ICC Immersion: A high impact internationalization scheme, rolled out as part of “France 2030”

Funded by the French government as part of the “France 2030” initiative, “ICC Immersion” leverages the combined expertise of the French Institute, Business France, the French Ministry for Culture, the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, its diplomatic and cultural network, and the French Deposits and Consignments Fund.

“ICC Immersion” aims to strengthen the capacity of winning businesses to expand on a sustainable basis internationally by providing them with in-depth knowledge of their target markets, supporting them in defining and adapting their development strategy, as well as by facilitating connections with key players in local ecosystems to foster the realization of business opportunities.

As such, participating firms benefit from customized support lasting more than one year, tailored to their development strategy and the specific characteristics of their target markets. It is structured around a preparation phase, combining group sessions and individualized support, aimed at consolidating participants’ understanding of local issues, followed by an immersion phase that fosters a direct connection with institutional, cultural and economic stakeholders locally. To ensure its sustainability, a final phase – optional, personalized and subject to selection – may allow winning businesses to undertake an in-depth immersion over a longer period, depending on identified needs.

To date, 17 schemes have been started in 15 countries: in Asia (South Korea – two editions, Taiwan – two editions, India), Oceania (Australia), Europe (United Kingdom, Spain, Italy, Denmark/Sweden), the Middle East (United Arab Emirates – two editions, Saudi Arabia, Israel), the Americas (Canada, Mexico), and Africa (South Africa).
 

In 2026, a further five courses will continue their rollout in six countries (in the United States for the design and video game sectors; in Germany, Indonesia and Singapore for a regional scheme; and in Brazil and Australia for a second edition). New calls for applications will also be opened throughout the year.

Since it was launched, “ICC Immersion” has already supported nearly 170 businesses, resulting in signed contracts and the creation of new partnerships, demonstrating the scheme’s effectiveness and relevance.

At the end of 2024, “ICC Immersion” had completed 58 projects, amounting to more than €7 million in revenue. Considering the public funding already committed, the scheme has demonstrated a significant leverage effect to date: for every €1 invested, some €3 in revenue has been generated.

Building on these positive results, the French Institute and Business France brought together “ICC Immersion” (France 2030) alumni on January 22, 2026, at the French Institute.

This inaugural meeting provided a valuable opportunity for participating businesses to network with their peers, share experiences and exchange ideas with public stakeholders committed to promoting the export of French cultural and creative industries.

On this occasion, calls for applications for two new destinations were launched: Japan and Saudi Arabia (second edition).

Detailed information and application procedures are available on the French Institute website (in French): www.institutfrancais.com/fr/offre/icc-immersion