Diverse Voices: The Human Heart of Lyon Tech
Lyon's tech scene thrives on diversity. Walk through any major studio or indie workspace, and you'll hear conversations in French, English, Arabic, Mandarin, and more. This international mix brings fresh perspectives that show up in the products created here.
Marco Silva, a Brazilian developer at a major studio, chose Lyon over offers in London and Berlin: "The work-life balance here is real. I can cycle to work along the river, have a proper lunch, and still be part of creating world-class games. Try doing that in crunch-obsessed studios elsewhere."
Amara Diallo, who grew up in Lyon's suburbs, represents the local talent pipeline. After studying at CPE Lyon, she co-founded a studio creating educational games: "Growing up here, I never saw people like me in tech. Now I make games that help kids from neighborhoods like mine see coding as something they can do."
David Chen, a senior developer who relocated from Shanghai, highlights Lyon's welcoming atmosphere: "The tech community here is genuinely inclusive. Language barriers exist, but people make an effort. My French isn't perfect, but that hasn't held me back."
Student perspectives matter too. Léa Moreau, studying game design at Bellecour École, sees opportunity everywhere: "Every week there are meetups, game jams, networking events. Studios actually hire juniors and invest in training. My friends in Paris say it's much harder to break in there."