Opportunities and threats, Grand Est industry
Summary table
| Threats | Opportunities |
| High cost of advanced technologies | Partnerships with regional technology clusters |
| Fluctuations in energy costs for decentralised production | Strengthening of local supplier chains |
| Unequal access to funding for SMEs | Closer collaboration with regional incubators |
| Shortfall in advanced technology skills | Access to local training supported by universities |
Threats for Grand Est industry
- High cost of advanced technologies: Grand Est SMEs, already financially constrained, struggle to adopt solutions such as AI or blockchain. This creates a high barrier to entry, notably in industrial sectors such as plastics processing, which require significant technological investment.
- Fluctuations in energy costs for decentralised production: Decentralising energy with small units such as SMRs and renewables is costly. A rise in local energy costs could weigh on Grand Est companies, harming their profitability in the face of international competition.
- Unequal access to funding for SMEs: Although European funds are available, access remains complex for small companies, notably in plastics and metal processing, which lack the skills needed to obtain them.
- Shortfall in advanced technology skills: The region suffers from a lack of qualified talent in AI, IoT and blockchain technologies. This holds back the adoption of advanced solutions by SMEs, despite the training offered by institutions such as the University of Strasbourg.
Opportunities for Grand Est industry
- Partnerships with regional technology clusters: Companies can collaborate with Grand Est Développement in order to benefit from support in adopting cutting-edge technologies, notably in the energy and automotive sectors, in partnership with local start-ups such as Circouleur.
- Strengthening of local supplier chains: By reorienting supply chains to include regional suppliers, companies limit their dependence on external markets and benefit from greater resilience in the face of global crises.
- Closer collaboration with regional incubators: Incubators such as SEMIA in Strasbourg can facilitate access to advanced technologies and to dedicated funding for local companies transitioning to more circular models.
- Access to local training supported by universities: With the support of the region's universities, industry benefits from training programmes aimed at closing the technology skills gap, supporting the take-up of new circular technologies.