ANNAPOLIS, MD—This week, Governor Larry Hogan spoke at the SelectUSA Investment Summit in National Harbor, the top event in the United States dedicated to promoting direct foreign investment. The governor addressed attendees at an event hosted by the state to promote Maryland as a world-class destination for foreign investment.

“It’s an honor to welcome you to the great state of Maryland, the most innovative state in America,” said Governor Hogan. “We have made it a top priority to build an unrivaled ecosystem of job creation and economic growth. We are already home to more than 700 global companies, and we are doing everything we can to make it easier for international companies to do business in our state.”

During his remarks, the governor touted a number of foreign investment achievements and initiatives that the state has advanced:

• The Global Gateway Initiative—a first-in-the-nation program—helps attract international businesses and ease their transition into the U.S. market by connecting them with local incubators and accelerators.
• A new partnership with Guinness Enterprise Centre in Dublin—the leading university-associated business incubator in the world—will focus on soft landing spaces, academics, and networking opportunities between the State of Maryland and the Republic of Ireland.
• In recent weeks, Maryland has welcomed a number of major international businesses, including railcar manufacturer Hitachi Rail in Washington County, diagnostic test maker Ellume in Frederick, and ZIM Shipping Lines at the Port of Baltimore. In addition, the Port was recently added to an international container service with the Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) that will include port visits between Asia and the Panama Canal as well as the U.S. and the Suez Canal.
• The state also continues to solidify its standing as the cyber capital of America, and as home to one of the nation’s largest clusters of life sciences businesses.

The SelectUSA Investment Summit attracts more than 1,200 business investors from approximately 80 international markets. The Maryland Department of Commerce’s Office of International Investment and Trade, which oversees 18 trade offices across the globe, is participating in several events during the summit, including industry-specific tours for foreign investors, and a panel about soft landing programs.

Earlier in the evening, the governor attended a reception hosted by U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo to welcome attendees.

The governor also visited the summit’s Exhibition Hall and stopped by both the State of Maryland and Prince George’s County booths.