Business Insider 24 / Intelligence
The international forces, opportunities and decisions shaping French business.
France and Nigeria are deepening commercial ties, opening opportunities for mid-sized French companies that can finance local delivery, build durable partnerships and manage currency risk.
French objections to UK participation force Europe's new scale-up fund to choose between strict EU industrial sovereignty and the broader market needed to compete globally.
European startup investment recovered in early 2026 even as deal count reached a multiyear low, with AI and other capital-intensive businesses concentrating money among fewer companies.
Non-European investors can face French review at a much earlier stage when buying into sensitive companies. Deal teams now need regulatory analysis before influence becomes control.