 2022 through a business mission to Heidelberg. This mission will be an opportunity for the metropolitan entrepreneurs to establish new networks and business connections and to explore new markets.
A month later, Montpellier will in turn welcome a delegation of companies from the German city. The companies from the twin city will thus have the opportunity to meet the companies from Montpellier and to explore possible partneships.
Both Heidelberg and Montpellier have a strong economic and scientific component, particularly in the fields of innovation, global health and the environmental sector, as well as in the cultural and creative industries and digital technology. The exchange programme aims to exploit these synergies and find new ways of networking and cooperation.
On one hand, Montpellier is one of the most attractive cities in France due to its economic development. The main sectors are health, environment, wine and food, and cultural and creative industries. On the other, Heidelberg is one of the most attractive economic and scientific centers in Germany thanks to its innovative and rapidly developing economy and internationally renowned research. The opportunities for networking, partnership and mutual benefit are therefore significant.
If you would like more information about the program and the support that will be offered to companies during this first exchange, do not hesitate to contact the Montpellier Méditerranée Métropole International Development Department:
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During the missions, English will be the working language to facilitate communication between all participants. The deadline for companies wishing to participate is 22 July 2022.
