CHICAGO – Intersect Illinois and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO), today announced the state’s delegation for the 2025 SelectUSA Investment Summit – the country’s highest-profile economic summit dedicated to promoting foreign direct investment (FDI). The 11th annual SelectUSA Investment Summit, which is hosted by the U.S. Department of Commerce, will take place from May 11-14, 2025, in National Harbor, Maryland.
The annual SelectUSA Investment Summit convenes delegations from across the country to promote the United States as the world’s premier investment destination, connecting foreign firms with U.S. economic development organizations to facilitate business investment and job creation.
Delegates will promote a wide variety of Illinois communities for business investment, while highlighting the state’s assets. The Illinois booth (#900) will showcase the state’s modern transportation infrastructure, talented and diverse workforce, easy access to key suppliers, markets, and customers, as well as its supportive business climate and central location.
“Illinois is an economic development powerhouse—with unparalleled assets that make it the ideal U.S. destination for international investment,” said Christy George, President and CEO of Intersect Illinois. “Team Illinois is energized and ready to showcase our advantages at the SelectUSA Summit. With record-breaking private investment in 2024 and national recognition as a top state for corporate expansions and relocations, we’re building on a track record of growth and global competitiveness.”
In Illinois, private investments secured through incentives doubled over the course of one year in 2024 to $12.5 billion, with growth in key sectors like clean energy, exports, and quantum computing. Illinois has rapidly become a global leader in quantum, with research collaborations, national labs, the nation’s first quantum-focused accelerator, an in-development quantum district, and the groundbreaking Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Proving Ground.
Site Selection Magazine has ranked Illinois second in the U.S. for corporate expansions and relocations for three years running, and Chicago has been the #1 city in the U.S. for a dozen consecutive years.
Illinois leads globally, as the top exporting state in the Midwest with a record-breaking $81 billion in exports in 2024. Trade missions led by Governor Pritzker to Canada, Japan, and Mexico signify Illinois’ commitment to serving as a stable, supportive partner to international firms.
“Illinois remains a prime destination for global investment, driven by our commitment to innovation, infrastructure, and workforce development, said DCEO Director Kristin Richards. “We are proud to showcase Team Illinois’ collaborative approach to ensuring our state is a top choice for international companies seeking to relocate or expand in the United States.”
The Team Illinois delegation members attending this year’s summit include:
- DCEO Director Kristin Richards and team
- Intersect Illinois President & CEO Christy George and team
- Ameren Illinois
- Bloomington-Normal Economic Development Council
- Chicago Southland Economic Development Council
- Choose DuPage
- Greater Peoria Economic Development Council
- iFAB Tech Hub
- Jerseyville Economic Development Council, Inc.
- Kendall County
- Lake County Partners
- Southern Illinois Now
- Will County Center for Economic Development
- World Business Chicago
Last year’s 2024 SelectUSA Investment Summit had record attendance numbers with more than 5,000 attendees across 96 international markets, and for the first time, all 56 U.S. states and territories were represented at the event.
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Intersect Illinois is the only statewide economic development organization focused on bringing new businesses, jobs and investment to Illinois. Intersect Illinois collaborates with industry, academic and government partners to showcase why Illinois is the best location for domestic and international companies to relocate and expand. Intersect Illinois helped create over 20,018 jobs, retain 2,916 jobs, and generate $9.3 billion in investment over the last 8+ years.
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