Chicago 2050 in action: a coordinated, regional strategy to attract and grow global investment.

Last week’s Business Pulse spotlighted Chicago 2050: A Plan for Economic Growth & Jobs, a roadmap grounded in a clear premise: our challenges will not be solved through contraction or caution, but through sustained, intentional growth.

One of the plan’s ten core recommendations—outlined in Section 3.1: Economic Growth —calls for a more coordinated, proactive approach to attracting global capital and foreign direct investment. SelectCHI and ChiForward are direct expressions of that recommendation in action. Together, they reflect a strategy designed to reduce friction for international companies, align the region around shared priorities, and convert global interest into long-term investment, jobs, and economic resilience. Rather than reacting to geopolitical uncertainty, Chicagoland is operationalizing a growth strategy that treats international engagement as essential infrastructure for the region’s future

• Download WBC Chicago 2050 | Plan for Economic Growth & Jobs here

Our approach to international engagement is rooted in a simple but enduring advantage: long-standing global relationships, strong regional collaboration, and a shared commitment to welcoming international companies not just to arrive, but to succeed.

The Chicago 2050 strategy reflects a core insight: no global city competes alone. Chicago’s international competitiveness is strengthened by an integrated regional economy—one in which city, county, and suburban partners align around shared priorities, reduce friction for investors, and present a coherent market story to the world.

SelectCHI: An early, intentional entry point

SelectCHI serves as one of the region’s earliest and most important touchpoints for international companies exploring U.S. expansion. Organized in partnership with the Us Department Of Commerce‘s SelectUSA Investment Summit, SelectCHI functions as both a lead-generation platform and a relationship-building forum. Its purpose is not volume, but velocity: helping global decision-makers move from curiosity to confidence.

SelectCHI connects international executives with Chicagoland’s most dynamic industries while offering a grounded view of the region’s fundamentals—world-class talent, strategic location, affordability, and access to critical infrastructure. For companies navigating supply chain shifts or long-term market entry, Chicagoland presents a pragmatic gateway for growth.

From early engagement to measurable momentum

The strategy is beginning to translate into tangible progress. Through SelectCHI 2024 and 2025, World Business Chicago and regional partners advanced conversations with international firms from Europe and Asia across sectors, including clean energy, advanced manufacturing, and food innovation. Several of these discussions progressed to active site exploration or deeper engagement with local partners—early indicators that intentional convening accelerates trust and decision-making.

“SelectCHI was a catalyst for our U.S. expansion. The connections we made quickly translated into action—from launching our flagship café-bakery in Schaumburg to planning our next location in Chicago’s Lincoln Park. The collaborative environment and regional insight were invaluable, and we’re excited to continue growing in Chicagoland and to return for SelectCHI 2026.” — Khrystyna Hrynokh, Founder, Farmer’s Milk (SelectCHI 2025 participant)

While international investment decisions often unfold over several years, early results are emerging. In 2025 alone, more than 25 foreign companies made pro-Chicagoland decisions, generating over 1,000 new jobs and approximately $95 million in workers’ earnings.

Momentum has also expanded through related global engagement. In 2025, Chicagoland welcomed the Transatlantic Business & Investment Conference, connecting European investors with U.S. economic development organizations across life sciences, food and agtech, and cleantech. That partnership—first introduced through SelectCHI—has since become a source of ongoing deal flow shared across the region.

We’d also like to recognize the many partners whose leadership and collaboration make SelectCHI possible. Consulates and trade officers, innovation hubs, academic and research institutions, ecosystem partners, board members, and sponsors all play a critical role in shaping Chicagoland’s appeal to international companies exploring U.S. expansion.

Together, these partners form a coordinated support system that helps global businesses land, grow, and succeed in the region. World Business Chicago’s Global Strategic Initiatives team—working closely with Chicago Sister Cities International and its 28 official international sister cities—anchors this effort by fostering strong relationships across diplomatic, trade, and business communities. Combined with our civic leadership, world-class institutions, and committed sponsors, these partnerships continue to position Chicagoland as a compelling and competitive destination for global investment.

A regional advantage: GCEP

A defining strength of SelectCHI is the leadership of the Greater Chicagoland Economic Partnership (GCEP), which brings together Cook, DuPage, Kane, Kendall, Lake, McHenry, and Will counties under a unified regional narrative. Through joint programming, site visits, and coordinated investor engagement, GCEP simplifies the market for international companies—making it easier to understand opportunities, compare sites, and move forward with confidence.

“SelectCHI is a catalyst for regional growth. By bringing counties together around a shared value proposition, we help international companies move quickly from conversation to commitment—from initial interest to site selection and investment. That coordination is what makes Chicagoland competitive, credible, and easy to choose.” — Kevin Considine, President & CEO, Lake County Partners (SelectCHI regional partner)

ChiForward: translating interest into investment

SelectCHI is complemented by ChiForward—one of the ten recommendations of Chicago 2050—designed to bring greater coordination and discipline to the region’s approach to global capital. ChiForward works with public- and private-sector partners to curate a pipeline of high-potential projects, articulate the strategic case for investment, and connect international capital with opportunities aligned to long-term growth priorities.

For investors, ChiForward offers a trusted front door to the Chicagoland region: vetted opportunities, local expertise, and a partner to navigate regulatory environments and build durable relationships.

Join us April 30–May 1 for SelectCHI 2026, where global companies meet a coordinated, ready-to-move Chicagoland region—and early conversations turn into real opportunities to grow.

• Learn more and register: https://luma.com/htkl9dz0

Global dialogue, local relevance

Chicagoland’s commitment to global engagement also extends beyond convenings. In early February, Karla Ruth Orozco Toledano, Vice President, Economic Development, World Business Chicago will participate in a public discussion at the Chicago Council on Global Affairs examining China’s growing economic presence in Latin America—part of a broader effort to connect global capital trends with local business development and opportunity. To learn more or register your attendance, click here.

RESOURCES:

• Chicago’s Global Appeal Keeps Growing, July, 2025
• Chicago Business Journal: World Business Chicago unveils decade-long strategy to grow local economy by 50%
• Crain’s Chicago Business: World Business Chicago reboots economic development strategy
• Crain’s Opinion: A plan to lure investment to Chicago
• Business In Focus: Forging the Future
• Bisnow: World Business Chicago Has A $1.4T Growth Plan For 2034. Here’s What It Means For CRE

Chicago 2050: A plan for economic growth and jobs

• Chicago 2050 Executive Summary
• Section 1: Introduction From The Steering Committee
• Section 2: Chicagoland’s Economy
• Section 3: Strategies
• Section 4: Priority Industries
• Section 5: Implementation
• Section 6: Appendix & Endnotes