Last week, the Detroit Regional Chamber’s Destination Detroit team welcomed eight French mobility startups to Southeast Michigan in collaboration with Ubimobility, Business France and the French American Chamber of Commerce.

Focusing on connected and autonomous vehicle technology, Ubimobility is a French acceleration program that allows companies to apply to participate in the immersion program. Applicants are evaluated by a panel of industry judges, that includes companies like Ford, FCA and Magna. A total of 8 of the most promising companies are selected for a 2-week mission to Detroit/Ann Arbor and San Francisco/Silicon Valley, for meetings with automakers, suppliers, think-tanks, universities, potential partners and investors. Destination Detroit helped support the delegations visit to Southeast Michigan, including hosting the delegation as part on its Mobility Technology Showcase series.

“It’s important for our region to build relationships with the most innovative technology and mobility markets in the world,” said Justin Robinson, the Chamber’s vice president of Business Attraction. “France is one of the leading ecosystems and we are honored that these leading French companies recognize the value of coming to Detroit to promote and advance their technology.”

The Ubimobility Tech Showcase was the second installment of Destination Detroit’s “Mobility Technology Showcase” series, in which representatives from the world’s most advanced mobility countries come to Detroit to share their expertise, exchange ideas, and build partnerships aimed at driving forward next-generation mobility. Last year, the Chamber welcomed a Dutch delegation of 25 representatives for a similar visit.

Showcasing the Detroit region’s assets and connecting global investors with the automotive supply chain is a key focus of the Chamber’s Forward Detroit economic development strategy.

MICHauto Director Katelyn Davis emphasized the importance of events like the Ubimobility Tech Showcase to foreign companies looking to expand into the U.S. market.

“We have the densest cluster of automotive and mobility companies in the world, so being able to introduce them and show the value of the Detroit region is crucial,” she said. “Ultimately, we hope that they move and open up shop here.”

“There is no other place like Detroit in Europe or the United States. It’s the only place you can find everyone involved in mobility in one place,” said Nicolas Baron, business development manager for New Imaging Technologies, one of the participating French startups. “In the future, there may be a chance to be here for better business relations.”

To learn more about the Ubimobility delegation and the Mobility Tech Showcase series visit detroitchamber.com/ubimobility.