They are now inspiring others... among their local companies! In 2021, Montpellier and Heidelberg decided to bring new meaning to their sister city relationship by intensifying economic cooperation while marking the 60th anniversary of their bond.
For that reason, the economic development departments of their respective cities created an exchange program for companies in their territories as a way to help them succeed internationally.
The two cities share many similarities, as they are both home to powerful economic and scientific ecosystems, notably in the fields of
innovation, global health, the environment, Cultural and Creative Industries (CCIs), and digital technology.
To reach its objectives, the exchange program involves the
International Economic Taskforce of Montpellier Méditerranée Métropole,
Hérault Chamber of Commerce and Industry,
Franco-German Business Network RAFAL, and
Franco-German Fortnight, among other partners.
A new program was recently launched on this foundation: from September 11 to 17, a mission led by Michaël Delafosse, Mayor of Montpellier and President of Montpellier Métropole, was organized in Heidelberg on the theme of global health. Members of the delegation,
CILCare,
KanopyMed,
Solasys, and
Numalis, had the opportunity to meet with four of their German counterparts during their stay, including
Nicarus and
HD Vision Systems.
The three objectives were to build new networks, make new business contacts, and explore new markets. It is clear that these objectives were reached.
“This mission helped us understand the challenges of internationalization within the German economic landscape. It also gave us the opportunity to meet carefully selected potential business partners,” highlights Vincent Benoit, CEO and co-founder of Solasys.
This perspective is echoed by the CEO and co-founder of KanopyMed.
“The mission was a great opportunity for us to understand the German economic ecosystem and meet potential business partners,” adds Grégoire Mercier, whose opinion is shared by CILcare.
“Our week of talks and meetings was very enriching. We discovered an ecosystem that is rich with innovation, particularly with respect to healthcare and artificial intelligence,” explains Thibault Rocchi, business developer at CILcare.
Their satisfaction will certainly be contagious. In October, the German companies came to meet their Montpellier counterparts during an identical mission to the Montpellier metropolitan area. The bonds between the sister cities are becoming even closer thanks to successful business cooperation.
