Macron Secures Record €93 Billion in Foreign Investment Pledges at ‘Choose France’ Summit

French President Emmanuel Macron announced that global corporations have committed a record-breaking €93 billion ($108 billion) in foreign direct investment at the annual “Choose France” summit in Versailles. The capital influx spans 71 distinct development projects and is projected to generate over 15,600 jobs across the country. The total represents a massive expansion over the previous record of €20 billion set during the 2025 conference, reflecting a highly aggressive push by the French government to capture international tech, energy, and artificial intelligence infrastructure.

SoftBank and Global Asset Managers Lead the Inflow

The anchoring transaction of the summit comes from Japanese technology investment giant SoftBank. Founder Masayoshi Son finalized a foundational agreement to deploy €45 billion into the Hauts-de-France region, aimed at establishing 3.1 gigawatts of power and computing infrastructure capacity by 2031. French officials noted that SoftBank’s total commitment could ultimately scale to €75 billion as the project matures. Simultaneously, digital asset infrastructure and large-scale data platforms secured multibillion-dollar commitments to expand Europe’s processing pipeline.

Beyond raw data storage, advanced hardware manufacturing is also securing a footprint. Taiwan’s Foxconn is investing €120 million to construct a dedicated artificial intelligence motherboard production line in Angers. Operating in partnership with French supercomputer specialist Bull, the facility anchors advanced manufacturing directly within the domestic market. Additionally, attendees at the Versailles palace indicated that separate, highly strategic foreign allocations targeting rare earth elements and critical mineral processing are expected to be finalized before the close of the summit.

Structural Contraction Amid Macroeconomic Skepticism

While the headline figures mark a clear political victory for the Élysée, the broader macroeconomic landscape presents a more complex reality. Data compiled by consultancy firm EY shows that France has retained its position as Europe’s top destination for foreign direct investment for seven consecutive years, securing 852 infrastructure projects over the past year. However, that figure reflects a sharp 17 percent year-over-year decline in total project volume, mirroring a highly restrictive global capital environment.

While France continues to attract more dedicated AI projects than any other European jurisdiction, its traditional industrial core is undergoing noticeable strain. Domestic manufacturing has been impacted by a wave of factory closures, particularly across the automotive, chemical, and metallurgy sectors. Independent economists warn that the high-profile announcements in Versailles should not obscure the reality that domestic corporate investment remains generally depressed. To counter these vulnerabilities, Macron’s administration is deploying €1.55 billion in domestic public funding targeted exclusively at scaling local quantum technologies and semiconductor manufacturing, attempting to ensure that foreign capital is backed by an established domestic supply chain.