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Dear Texas Economic Development Stakeholders,
Texas has done it once again! In June, Business Facilities named the Lone Star State the Best Business Climate in the nation for the second year in a row, and our state and metros received top rankings in other categories in the 2024 State & Metro Rankings Report. It's clear that Texas is truly bigger and better for business! See the full state and metro rankings here.
In other good news, Texas continues to lead the nation in job creation over the last 12 months. We have also reached a new all-time high for Texans working and size of the Texas labor force—now at more than 15.3 million strong.
In this issue of the Texas Business Bulletin, you'll find an update from the recent Texas-Asia Business Development Mission to Taiwan, South Korea and Japan, new resources and publications, our economic snapshot, recent meetings and upcoming events, as well as project announcements across the state.
As always, please be sure to visit our website, follow us on social media or reach out to a member of our team if we can be of any assistance!
 -Adriana Cruz, Executive Director, Texas Economic Development & Tourism
  Unemployment Rate: 4%
Workforce: 15.3 million
U.S. Rank in Annual Job Growth: #1
Hot off the Press
Our office develops in-depth reports, publications, infographics and maps highlighting the Lone Star State's best assets for business and targeted growth sectors. Check out more Reports & Publications on our website.
Texas Bragging Rights
Texas has an exceptional story to tell about our success in economic development! Download the new Texas Bragging Rights to see some of our state's recent awards and accolades.
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International Companies in Texas Map
There are already more than 1,900 foreign corporations doing business in the state—a number that only continues to grow! Download the new International Companies in Texas Map for a sampling of the largest foreign firms in Texas and recent FDI announcements.
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Fortune 500 Companies in Texas Map
Texas is a leading state for Fortune 500 corporate headquarters, home to more than 50 Fortune headquarter locations across the state. Download the new Fortune 500 Companies in Texas Map to see the companies and locations.
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Texas-Asia Business Development Mission to Taiwan, South Korea & Japan
Governor Greg Abbott led an Economic Development Mission to Taiwan, South Korea and Japan in July, organized by EDT and the Texas Economic Development Corporation (TxEDC). During the trip, the Texas delegation met with world-class businesses and government leaders to strengthen economic, trade and investment ties with the three nations and advance industries critical to the future of the global economy.
Governor Abbott was joined by First Lady Cecilia Abbott, Secretary of State Jane Nelson, EDT Executive Director Adriana Cruz, TxEDC President & CEO Aaron Demerson and a Texas delegation of 23 Texas economic development community partners and business leaders.
Download the Texas & Taiwan Profile ›
Download the Texas & South Korea Profile ›
During the stop in Nagoya, Japan, Governor Abbott met with Toyota Motor Corporation executives and suppliers and toured the Toyota Commemorative Museum of Industry and Technology. The Texas delegation also met with Aisin President & CEO and other Aisin executives to thank the company for its recent investment in Cibolo.
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Download the Japan and Texas Profile ›
The trip was sponsored and paid for by the Texas Economic Development Corporation.
 
In June 2024, First Lady Cecilia Abbott celebrated the groundbreaking of JCB's new manufacturing facility in San Antonio. The project was originally announced in October 2023 and is expected to create more than $265 million in capital investment and more than 1,500 new jobs.
 Texas' success in attracting the most corporate expansion and relocation projects in the U.S. is thanks to a unique combination of competitive business advantages that no other state can claim. For more on these business advantages, visit our Why Texas webpages. Here are some recently announced projects in regions across the state:
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SeAH in Temple: South Korean firm SeAH announced plans to build a $110 million manufacturing facility in Temple, expected to create 100 new jobs. The company was extended a Texas Enterprise Fund grant of $910,000.
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Toyota in San Antonio: Toyota in expanding its footprint in San Antonio with a $531 million investment, bringing more than 400 new jobs. This investment reinforces the plant’s flexibility with advanced manufacturing technologies.
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JSW Steel in Baytown: JSW Steel announced an expansion of its operations in Baytown, creating $110 million in capital investment. The new facility will manufacture high grade plates for offshore wind segments.
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DataNovaX in Wichita Falls: Wylie-based build-to-suit data center provider DataNovaX announced a new $1 billion campus project in Wichita Falls.
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Hithium in Mesquite: Hithium, a manufacturer of stationary energy storage products, announced plans for a new production facility in Mesquite expected to create $100 million in capital investment and more than 140 new jobs.
Join us at an upcoming Governor's Small Business Summit! These events aim to help Texas small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs reach new heights by connecting them with the resources and information needed to start, strengthen and grow a business. These events offer a variety of sessions bringing together local, state and federal resource partners to provide key insights on critical business topics. They also offer an opportunity to network with other business owners and meet experts who will share timely, relevant and actionable advice on a multitude of small business topics.
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August 8: Governor’s Small Business Summit — Plainview
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August 22: Governor’s Small Business Summit — Odessa
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September 5: Governor’s Small Business Summit — Weatherford
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September 19: Governor’s Small Business Summit — El Paso
New Report: Demographics for People with Disabilities
The Texas Workforce Investment Council has now published a report titled People with Disabilities: A Texas Profile detailing the demographic characteristics of the population of individuals with disabilities in Texas. Read the full report by clicking the link below.
 "It ain't bragging if it's true!" Here are some of the recent accolades Texas has received:
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Business Facilities magazine officially named Texas the #1 Best Business Climate in the U.S. in the 2024 State Rankings Report. In addition, Texas has received a number of other local awards in the Metro Rankings Report.
- Texas was awarded the Gold Shovel Award from Area Development Magazine and two Texas projects were named Projects of the Year: ZT Systems in Georgetown (Manufacturing) and SEG Solar in Houston (Clean Tech), in addition to other Texas projects, which received honorable mentions.
- Texas was named #1 in the U.S. on the 2024 Sustainability Rankings from Site Selection, and two Texas metros took the top spots on the national metro area rankings for sustainability: Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown and Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington.
- Texas dominated Site Selection’s America’s Best Counties raking with five counties among the top 20: Harris, Dallas, Tarrant, Bexar and Collin.
- Texas has one of the best state economies in the U.S., ranking second for economic activity (WalletHub).
- Texas cities rank among the Best Places to Live in the U.S. in 2024-2025, according to U.S. News and World Report: Austin, McAllen, El Paso, Corpus Christi, Brownsville, San Antonio, Dallas, Houston, Beaumont and more.
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The University of Texas System was ranked #3 in the U.S. for number of patents granted with a total of 235 in 2023 (Academy of Inventors). The Texas A&M University System, Texas Tech University and University of North Texas also ranked among the top 100.
- Among all U.S. states, Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown ranked #8 for Most Educated Cities. (WalletHub)
Download the latest Top Texas Touts to your mobile device for talking points you can take on-the-go—everything from economic expansion, job creation, workforce, industry, infrastructure, education and more.
Samsung Highway Ribbon Cutting
 Governor Greg Abbott celebrated Texas’ continued partnership with Samsung at a ribbon cutting ceremony for the new Samsung Highway in Taylor. This project is the next phase of Samsung's expanding investment in the state of Texas. Following the ribbon cutting ceremony, the Governor received a briefing from Samsung’s executives on the ongoing construction of Samsung’s new cutting-edge semiconductor fabrication facilities in Central Texas. Read more in the Governor's press release.
 Texas Economic Development Council Mid-Year Conference
 EDT staff attended the Texas Economic Development Council Mid-Year Conference in Conroe in June. Representatives from the Texas Music Office, Texas Film Commission, Business & Community Development and Economic Development Finance joined a panel session to give an update on resources and incentives available to communities and companies across the state.
 Vehicle Accessory Group’s Ribbon Cutting
 In June, Governor Abbott and EDT Executive Director Adriana Cruz attended the ribbon cutting for Vehicle Accessory Group's new corporate headquarters in Mesquite, which is expected to create more than 600 new jobs and $65 million in investment. Congratulations to the City of Mesquite and our other local and regional economic development partners on this remarkable win!
SelectUSA Investment Summit
 The EDT team attended the 2024 SelectUSA Summit in June in National Harbor, Maryland. During the summit, EDT Executive Director Cruz participated in the JSW Steel announcement in which the company revealed plans to invest $110 million in Texas to create a new facility dedicated to making high grade plates for offshore wind segments. Other announcements that took place during the Summit include Acutronic’s new headquarters in Austin and aerospace manufacturing facility in Bastrop, and Aditya Birla Group’s new $50 million manufacturing and R&D center in Beaumont. More here.
 EDT also got the opportunity to participate in the Team Texas booth at SelectUSA. Thank you to our partners, Team Texas, the Texas Economic Development Corporation and our Texas community partners for your ongoing collaboration in promoting Texas as the best state for business!
 Governor's Small Business Summit — Pampa
 The Governor's Small Business Summit — Pampa took place June 13 and featured speakers and panelists on a multitude of small business topics including Leveraging Technology in Your Small Business, Access to Finance & Funding and Marketing & E-Commerce Essentials. Find more photos from the event on Facebook and session recordings on YouTube. See upcoming events on our events calendar.
Governor's Small Business Summit — Lufkin/East Texas
 The Governor's Small Business Summit — Lufkin/East Texas provided small business owners from across the region with resources to take their businesses to new heights. The Governor's Small Business Awards were presented to four local businesses for their impact on their communities. Find more photos from the event on Facebook and see upcoming events on our events calendar.
SEMICON West
 The EDT team joined Texas Economic Development Corporation and Yates Construction at SEMICON West in San Francisco, California, in July to promote Texas as the leading state in the nation for semiconductor manufacturing. Texas community partners and company representatives joined the shared Texas booth.
Governor's Small Business Summit — Galveston/Gulf Coast
 The sold-out Governor's Small Business Summit in Galveston brought together small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs from around the region to connect with resource providers and subject-matter experts on a multitude of topics. Find more photos from the event on Facebook. See upcoming events on our events calendar.
 Interested in working with the best state economic development team in the country and helping grow the Lone Star State's economy? Come join our team! There are multiple positions for experienced professionals in Economic Development Finance (EDF), Texas Film Commission (TFC), the Texas Space Commission (TSC) and other divisions. Here's a select sampling of open positions:
For more information on available positions, visit gov.texas.gov/employment.
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