The BASQUE INVEST team
Do you run a business abroad or in France and are looking for the right place to expand? Are you setting up a business and looking for the ideal place to start your adventure? BASQUE INVEST offers a unique service to help you succeed.
Who are we?
BASQUE INVEST is financed by the CCI Bayonne Pays Basque (Chamber of Commerce and Industry), the Conseil Régional Nouvelle Aquitaine, the Communauté d’Agglomération Pays Basque and ERDF (European Regional Development Funds).
Our mission is simple and free: to help you set up your business in the Basque Country.
Our team of professionals is committed to the success of your project.
François APPLAGNAT – Director
Previously a technology transfer engineer for 11 years at the Izarbel technology park, François has had a variety of professional experiences in China, the United States, Africa and Australia.
His specializations: aeronautics, robotics, mechatronics, composites, industrial production, sports and textiles, health industry, medtech and e-health.
What he likes best about his role:
“The human adventure of entrepreneurship. The creation process is an exceptional experience that I enjoy supporting.”
What he likes about the Basque Country:
“To recharge my batteries with its landscapes and culture”.
Ferdie TEILETCHEA – Assistant
Ferdie is often the first point of contact for project owners. A trilingual assistant who holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration and Management, she has 12 years’ experience in international relations.
What she likes best about her job:
“The dynamism, the constant interaction, the sharing”.
What she likes about the Basque Country:
“The quality of life.”
Arrange visit with our consultants
What is a business visit? Depending on your sector of activity, François organizes a day-long visit to the region’s key points and centers of activity that are relevant to your business (aeronautics, robotics, medtech, health, board sports, etc.). He will organize meetings with potential partners and help you discover the region’s advantages, quality of life, infrastructure and added value for your business.
Your project remains confidential, and this visit is non-binding. The aim is to help you discover the region’s economic potential.
Here is an example of a conclusive business visit that immediately led to a project setting up in the region: a Parisian company director had just lost his subcontractor in the Basque Country. He decided to bring production in-house, but to keep it in the area. He contacted ESTIA (Ecole Supérieure des Technologies Industrielles Avancées). They referred him to François, who organized a business visit. The director arrived on a Friday at 2pm and by 8pm had visited three premises and made his choice. He had also gone through the 20 CVs François had prepared for him. On Monday morning, the owner of the chosen premises was waiting for him with the lease and his first employees.
BASQUE INVEST is here to help you quickly and efficiently set up or expand your business. Discover our different services, and don’t hesitate to contact us to set up your company in France and the Basque Country.
