In January, the city of Charlotte traveled to Paris, France to connect and inform European business leaders of the ever-increasing partnership opportunities throughout the Charlotte region. The Charlotte Hornets and Charlotte Regional Business Alliance coordinated this joint economic development event with the support of the Jordan brand and the National Basketball Association in order to bring international attention to the Queen City.
As the Hornets were set to play against the Milwaukee Bucks in Paris on Friday, January 24th, it was an opportune moment for the city’s key officials to join and share their excitement regarding the rapid-growing international business community that is thriving throughout Mecklenburg county.
Over the three-day event, city officials met with leaders of a variety of technology organizations of all sizes to discuss their business plans and future development options. Their agenda included a tour of Station F, an old train station that was converted into a tech coworking space and houses a whole entrepreneurial ecosystem, including more than 30 startup programs, 35 public administrations, 40 VC funds, four mentorship offices, and over 600 events per year.
On the final evening of the trip, the city hosted an event that incorporated a “taste of Charlotte”, including an opportunity to sample Charlotte’s very own Free Range Brewing’s fine selection of beer. Mayor Vi Lyles addressed the attendees, highlighting Charlotte’s impressive international growth in recent years by stating, “Our region has a long and successful history with a number of international companies, which have added so much not only to our business environment, but also to the community and culture of what is one of the fastest-growing cities in the United States.”
Anthony Copeland, North Carolina Secretary of Commerce, Marcus Jones, Charlotte’s City Manager, and Tariq Bokhari of the Carolina Fintech Hub, all had the opportunity to address the attendees and share the city of Charlotte’s unique formula that overall makes it the ideal space for international organizations to enter the US market.
Mathias Durand, the Director of Learning and Development of Socialbakers, was one of the individuals who was present to hear Mayor Lyles and the other Charlotte representatives speak. After the panel discussion he commented, “The message that I heard was, if you are going to Charlotte, we will help you. We will help you network and connect you with other businesses and people, which is a support that is very beneficial and very valuable.”
The final evening’s event broke off into a reception and networking opportunity before the attendees headed to cheer on the Charlotte Hornets against the Milwaukee Bucks, including the Hornet’s primary shareholder and NBA legend, Michael Jordan.
This global discussion came at a pivotal time within the Queen City’s socioeconomic plans. Over the past fifteen months, the city has experienced extraordinary economic development such as the relocation and expansion of major organizations such as Honeywell, Duke Energy, Lowe’s, Bank of America, Better.com, Premier, LendingTree, AvidXchange, and more.
The city’s continuous migration from the northeast and west coast is one of the many factors that have encouraged businesses to consider Charlotte a prime candidate for their continuously growing organizations. Many of them will focus heavily on recruiting talent, particularly centering on UNC-Charlotte as a key hub to drive human resources growth in future years.
As Charlotte continues to strive towards offering the best for businesses and individuals alike, there are many beneficial financial factors such as a 2.5% corporate tax rate and the competitive lower cost of living to consider. Beyond that, the city hopes to continue its growth and support of the highest quality of life for all who call Charlotte their home.
In 2019, Fortune Magazine stated, “The Queen City is in the midst of an economic renaissance that’s both attracting major corporations and sprouting dozens of new startups across a variety of industries.”
For more information about how the City of Charlotte helps businesses grow and thrive, visit charlottebusinessresources.com.
