Investor Watch: November 02, 2023

COVER STORY

Before the Texas Rangers claimed the first World Series championship in their history last night, the world learned yesterday that Texas has top billing in Site Selection’s annual ranking of state business climates.

TOP FREE TRADE ZONES

Global metrics see commerce momentum shifting to Asian ports, with efficiency leaders also found in the Middle East and Africa.

OHIO RIVER CORRIDOR

The bi-state Louisville metro region has taken the crown as top metro in this year’s Ohio River Corridor rankings, ahead of upstart Weirton-Steubenville, West Virginia-Ohio.

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Map courtesy of EDA

Last week the Biden-Harris administration, through the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA), announced the designation of 31 Tech Hubs across eight thematic areas ranging from quantum computing to biotech to materials manufacturing. They were “selected from nearly 400 applications from regional consortia that include industry, academia, state and local governments, economic development organizations, and labor and workforce partners,” said the administration. The hubs will now apply to receive between $40 million and $70 million each for implementation funding, totaling nearly $500 million. The EDA also awarded 29 Strategy Development Grants (SDGs) to help communities significantly increase local coordination and planning activities.

Site Selection readers will recognize many of the regional clusters from past reporting. Watch for more coverage of these hubs as well as emerging tech hubs around the world in Site Selection’s online newsletters and in the 70th anniversary issue of Site Selection in January 2024.

Colombia Investment Summit 2023: Showcasing Regions as Foreign Investment Destinations

This annual event, organized by the Colombian Government, is considered the primary platform for foreign investment in Colombia.

The Summit is scheduled for November 20-28, 2023, and includes an academic agenda as well as a comprehensive regional and sectoral offering for entrepreneurs from around the world.

The priority sectors for attracting foreign investment align with the National Government’s strategy, which seeks to promote sustainable investment and contribute to a just energy transition, competitiveness, and integrated territorial development. These sectors include technology-based services, agribusiness, infrastructure, shipbuilding, tourism, renewable energy, hydrogen, and manufacturing, among others.

“During the event, we will host sectoral tours across our regions, allowing investors to immerse themselves in the richness and diversity that ‘Colombia, the country of beauty,’ has to offer,” said Carmen Caballero, President of ProColombia.

If you want to know more about the event, click here.

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Photo courtesy of the Office of the Governor

Everybody’s looking at Garden & Gun’s annual Good Dog Photo Contest winners. But we dare you to look away from our own good dog photo made yesterday when Editor Emeritus Mark Arend met Honey Butter Chicken Biscuit, the new dog in the family of Texas Governor Greg Abbott. She prefers to go by “Biscuit,” says the governor, who yesterday welcomed Mark’s in-person delivery of the news about the state’s No. 1 finish in this year’s Business Climate Rankings. The other dogs at the governor’s mansion are named Peaches and Pancake. Anyone hungry?