Holistic AI interview on tech potential in Hauts-de-France

Challenges faced by British tech companies to access the EU and French market

For many UK tech companies, Europe remains an obvious growth market. The clients are there, the innovation ecosystems are active, and demand for trusted digital solutions is growing.

But since Brexit, access to France and the EU has become more complex, especially for service-based tech companies. The main friction points are clear:

Non-tariff barriers: regulations, procurement rules, licences and compliance requirements can make EU market access more difficult.
Regulatory divergence: UK companies must follow how UK and EU rules evolve, especially in areas such as AI, data, digital services and liability.
Data flows: for tech businesses, cross-border data transfer is essential because it is part of how they trade and deliver services.
Talent access: hiring and moving tech talent across borders now requires more planning, particularly around visas, work permits and local employment rules.
Local market credibility: selling into France requires trusted contacts, local understanding and the ability to navigate business culture on the ground.

Holistic AI has experienced those issues too. The company helps large organisations deploy artificial intelligence in a more controlled and responsible way, by giving them tools to monitor risks, strengthen compliance and manage AI use across the business.

As Raj Bharat Patel, VP of AI Transformation at Holistic AI, puts it:

“Brexit is obviously a hurdle that we all have to overcome, one that we wish was not there. And having connections directly in Lille or in France is helping overcome that.”

*Source: UK Parliament

France: a strategic market for AI governance

and company innovation

For Holistic AI, France is a market where public policy, private-sector innovation and enterprise transformation increasingly meet.

Asked to describe France in three words, Raj Bharat Patel did not hesitate:

“France: innovative, futuristic and connective.”

He expanded on that point:

“(…) France as a market is a very connected network between private and public sectors and how people are fostering innovation together to achieve beneficial goals.”

For an AI governance company, that matters because it is about how organisations adopt AI safely, transparently and at scale. It touches compliance, ethics, regulation, operational risk and corporate accountability.

France offers a particularly relevant environment for that conversation.

Large companies are accelerating AI adoption, public institutions are shaping the regulatory and innovation agenda, industrial groups are exploring new use cases, and companies’ buyers increasingly need frameworks to deploy AI responsibly.

That creates a clear opportunity for Holistic AI.

Its value proposition meets a market need: helping organisations move faster with AI, without losing control over risk, compliance and governance.

In that sense, France is a place where the debate around trusted AI is becoming central to business transformation.

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Hauts-de-France: the future « AI valley » for British tech companies

The French opportunity becomes even more concrete when viewed from Hauts-de-France.

The region has already built a powerful industrial narrative around the “Battery Valley”, with major projects in electric mobility, energy and advanced manufacturing. It has shown that it can host large-scale industrial investment and mobilise the infrastructure, land, skills and public support needed to deliver it.

Now, the region is positioning itself around another strategic ambition: becoming a major European hub for AI infrastructure.

Choose France 2026 gave that ambition a new level of visibility. SoftBank announced an initial €45 billion investment to deliver 3.1 GW of AI data centre capacity in Hauts-de-France. For AI companies, this sends a strong signal.

Artificial intelligence needs more than software. It needs computing capacity, energy, data infrastructure, demand and industrial use cases. Hauts-de-France is increasingly bringing those ingredients together.

The region also benefits from Lille’s innovation ecosystem, including EuraTechnologies, one of France and Europe’s leading startup and innovation hubs. For tech companies looking at the French market, ecosystems shorten the distance between a first conversation, a first partner and a first business opportunity.

Raj Bharat Patel described Lille as more than a stop on the map:

“I think it was fantastic to see the information provided really showcased Lille as a central point, a realistic point for building a business out with a presence in Europe. The connectivity across different centers, the connection back to London, the way that they have fostered relationships and the network already really makes it tangible for us and really brought it to life.”

That word “tangible” is important.

For UK companies, European expansion can sometimes feel abstract: a market to assess, a regulatory framework to understand, a list of contacts to build. In Lille, Holistic AI saw something more operational.

The region’s appeal also lies in its industrial base.

Raj Bharat Patel highlighted the discussions he had around “the investment for the data centers, the energy centers, the connection to manufacturing” and “the number of global enterprises” headquartered in the region.

“I think there is massive potential in this region, specifically with Lille as well. I was speaking outside to a number of people around the investment for the data centers, the energy centers, the connection to manufacturing, the number of global enterprises that you have headquartered here. I think it’s a really interesting area to look, setting up a hub here and to put further investment from our company.”

UK Business Centre Lille: operational support for British tech companies looking for expand into France and the EU

For many British companies, the challenge is not deciding whether to enter the European market. It is understanding how to do it efficiently.

Establishing a presence in France often involves multiple workstreams running simultaneously: company formation, tax considerations, legal structures, recruitment, visas, employment regulations, commercial partnerships and business development.

Without local guidance, these processes can quickly become time-consuming and difficult to coordinate.

The UK Business Centre Lille was specifically created to help British companies navigate this complexity. Since its creation, it has supported more than 160 British companies in exploring, entering or developing their presence in France and the European Union. It also relies on a network of more than 40 trusted service providers, covering legal, tax, recruitment, HR, visa, compliance, real estate and business development expertise.

Unlike traditional business support organisations, the UKBC Lille focuses exclusively on helping UK businesses establish and grow their presence in France and the European Union. Acting as a soft-landing platform, it connects companies with trusted local experts and provides a practical framework for successful market entry.

The UKBC Lille supports businesses throughout their European expansion journey, including:

It reduces the time companies spend searching for the right first contact

It gives them access to specialists who understand cross-border expansion

it helps them avoid the common mistake of treating France as a market that can be approached with a simple copy-paste of the UK model

For technology companies such as Holistic AI, this operational support can significantly reduce the complexity of entering a new market.

As Raj Bharat Patel explains:

“So as a tech company looking to establish a bigger presence in Europe, finding the right talent is sometimes a challenge. And so connecting with people on the ground who know where to source this is incredibly helpful.”

Beyond providing introductions, the UKBC Lille helps companies build a coherent European growth strategy and avoid common market-entry mistakes. The objective is simple: help British businesses move faster, reduce risk and accelerate their development within France and the wider European market.

Why UK companies looking to expand into Europe should pay attention to Lille

Holistic AI’s experience highlights a broader trend affecting many British businesses today.

Europe remains a major growth opportunity, but accessing the market after Brexit requires local knowledge, trusted networks and a practical operational framework.

Lille and the Hauts-de-France region offer a compelling combination of advantages: immediate proximity to London, access to the European market, a growing technology ecosystem, world-class infrastructure and strong industrial networks.

For UK companies seeking a practical gateway into France and the European Union, the region offers far more than a location. It provides a launchpad for European growth.

The UK Business Centre Lille was created to help British companies make that transition successfully. By combining local expertise, business networks and operational support, it enables UK businesses to establish, develop and scale their activities in France and across Europe with greater confidence.

Whether the objective is market entry, business development, talent acquisition or the creation of a European hub, the UKBC Lille provides a structured route from ambition to execution.

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