Embrace the Future: Grenoble Alpes Métropole, a pioneer city
Grenoble Alpes Métropole, surrounded by steep mountains, carries a pioneering and creative spirit. This shared spirit made it the 7th densest deeptech ecosystem in the world, standing out as a pivotal hub for European industries.
It hosts 30 000 public and private R&D jobs withing a 20 km radius, five major international scientific facilities, eight national research organisation. It is also home to the Grenoble Alpes University, ranked in the top 150 of the Shanghai Ranking and number one in Europe for patents filed. This dynamic environment supports a dense industrial fabric: it is France’s leading industrial metropolitan area in terms of jobs per capita.
In this rich ecosystem, the metropole believes in innovation, not as an end in itself, but as a powerful means of shaping a better, more desirable future. It develops a complete strategy for innovation with environmental sustainability at its core and involving the local innovation ecosystem. As a Climate lab, the Metropole has long mobilised citizens, economic and academic stakeholders and elected officials. Together, they design pioneering policies and strategies to address three key objectives:
- A just ecological transition;
- An economy driven by sovereign, and sustainable innovation;
- And a more open, participatory democracy.
Grenoble Alpes Métropole wants to raise awareness to inspire and involve as many people as possible, going beyond regulatory requirements. It embraces collaboration and shares its experiments beyond its border, locally, nationally, internationally, in a spirit of responsibility.
Driving a just ecological transition
As the first Metropole in France to approve a Climate Action Plan in 2005, it has always remained one step ahead, making its Climate, Air and Energy plan 2020-2030 the anchor for all public policies: environmental responsibility is embedded in all public policies.
With climate neutrality as a guiding objective, the Metropole experimented with a wide range of climate policies, including for example the transformation of its public utilities, bioclimatic urban planning, soil health integration, or the development of soft and active mobility. It involved inhabitants, using public policy innovative tools and building strong links with researchers, particularly in behavioural sciences. As a result, the greenhouse emissions decreased by 56% between 2005 and 2022 and concentrations of fine particles and nitrogen dioxide were cut by almost 50%.
This commitment was notably recognised in 2022, when Grenoble was named European Green Capital, and in 2024 with the European Energy Award, which ranked Grenoble Alpes Metropole first nationwide.
Supporting an economy driven by sovereign and sustainable innovation
Grenoble Alpes area is also an extraordinary innovation ecosystem. To structure and animate this model, the metropole coordinates and facilitates synergies between the stakeholders of future-oriented industries.
Together with the City of Grenoble, it helped develop a 250-hectare innovation and deeptech neighbourhood, the Presqu’île, around the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA). This neighbourhood, coupled with an innovation Campus, GIANT, gathers major scientific institutions, international companies and university. The physical proximity between research, education and industry is a key factor in the ecosystem’s vitality.
Tech&fest, Grenoble’s innovation event, embodies this ecosystem and honours the innovative spirit of the area. It attracts 20,000 visitors, from students to CEOs, ambassadors from foreign countries… It benefits from a strong support of Grenoble Alpes Métropole, who notably organises its start-ups and investors event on this occasion.
Building a more open, participatory democracy
With contrasting territories, Grenoble Alpes Métropole must rise to the challenge of building an open and inclusive democratic framework. It implements pioneering policies to ensure that its most vulnerable residents can find their place in society and access both democratic participation and city life. This implies fighting exclusion, promoting equality and fostering social connection, but also involving citizens in the policy-making process.
Grenoble Alpes Métropole was the first local authority in France to hold a citizen’s convention for climate. What set the metropole apart is both the independence of the convention, led by academics with the help of the national commission for public debate, and the unprecedented emphasis placed on follow up. All the 246 citizens proposals were presented to the metropolitan council and 86% have already been implemented three years later.