All four regions are strong in terms of economic as well as research performance. Together the Four Motors for Europe encompass 36 million inhabitants and account for approximately 9 % of European economic output.
Second Region with the largest population in France with its 7.8 millions inhabitants, the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Region gathers twelve percent of the French population and cover 13 percent of the metropolitan territory.
Baden-Württemberg is the third biggest of the German States. It is one of the leading economic regions not only in Germany but also in Europe: Home to internationally renowned corporations and thousands of successful small and medium-sized enterprises.
Catalonia is located in the Northeast of the Iberian Peninsula and in the West of the Mediterranean Sea. Its strategic location has made it a top rank position as a gateway to the South of Europe.
Located in the north of Italy, at the heart of the most economically advanced European area, Lombardy is a bridge to the Mediterranean Sea.
