Only Lyon
Only Lyon (legally ONLYLYON & CO, formerly ADERLY) is a French non-profit association that runs the official territorial marketing brand for Lyon and the ONLYLYON Invest economic attraction program, offering free promotion, relocation support, and an ambassador network of 26,000+ members to tourists, investors, students, and event organizers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1974
- HeadquartersLyon, France
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Only Lyon does
Only Lyon is the operating brand of ONLYLYON & CO (formerly ADERLY — Agence pour le Développement Économique de la Région Lyonnaise), a French non-profit association founded in 1974 and co-chaired by Métropole de Lyon and CCI Lyon Métropole Saint-Étienne Roanne. The organization runs two core programs: ONLYLYON Invest, an economic attraction initiative that provides free personalized support (real estate solutions, funding and grants, HR, employee mobility, business partnerships, legal/tax guidance, communication/networking) to companies seeking to establish or expand operations in the Lyon region; and the broader ONLYLYON territorial marketing initiative, launched in 2007 as a pioneering brand in France and Europe to promote Lyon's attractiveness nationally and internationally.
The organization's platform architecture is centered on a Territorial Marketing brand and an Ambassador Network Platform (ambassadeurs.onlylyon.com) with SSO integrations (Google, LinkedIn, Microsoft, Facebook), a separate Invest portal (invest.onlylyon.com), a Press Dossiers distribution channel, and an ONLYLYON Box prospect engagement package. It serves four primary segments — tourists and visitors, investors and businesses, students and academics, and event organizers — through direct digital channels, 14 globally connected ambassador communities, and institutional partners.
The business model is non-commercial: services are free to all target audiences. Operating funding comes from membership fees and contributions from public co-chairs, founding members (Grand Lyon La Métropole, Ville de Lyon, Université de Lyon), and private GTM partners (EDF, Keolis, JCDecaux, Huttopia, EPSA Group, Endrix). Revenue is not publicly disclosed. The organization holds GDPR-compliant data practices and operates with 11–50 employees.
Only Lyon firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Only Lyon
- Legal name
- ADERLY - Agence de Développement Économique de la Région Lyonnaise
- Website
- https://onlylyon.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1974
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Only Lyon (legally ONLYLYON & CO, formerly ADERLY) is a French non-profit association that runs the official territorial marketing brand for Lyon and the ONLYLYON Invest economic attraction program, offering free promotion, relocation support, and an ambassador network of 26,000+ members to tourists, investors, students, and event organizers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Only Lyon industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Economic Development Services
- NAICS
- Convention and Trade Show Organizers (56192), Advertising Agencies (541810), Advertising Agencies (54181)
- SIC
- Services-Advertising (7310)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Economic Development & Business Licensing (Local) (BPAIACAN)
Keywords
Where Only Lyon is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Lyon
- HQ country
- France
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Only Lyon business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Operations
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Only Lyon product offering
Product offeringCore offering
ONLYLYON is the official territorial marketing and economic development agency for the Lyon metropolitan area, operating under the non-profit association ADERLY (rebranded ONLYLYON & CO). It delivers the ONLYLYON Invest program (free personalized support for companies and investors establishing or expanding in Lyon, covering real estate, funding, HR, mobility, partnerships and legal/tax guidance) and the broader ONLYLYON territorial marketing program that promotes the region internationally through a 26,000+ ambassador network and dedicated portals for tourism, study and events.
Product overview
Only Lyon operates as a dual-component territorial marketing and economic development initiative. The core consists of two interconnected programs: ONLYLYON Invest (economic attraction) handles business development and investment facilitation, while the broader ONLYLYON territorial marketing campaign manages international promotion and brand building. Supporting these are digital platforms including the Ambassador Network Platform (member management and networking) and supplementary resources such as Press Dossiers and the ONLYLYON Box for prospect engagement. The organization also publishes annual activity reports and maintains sector-focused sub-sites covering talent, industry, and living in Lyon.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Companies that use Only Lyon
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Only Lyon technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration4 records
Only Lyon partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
19 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Métropole de LyoncoreCo-chair of ONLYLYON & CO association; primary institutional partner providing strategic direction and funding for territorial marketing initiatives.
- CCI Lyon Métropole Saint-Étienne RoannecoreCo-chair of ONLYLYON & CO association; Chamber of Commerce providing economic expertise and business network access.
- Grand Lyon La MétropolecoreFounding member of the ONLYLYON program; metropolitan authority supporting regional development initiatives.
- ADERLY (Agency for Economic Development)coreManaging organization for ONLYLYON Invest economic attraction program; supports company establishment in the region.
- ONLYLYON Tourisme et CongrèscoreTourism and convention bureau providing visitor services and event organization support for Lyon.
- Ville de LyoncoreCity of Lyon; founding member providing municipal support and alignment with city development goals.
- Université de LyoncoreUniversity consortium; founding member promoting higher education and research collaboration.
- EDFminorPrivate partner supporting ONLYLYON marketing initiatives; energy sector collaboration for regional promotion.
- KeolisminorPrivate partner; public transport operator contributing to regional mobility promotion.
- JCDecauxminorPrivate partner; outdoor advertising company providing marketing visibility support.
- HuttopiaminorPrivate partner; camping and sustainable tourism operator collaborating on nature-based tourism promotion.
- EPSA GroupminorFinancial, operational and environmental performance consulting firm supporting economic development initiatives.
- EndrixminorConsulting firm partner providing business and organization expertise.
- AxeleraminorCompetitiveness cluster for chemistry and environment in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes.
- LyonbiopôleminorCompetitiveness cluster for health and life sciences fostering innovation in biotechnology.
- MEDEF Lyon RhôneminorEmployer federation representing businesses and contributing to economic development discussions.
- École Centrale de LyonminorEngineering school contributing to talent development and research collaboration.
- EM Lyon Business SchoolminorBusiness school partner supporting entrepreneurship and executive education initiatives.
- INSA LyonminorEngineering institute contributing to technical talent development and innovation.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Only Lyon competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Berlin Partner for Business and Technology: Public-private partnership promoting Berlin as a business and technology hub, providing investment support, talent attraction, and tourism marketing. Structurally similar to Only Lyon: co-chaired by public institutions, runs ambassador-style programs, and integrates economic development with territorial marketing.
- Choose Chicago: Chicago's destination marketing organization, responsible for tourism promotion and convention attraction. Comparable to Only Lyon's tourism/convention bureau function, though Only Lyon layers investment attraction on top.
- London & Partners: London's business growth and destination agency, running both investment promotion (Grow London) and tourism/convention marketing (Visit London). Directly comparable to Only Lyon's dual mandate of territorial marketing plus investment attraction for a major European metro.
- Invest in Bavaria: Bavaria's state-level business promotion agency, attracting foreign companies and providing site selection and HR support. Comparable in mission and service mix to ONLYLYON Invest's investment facilitation function.
- Paris Region Entreprises (Choose Paris Region): Economic development agency for the Paris region, attracting foreign investment and promoting the Île-de-France business ecosystem. The most direct domestic competitor for foreign industrial investment projects and structurally analogous to ONLYLYON Invest.
Broad incumbents
- VisitBritain: The national tourism agency for Great Britain, running territorial marketing at a country level. Comparable to Only Lyon's promotional mandate, though operating at greater scale and without the embedded economic development function.
- Business France: France's national agency supporting French companies internationally and promoting inward investment. Overlaps with Only Lyon's ONLYLYON Invest function, though at national rather than regional level; a relevant structural comparable.
- Atout France: France's national tourism development agency, supporting tourism promotion across French destinations. Overlaps with Only Lyon's tourism/convention promotion mandate at the national coordination level.
Regional players
- Greater Zurich Area: Swiss marketing organization promoting the Greater Zurich area as a business location, with strong investment-attraction focus and tech-hub positioning. Comparable to Only Lyon's territorial marketing model in a different (non-French) European market.
- Marseille Provence Invest (Rising Sud): Economic development and territorial marketing agency for the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region. The most direct French regional peer, competing for foreign industrial investment projects and offering comparable business support services.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Only Lyon social profiles
Digital presenceOnly Lyon compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Only Lyon financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Only Lyon leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
Only Lyon funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Only Lyon M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Only Lyon
What does Only Lyon do?
ONLYLYON is the official territorial marketing and economic development agency for the Lyon metropolitan area, operating under the non-profit association ADERLY (rebranded ONLYLYON & CO). It delivers the ONLYLYON Invest program (free personalized support for companies and investors establishing or expanding in Lyon, covering real estate, funding, HR, mobility, partnerships and legal/tax guidance) and the broader ONLYLYON territorial marketing program that promotes the region internationally through a 26,000+ ambassador network and dedicated portals for tourism, study and events.
Is Only Lyon a public or private company?
Only Lyon is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Only Lyon founded?
Only Lyon was founded in 1974. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Only Lyon based?
Only Lyon is headquartered in Lyon, France, in the Europe region.
Who are Only Lyon's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Berlin Partner for Business and Technology, Choose Chicago, London & Partners, Invest in Bavaria and Paris Region Entreprises (Choose Paris Region). Broad incumbents are VisitBritain, Business France and Atout France. Regional players are Greater Zurich Area and Marseille Provence Invest (Rising Sud).
Does Only Lyon have an API?
No public API is recorded for Only Lyon.
What industry is Only Lyon in?
Only Lyon's product category is Economic Development Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAIACAN, Economic Development & Business Licensing (Local). Its NAICS code is 56192 and its SIC code is 7310.