World Business Chicago

Chicago Ranks #1 Again! For yet another year, Chicago has been named the #1 metro in the U.S. for corporate relocation and expansion—a ranking based on real business investments and nearly 100 more projects than #2 seed, Dallas. This win isn't just about a ranking—it’s about the powerhouse of talent, infrastructure, and collaboration that makes Chicagoland the ultimate destination for business growth. Hear from top business leaders driving Chicago’s success in this week’s #BusinessPulse

Today at World Business Chicago's All-Staff meeting, we were honored to host Mikki Kendall, author of 'Hood Feminism: Notes from the Women that a Movement Forgot'. In the book, Kendall emphasizes that feminism must be intersectional and address systemic inequalities that disproportionately affect marginalized communities. Today she spoke about her experience growing up in Chicago, and the factors that moved her to write about these issues. We at World Business Chicago give our sincere thanks to Mikki Kendall for sharing her story and guidance.

Japan has a BIG impact on Illinois trade & jobs... ...and the numbers back it up. The bulk of the Japanese-Chicagoan relationship has to do with trade: Japan is a top trading partner for Illinois, with billions of dollars in exports and imports annually. Illinois' prime farmland provides agricultural products, and Chicagoland's competitive manufacturing sector exports machinery and chemicals. Japanese imports to Illinois include automobiles, electronics, and industrial machinery. But investment plays a big role too: Japan is one of the largest foreign investors in the Chicago area, with over 500 Japanese companies operating in Illinois. In fact, the 8th Congressional district contains the largest concentration of Japanese companies anywhere outside Japan! These economic numbers are strong—and by continuing trade delegations to Japan, we hope to make them even stronger.

Fast Company has named Chicago’s Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park as the #5 Most Innovative Economic Development Company of 2025! Once a 20th-century steel plant, Chicago’s historic South Works site is now transforming into a cutting-edge quantum computing powerhouse. Thanks to the strong and collaborative efforts of Chicago Quantum Exchange, the State of Illinois, and WBC board member companies PsiQuantum, Clayco, Related Companies, and others—this 128-acre campus will feature advanced quantum computing facilities—including PsiQuantum’s massive 300,000-square-foot Quantum Computer Operations Center—and has already drawn global leaders such as Eero-Q and Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) IBM, and others. Read more at https://lnkd.in/eDT3hKKF

Summer 2025 will be the busiest season EVER for Chicago’s airports, O’Hare and Midway! With nearly 17.8 million departing seats scheduled—a 7% jump from last year—Chicago will connect travelers to 265 global destinations. ?? American Airlines, United Airlines, and Southwest Airlines are expanding routes, offering more flights, new destinations, and enhanced passenger experiences. This growth underscores Chicago’s unmatched position as a thriving global aviation and business hub. "This milestone reaffirms Chicago’s status as the top-ranked U.S. city for corporate relocation and site selection," said Phil Clement, President & CEO, World Business Chicago. "With its central location and unmatched connectivity, Chicago is where passenger and commercial travel intersect seamlessly, enabling businesses, talent, and visitors to connect anywhere in the world. When we pitch Chicago to companies worldwide, the transformation of our airports—fueled by expanded service from United Airlines and other carriers—reinforces our position as a thriving global business hub.” Explore more at https://lnkd.in/gqQJQghq Chicago Department of Aviation (CDA) - O'Hare & Midway International Airports #WhyChicago

??? More than $380 million in development proposals were approved at this week's?Chicago Plan Commission meeting, continuing a fast-paced start to 2025. The approvals include: ? A $294 million, 39-story mixed-income building at 350 N. Morgan St. on the Near West Side with 573 homes and 11,000 square feet of retail. ? A $71.1 million, 90-unit affordable residential building at 5853 N. Broadway in Edgewater. ? A $14.5 million, 49-unit office-to-residential conversion at 1006 S. Michigan Ave. in the Loop. ? A $1.5 million Starbucks store at 9429 S. Stony Island Ave. in Calumet Heights. The commission also heard updates on a trio of DPD business corridor planning initiatives to support local investment: the 79th Street Corridor Plan in Auburn Gresham, the Armitage Industrial Corridor Framework Plan on the Northwest Side, and Moving Archer Forward on the Southwest Side. Plan adoptions could occur starting this spring. In 2025, Plan Commission has approved more than $7.9?billion in new projects and 10,800 new residential units through March.

World Business Chicago is proud to support #TechChicagoWeek2025, a celebration of our city's thriving tech ecosystem. Now’s the time to step up, showcase, and contribute to one of the most exciting weeks in Chicago tech! (See below ?? ) There are countless ways to bring your network together and highlight what makes Chicago a powerhouse for innovation. From tech talks to product showcases, career fairs, and cultural events—this is always a "not-to-be-missed" week!

???? Japan Trade Mission Blog: Day 5 On our final day in Japan, we were once again met with Osaka’s warmth—this time from Mayor Hideyuki Yokoyama and top city officials at Osaka City Hall. That warmth was captured upon our arrival with the Chicago flag flying at the top of Osaka City Hall!? During our meeting, Deputy Mayor Kenya K. Merritt and Phil Clement reaffirmed Chicago’s deep appreciation for Osaka and our commitment to strengthening this invaluable partnership. And, of course, we couldn’t leave without making a friendly promise—a Cubs victory the next time we face off against Osaka hometown favorite the Hanshin Tigers. The day continued with a series of productive business meetings with NTN Bearing Corporation, Osaka Soda, and Fuji Oil Holdings Inc., reinforcing the strong economic ties between our cities that exist during this period of unpredictable economic certainty. From there, we took the Osaka Metro to the newly completed Yumeshima Station, a key transportation hub for Expo 2025 Osaka-Kansai. We were honored with an exclusive hard-hat tour of the Expo site—an exciting preview of the innovation and global collaboration that will soon take center stage. While photos will have to wait until the grand opening on April 13th, the experience left us in a state of pure awe, and even more excited for what’s to come. We closed the trip with a celebratory reception banquet, graciously hosted by the Vice Mayor Toru Takahashi of Osaka. Throughout the evening, heartfelt remarks were shared by both our delegation and Osaka’s political and business leaders, underscoring the strength of our enduring sister-city relationship. Though our time in Osaka was brief, the generosity, hospitality, and unwavering support we received had a powerful effect on us. From all of us at World Business Chicago, we extend our deepest gratitude to our friends and partners in Osaka. This visit was a testament to the power of global collaboration—and a reminder that our cities will continue to grow stronger, together. Kevin Considine Rachel Dame Jamie Redmond Tak O'Haru Jim Hart Kimiyo Naka Tamar Newberger Kenya K. Merritt Matt Feagley Phil Clement Nakagawa Takashi Kyle T. Schulz Adrienne Tongate Chris Chaidez, CGBP Mirah Z. Mike Sekine Chicago Sister Cities International

With 582 corporate facility projects in 2024, the Chicago metro area bested Dallas, Houston and New York City to win the coveted No. 1 Top Metro Ranking in Site Selection Magazine for a record 12th straight year. World Business Chicago President & CEO Phil Clement tells our Alexis Elmore how the Windy City blew doors off everyone else in this exclusive report. Leading the charge was a bevy of data centers, led by Compass Datacenters, QTS Data Centers, CyrusOne and Iron Mountain. #economicdevelopment #siteselection #jobs Intersect Illinois Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Kristin Richards Paulina San Millan #workforcedevelopment ComEd Ed Sitar CloudHQ, LLC

While our business delegation strengthens ties in Japan, we’re also on the ground in Germany for Berlin Energy Week 2025—building global partnerships to attract investment and showcase why Chicago is a top destination for international companies looking to expand in the U.S. We proudly represented the Chicagoland region via the GACC Midwest - German American Chamber of Commerce of the Midwest, Inc. delegation led by Britta Schneider and Jan-Felix Kederer. WBC's very own Chief Strategy & Innovation Officer Abin Kuriakose joined the delegation in Berlin for an official session at Urban Innovation Forum 2025 by Climate Tech Hub e.V., where he shared a #proChicago pitch for attending startup CEOs, investors, technologists, and innovators focused on the global #climatech movement. Something Berlin and Chicago both love—The Bears! The bear has been the historical symbol that represents the City of Berlin, incorporated in the official city seal. And of course, we didn’t miss the opportunity to represent WBC board member, the Chicago Bears!?