The 8,300 square metre facility is called the City of Connected Objects (COC) and will help startups design and manufacture IoT devices such as smart-watches and personal fitness trackers.
“When I hear that five of the 12 most-sold connected objects in the US are French, I have no doubts,” Hollande said. “I know France will be one of the world’s top digital economies.”
Funded by national operators Orange and Bouygues, the COC is part of the French government’s €200 million ‘La French Tech’ initiative launched in 2013.
France’s tax structure encourages research and development spending, and Angers once stood as the heart of the country’s electronics industry.
In February this year, French technology startup Sigfox raised €100 million in investment for its networks across Europe, the US and Asia.
