Come back and build tech giants, French firms tell overseas citizens

Paris

YOUR country needs you. That's what France Inc is saying to the nation's engineers and math whizzes who over the years have taken their talents to Silicon Valley and elsewhere.

Startups from ride-sharing service Blablacar to online retailer Showroomprive are seeking out French expatriates as they grow internationally. With support from LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton, they're touring from London to San Francisco to woo candidates, saying there's no reason why the next Uber Technologies can't come from France. Their group, called "ReviensLeon" or "Come back Leon", wants to counter the perception that France is good for study but bad for business.