Investor Watch: July 28, 2025

Biogen goes big on anniversary investment in Durham. Vantage finds an advantage in the Reno region. Collins Aerospace will add 570 jobs at two locations in Richardson.

RURAL ADVANTAGE

Why talented workers are choosing places in the American heartland.

INTELLIGENCE REPORT

“If you join our group, you’re an active economic developer with real money wanting to help,” says Dave Quinn, founder of TexasEDConnection. “Small manufacturers can come and build their dreams.” So can companies with $500 billion worth of dreams.

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Among the activities for Serious Play Conference attendees in Rochester will be a visit to the Strong National Museum of Play.
Photo courtesy of Strong National Museum of Play

Last week Empire State Development announced Canada’s largest game-based learning conference, The Serious Play Conference, will take place for the first time in New York August 13-15 at St. John Fisher University in Rochester. “We’re thrilled to bring Serious Play 2025 to Rochester for the first time,” said Serious Play Conference Executive Director Paul Darvasi, “partnering with the city’s incredible academic and technology community.” An inaugural esports summit will take place after the conference.

Darvasi’s voice was prominent in a series of stories Site Selection published several years ago on esports and video game development. The Serious Play Conference is distinct from The Serious Games Initiative at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, which was also featured in the series.

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Last Tuesday the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis released data on the United States’ foreign direct investment (FDI) position abroad and at home. At the end of 2024, the country’s cumulative level of investment abroad had increased by $206.3 billion to a total of $6.83 trillion, the BEA stated. Meanwhile, FDI in the United States increased by $332.1 billion to a total of $5.71 trillion by the end of 2024.

“The increase was led by a $204.7 billion increase in the position from Europe, which reflected a $52.9 billion increase from the United Kingdom and a $39.7 billion increase from Germany,” said the BEA. “By industry, affiliates in manufacturing increased the most.” By country of the ultimate beneficial owner (UBO), Japan was the top investing country in terms of position at the end of 2024, with $819.2 billion. Canada ($811.7 billion) was second, and Germany ($677.3 billion) was third.

Photo courtesy of Mercedes-Benz AG

In 1965, Wörth am Rhein became the focus of commercial vehicle production at Mercedes-Benz. Daimler last week celebrated the 60th anniversary of the first complete truck to roll off the production line in July 1965: a green Mercedes-Benz LP 608. Sites in Gaggenau and Kassel specialized in the construction of transmissions and axles for trucks, while Mannheim focused on engines and the production of buses. Actual production had begun in 1963 with a crew of around 100 people, the company explained. “In the more than 60 years since the start of production, more than 4.4 million trucks have been manufactured in Wörth — of which more than 800,000 are now Completely Knocked Down, vehicle kits that are shipped to numerous overseas markets for final assembly on site.”

Wörth am Rhein is located along the Rhine River in the district of Germersheim, in Rhineland-Palatinate, not far north of Germany’s border with France. In addition to also being known for chemistry, AI and health care, says the Rhineland-Palatinate Ministry of Economic Affairs, Transport, Agriculture and Viniculture, the state is home to six of the 13 Germany wine-growing regions.