On June 1, 2026, the Palace of Versailles will once again become a temple of international investment. For the eighth consecutive year, Emmanuel Macron is welcoming the world's top business leaders to the Choose France Summit, the event dedicated to the country's economic attractiveness. This edition is shaping up to be historic: amid transatlantic trade tensions and a global race for artificial intelligence, France wants to make an impression with large-scale announcements.

The Choose France Summit: an event that has become essential

Created in 2018 by Emmanuel Macron in the spirit of the La France en Marche movement, the Choose France Summit has become, over the years, one of Europe's most influential economic events. Every year, dozens of CEOs from the world's largest companies travel to Versailles to announce, in the presence of the head of state, their investment projects on French soil.

In 2024, the summit brought together more than 15 billion euros in commitments in just a few hours, a record that should be widely exceeded in 2026. This year, organizers expect more than 200 executives from 30 different countries, reflecting France's growing attractiveness as a destination for foreign investors.

SoftBank: the announcement shaking European capitals

The most eagerly awaited announcement concerns SoftBank. According to information revealed by Bloomberg in early May 2026, the Japanese conglomerate led by Masayoshi Son is said to be in advanced talks to invest up to 100 billion dollars in France, mainly in data center infrastructure dedicated to artificial intelligence. Such an amount would represent the largest foreign investment ever made on French soil, and one of the largest recorded in Europe.

The origins of this project date back to Emmanuel Macron's visit to Japan in March 2026. The French president is said to have convinced Masayoshi Son to make France the European bridgehead of the technology giant, highlighting the country's competitive advantages: abundant decarbonized nuclear energy, a recognized research ecosystem with institutions such as INRIA, and a stabilized regulatory framework thanks to the entry into force of the European AI Act.

"Artificial intelligence will transform every industry, every country and every human being on this planet. Whoever controls data and computing power will control the economy of tomorrow." — Masayoshi Son, CEO of SoftBank

If the official announcement is confirmed at the June 1 summit, it would send a strong signal to European partners: in a context of technological rivalry between the United States and China, a European power can also host the planet's most ambitious investments.

The other expected announcements: a packed program

SoftBank is not the only company whose executives are expected in Versailles. Several major technology, industrial and financial groups should also use the Versailles stage to formalize their projects:

• Technology sector: investments in semiconductors, cybersecurity and sovereign cloud are anticipated, following on from the digital sovereignty policy pursued by France since 2022.
• Green industry: several European and Asian groups are expected to announce industrial partnerships around the production of green hydrogen and next-generation batteries.
• Health and biotechnology: France, which already hosts several leading pharmaceutical production sites, is expected to confirm new clinical research projects.
• Agri-food and tourism: players in the French luxury and gastronomy sectors are also expected to present international expansion plans.

France 2030: the strategy behind the announcements

These investments are not coming out of nowhere. They are part of a coherent national strategy, driven by the France 2030 plan, endowed with 54 billion euros to reindustrialize the country and position France as a European leader in breakthrough technologies. This plan primarily targets ten strategic sectors: green hydrogen, electric vehicles, low-carbon aircraft, biomedicines, cybersecurity, cloud, AI, space, healthy food and cultural products.

Since its launch at the end of 2021, France 2030 has generated several dozen billion euros in private investment on top of public funds, creating a significant leverage effect. The Choose France Summit is one of the main showcases for this momentum, helping to attract external capital to projects aligned with national priorities.

A favorable geopolitical context

The 2026 edition of the Choose France Summit is taking place in a particular context. Since Donald Trump returned to power in January 2025, transatlantic trade relations have been marked by growing uncertainty, with reimposed tariffs and recurring tensions over technology issues. In this context, Europe — and France in particular — appears as a haven of regulatory stability for investors seeking to diversify their locations.

The rise of European AI players, led by France's Mistral AI, strengthens the image of a continent capable of building its own technology champions without relying solely on American or Chinese players. This narrative appeals to Japanese, Korean and Australian investors, who see Europe as a credible third pole in the global digital competition.

What concrete effects for the French economy?

The benefits of these investments for the French people could be substantial. The construction and operation of large-scale data centers, for example, generate thousands of direct and indirect jobs in construction, maintenance, security and IT services. A significant industrial presence in green energy or biotechnology would also create skilled jobs in the regions concerned.

Beyond jobs, these investments strengthen France's position in international trade negotiations and help balance a trade deficit weakened by the energy shortfall. They also indirectly finance research and development through partnerships with universities and public research centers.

What to watch on June 1

Several indicators will make it possible to measure the summit's real success. The total amount of officially announced commitments will of course be the first criterion. But the quality of investments matters as much as their volume: projects rooted in strategic sectors, with solid counterparts in terms of local employment and technology transfer, will have more long-term value than simple statements of intent.

It will also be important to watch which countries are most represented among investors. A strong Japanese and Korean presence will signal the success of the diversification strategy sought by the Élysée; American dominance, by contrast, would indicate that France remains primarily within the orbit of its traditional partners.

The date is set for June 1, 2026, in Versailles. France has a lot at stake, and the world is watching.