Biz Talk: Attracting international companies to Northern Virginia

This article was written by Sindy Yeh, Senior Business Ambassador for Arlington Economic Development.

International business means real opportunity for the economy not just in Arlington, but throughout the region, and Arlington Economic Development (AED) took advantage of that opportunity at the recent SelectUSA 2022 Investment Summit at National Harbor.

The event, organized by the Department of Commerce to attract foreign direct investments into the United States, brings with it business leaders from around the globe and the opportunity to connect with those businesses. More than 3,700 international attendees from over 70 countries attended the four-day conference, with Taiwan having the largest delegation followed by India.

This year, AED joined forces with its regional counterparts to exhibit as part of the Northern Virginia Economic Development Alliance (NOVA EDA). Founded in 2019, NOVA EDA’s goal is to jointly promote Northern Virginia as the best place to do business. The Northern Virginia region is a prime destination for international companies that want to expand and grow in the United States and its strategic location next to Washington, D.C. provides unparalleled access to the region and the world.

Collaborating to exhibit at the SelectUSA Investment Summit gives Northern Virginia jurisdictions a larger and more impactful presence and the opportunity to showcase and promote their abundant assets, like our highly educated workforce, pro-business environment, expansive infrastructure, excellent educational systems and world class quality of life. The Northern Virginia region has what it takes for international companies to successfully expand in the United States.

This is the first in-person SelectUSA conference after a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic, and interest in foreign investment is strong. Arlington and other regional representatives had the chance to speak with companies from around the globe about their interest in doing business in our region, particularly in industries such as cybersecurity, aerospace and defense, energy, health and data.

SelectUSA gives Arlington valuable insight into the international companies interested in expanding to the United States and the chance to demonstrate why Arlington and Northern Virginia are excellent locations in which to do so.