• 3th place in France for the dynamism of its business sector, with growth in permanent jobs up 2% in 2004.

Number of businesses created in Midi-Pyrenees in 2005 :

Source : INSEE, Traitement APCE. 2006

Midi-Pyrenees ranks 4th among French regions for new business creation in 2002 and 2003. Since 1995 the number of creations/reactivations/takeovers in Midi-Pyrenees has been consistently higher than the national average.

• Companies of international scale
  

The 10 largest industrial establishments (french or foreign groups):

Source : MPE

• The work force - a major advantage in Midi-Pyrenees:

Availability of personnel in all categories A large pool of young qualified labor From operators, to engineers, as well as foremen and technicians. 114,000 students in Midi-Pyrenees in 2003/2004 including: · 19% in the Grandes Ecoles engineering schools, teachers’ college and other higher education institutes · 68% in universities, IUPs and IUTs · 13% in post-secondary courses within Lycées (preparatory classes for Grandes Ecoles and advanced technical degrees) Source : Rectorat Académie de Toulouse/2004  For further information...

• Research and Development, Innovation, a state of mind

Leading French region for R&D investments in terms of GDP 20,200 players of research , of which 12,790 researchers Main fields of excellence: aerospace, life sciences and technologies, IT technology, ICT, advanced materials, nanotechnologies   For further information...

• Reasonable investment costs:

Labor costs below the national average:

Annual salaries by qualification level in 2003 (in thousands of €):

Source: INSEE Midi-Pyrenees. TEMP 2006

Prices for industrial clients in 2005 (in euro duty-free for MWh):  
 
Source : Direction Générale de l'Energie et des Matières Premières "Energie et Matières Premières, Prix du gaz et de l'électricité en Europe au 1er janvier 2006"  

• Among the lowest telecommunications costs

Price in US $ for a call during 3 minutes to the USA (for the USA, price to Europe)  
   
 
Source : IMD World competitiveness yearbook 2005

• Midi-Pyrenees offers an exceptional assistance system for:

    Business creation
The Midi-Pyrenees Incubator welcomes entrepreneurs with projects to prepare their business start-ups under optimum conditions to ensure success
The fledgling business center network in Midi-Pyrenees , facilitates start-up and development of companies through aid based on providing suitable real-estate, general services to share costs, and economic promotion.

    Technology transfer
Regional centers for technology transfer and innovation , facilitate the access of small and medium companies to research and technology 
FRATT (Regional Fund to aid Technology Tranfer) : this aid enables small businesses to benefit from external councils and services to assist  their technological projects . 
Midi-Pyrénées Innovation:  

    The R&D and innovation
Reception of doctoral and post-doctoral students in socio-economic companies and organizations: this aid allows students working on a thesis, or who have just finished one, to carry out a research or innovating project involving a small business or socio-economic organization in association with an outside laboratory.

Assistance in strategic investment programs in companies: the Midi-Pyrenees Regional Council can provide reimbursable advances to support:
     - Industrial R&D programs of regional companies,
     - Co-development programs of regional companies which subcontract to the aeronautics industry.

For more information