CEO Guide to Site Selection

Delaware

Innovation and Industry on the Rise

Delaware is a tiny state with an increasingly outsized impact driven by life sciences, innovation and advanced manufacturing. In Wilmington, Incyte is investing $189 million to develop two downtown buildings and bring up to 500 jobs to the city. Delmarva Corrugated Packaging recently opened a $90 million super plant in Dover with 160 new advanced manufacturing jobs, while fintech firm Novo announced an expansion in Wilmington. Delaware also supports startups through the Startup302 competition, which has awarded over $800,000 in grant money to more than 50 startups.

“We will focus our economic development dollars on strategic investments in both small businesses and growing industries. In life sciences and material chemistry, in financial technology and agriculture, we are truly global leaders.”
Matt Meyer
Governor

TAXES

0 %

top corporate income tax

# 0

on the Tax Foundation’s State Tax Competitiveness Index

EDUCATION

0 %

of adults 25 years of age and older graduated high school

0 %

of adults age 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or higher

UNEMPLOYMENT RATE

0 %

RIGHT TO WORK STATE

No

QUALITY OF LIFE

# 0

POPULATION GROWTH

0 %

increase between 2020 and 2024

KEY INCENTIVES

Delaware Strategic Fund: Offers grants and low-interest loans for significant business retention and expansion projects.

EDCs

Delaware Division of Small Business
business.delaware.gov

Delaware Prosperity Partnership
choosedelaware.com

Mayor’s Office of Economic Development, Wilmington, Delaware
wilmingtonde.gov/government/city-departments/office-of-economic-development

City of Dover, Economic Development
cityofdover.com/economic-development

BIG DEALS

  • PepsiCo announced in December 2024 a $62 million upgrade and 77 new jobs at its facility in Claymont.
  • Encompass Elements announced in December 2024 a $3.2 million investment and 31 new jobs at the new headquarters in New Castle.
  • Synnovation Therapeutics announced in January 2025 an expansion and more than 40 new jobs at its facilities in Wilmington.
  • QPS Diagnostics announced in April 2025 a $16.6 million expansion and 135 new jobs at its facility in Newark.
  • Fencing manufacturer Patriot Aluminum announced in June 2025 a $4.8 million investment and 19 new jobs at a production facility in Seaford.

BIG COMPANIES

One Fortune 500 company HQ in the state.

Roundtable

Strategic Planning Workshop

1:00 - 5:00 pm

Over 70% of Executives Surveyed Agree: Many Strategic Planning Efforts Lack Systematic Approach Tips for Enhancing Your Strategic Planning Process

Executives expressed frustration with their current strategic planning process. Issues include:

  1. Lack of systematic approach (70%)
  2. Laundry lists without prioritization (68%)
  3. Decisions based on personalities rather than facts and information (65%)

 

Steve Rutan and Denise Harrison have put together an afternoon workshop that will provide the tools you need to address these concerns.  They have worked with hundreds of executives to develop a systematic approach that will enable your team to make better decisions during strategic planning.  Steve and Denise will walk you through exercises for prioritizing your lists and steps that will reset and reinvigorate your process.  This will be a hands-on workshop that will enable you to think about your business as you use the tools that are being presented.  If you are ready for a Strategic Planning tune-up, select this workshop in your registration form.  The additional fee of $695 will be added to your total.

To sign up, select this option in your registration form. Additional fee of $695 will be added to your total.

New York, NY: ​​​Chief Executive's Corporate Citizenship Awards 2017

Women in Leadership Seminar and Peer Discussion

2:00 - 5:00 pm

Female leaders face the same issues all leaders do, but they often face additional challenges too. In this peer session, we will facilitate a discussion of best practices and how to overcome common barriers to help women leaders be more effective within and outside their organizations. 

Limited space available.

To sign up, select this option in your registration form. Additional fee of $495 will be added to your total.

Golf Outing

10:30 - 5:00 pm
General’s Retreat at Hermitage Golf Course
Sponsored by UBS

General’s Retreat, built in 1986 with architect Gary Roger Baird, has been voted the “Best Golf Course in Nashville” and is a “must play” when visiting the Nashville, Tennessee area. With the beautiful setting along the Cumberland River, golfers of all capabilities will thoroughly enjoy the golf, scenery and hospitality.

The golf outing fee includes transportation to and from the hotel, greens/cart fees, use of practice facilities, and boxed lunch. The bus will leave the hotel at 10:30 am for a noon shotgun start and return to the hotel after the cocktail reception following the completion of the round.

To sign up, select this option in your registration form. Additional fee of $295 will be added to your total.