Success Stories: Beyond the Games

While gaming grabs headlines, Lyon's software success extends far beyond entertainment.

Datadog's Lyon Office has grown from 10 to 200 engineers in five years, becoming the company's European development hub. The monitoring software unicorn chose Lyon for its deep talent pool and lower turnover rates compared to Paris.

WeLyon, a smart city platform developed locally, now helps manage urban services from Barcelona to Singapore. Co-founder Marie Fontaine attributes their success to Lyon's own smart city initiatives: "We could test in a real urban environment with a supportive city government. That's invaluable for urban tech."

Tilkee, a document tracking software company, grew from a Lyon startup to a international player with clients across Europe. Founder Sylvain Tillon kept the company headquarters in Lyon even after acquisition: "Our engineers don't want to leave. The quality of life here is a competitive advantage."