More about the Saint Paul/East Metro area on the Community Profile Network!

See the Saint Paul Area Chamber Grow Minnesota! report for year three.  Contact Michael Belaen for a hard copy at 651.265.2773.

See this month's edition of East Metro Area Economic Development News!

Business & Industry
A competitive edge

Minnesota is a global leader in many industries — including medical devices, technology, manufacturing, insurance, healthcare and service industries.  Minnesota’s abundance of capital, the local work ethic and great quality of life are often cited as reasons why it is a great place to start or grow a business. In fact, in 2003 Minnesota was ranked “Top Spot for Business” by Entrepreneur magazine.

Similarly, an article from the June 20, 2005 issue of The Scientist ranked the University of Minnesota's "intellectual pipeline" fourth, based on a variety of criteria. 

Fortune magazine’s 2007 list of the 500 largest U.S. companies includes 20 that are headquartered in Minnesota — and Ecolab, Inc., 3M, CHS, Land O’Lakes, Northwest Airlines, St. Paul Travelers and Xcel Energy are located in the Saint Paul/East Metro area.

Many small and diverse businesses also call the Saint Paul/East Metro area home.  University Avenue in Saint Paul is a hotbed of Hmong business ventures coupled with long-term businesses that have been a part of the community for generations.  District Del Sol, on Saint Paul’s West Side, is home to the Twin Cities’ best Mexican food and Cinco de Mayo — Minnesota’s largest Hispanic/Latino event. 

Woodbury and Oakdale are both East Metro communities that are attracting small business at a furious rate.  Major new office complexes are in the works in both communities, supported by large investments in transportation infrastructure, retail development and a continued housing boom. 

With a legacy of health care excellence and a thriving medical device industry built around Medtronic, Boston Scientific, and Saint Jude Medical, Minnesota has launched an initiative intended to stimulate growth of the biosciences.  One of Minnesota’s bioscience corridors can be found on the Saint Paul/Minneapolis borders.  This corridor is focused on bioscience applications in agricultural, industrial and drug/device combinations and leverages the unique assets of the University of Minnesota, Mayo Clinic and the Saint Paul/East Metro area’s unbeatable location and leadership. 

If you would like information on how to successfully locate or expand your business in the Saint Paul/East Metro area, please contact us at 651.265.2796.