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Over the last two years, the Shapiro Administration has successfully competed for business, made strategic investments in key sectors of the Commonwealth’s economy, and implemented transformative changes to the permitting, licensing, and certification processes to ensure Pennsylvania moves at the speed of business.
You are viewing: Getting Economic Development Done: Governor Shapiro is Making Pennsylvania More Competitive, Attracting Investment, and Creating Jobs
Governor Shapiro is focused on getting even more stuff done — positioning Pennsylvania as a national leader in innovation, job creation, and economic development — while building on the successes of his first two years in office.
Philadelphia, PA – Today, Governor Josh Shapiro and Department of Community and Economic Development Secretary Rick Siger visited life sciences company Adare Pharma Solutions to highlight the Shapiro Administration’s success in securing over $3 billion in private sector investments and creating more than 4,700 jobs since taking office. Last year, Pennsylvania’s investment in Adare enticed the life sciences company to relocate from New Jersey to Philadelphia — creating 115 new well-paying jobs, retaining 200 existing positions.
“My Administration is focused on driving economic growth to create real opportunity for Pennsylvanians. Pennsylvania is open for business, and I’m committed to bringing people together to spur economic development, create jobs, and drive innovation all across our Commonwealth,” said Governor Shapiro. “From cutting red tape to launching our first Economic Development Strategy in nearly two decades, we’ve laid a solid foundation for continued success in the state. Pennsylvania is showing the nation how we get stuff done and deliver real results – and we’re just getting started.”
“Access to a highly skilled talent pool and key markets is critical for us, and the Philadelphia area provides exactly what we need. That’s why we’re relocating to Pennsylvania and expanding our facilities in Philadelphia,” said Tom Sellig, CEO of Adare. “Pennsylvania is truly a life sciences hub, and the Shapiro Administration, along with the Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce, has been instrumental in helping us — as they have for many companies like ours.”
“As we look to the future, it’s clear that investing in companies like Adare is not just important — it’s essential,” said Yogini Patel, packaging supervisor at Adare. “Organizations like ours drive advancements in healthcare, improve patient adherence, and create solutions that have a global impact. Supporting companies that prioritize innovation and quality ensures we continue to deliver value not just to our industry, but to society as a whole.”
From day one, Governor Shapiro has worked to spur economic development in Pennsylvania, creating the first Economic Development Strategy in nearly two decades, securing historic funding for site development, main streets, small businesses, and more, and speeding up the Commonwealth’s permitting, licensing, and certification processes. As a result, the Shapiro Administration has secured over $3 billion in private sector investment in Pennsylvania, created over 4,700 jobs, and achieved a historically low unemployment rate below the national average.
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“Governor Shapiro and I have focused on creating economic opportunity for all Pennsylvanians by investing in resources that will empower our workforce and businesses,” said DCED Secretary Siger. “We’re making strategic investments in every corner of our Commonwealth and will continue to get stuff done that will spur innovation, create jobs, support our communities, and invest in Pennsylvania’s bright future.”
Strategic Investments Across Key Sectors
Last year, Pennsylvania launched its first statewide Economic Development Strategy and the Governor’s 2024-25 bipartisan budget made significant investments aligned with the ten-year economic strategy, focusing on five key industries: agriculture, energy, life sciences, manufacturing, and robotics and technology. Key investments over the last two years include:
- Expanding the PA SITES Program: Secured $500 million in state funds to develop shovel-ready sites, building on the success of the pilot program that awarded $10.6 million to seven projects.
- Main Street Matters Program: Established a $20 million fund to support downtowns, main streets, and surrounding neighborhoods.
- Promoting Pennsylvania’s Tourism Brand: Launched the new tourism campaign, Pennsylvania: The Great American Getaway, and secured $15 million in state funding for tourism marketing.
- Revitalizing Downtown Pittsburgh: Announced a historic plan to revitalize Downtown Pittsburgh with a $62 million investment that will help spur nearly $600 million in total investment to revitalize the community as a thriving center for economic growth, culture, and industry and create over 3,000 jobs.
Competing and Winning for Pennsylvania
Governor Shapiro has successfully competed against other states to bring business to the Commonwealth, including:
Transforming Government to Drive Economic Growth
The Shapiro Administration has made significant strides in modernizing government services to support economic development and make government move at the speed of business, including:
- Office of Transformation and Opportunity (OTO): Established as a “one-stop-shop” for businesses to eliminate red tape and encourage expansion.
- Money-Back Guarantee System: Launched PAyback.pa.gov, the nation’s first online money-back guarantee system, ensures timely processing of permits, licenses, and certifications (PLC) by offering refunds for delays.
- Permitting Modernization: Secured $16.9 million across the Governor’s first two budgets to modernize and accelerate permitting at the Commonwealth. Launched the PA Permit Fast Track Program, the nation’s first project-based permitting system to expedite major economic development and infrastructure projects, led by OTO.
- Boosting Pennsylvania’s Competitiveness: Reduced corporate filing processing times from 8 weeks to just 2 days and cut small business certification times by 33 percent, making Pennsylvania more attractive for businesses and workers. Increased the cap for net loss deductions for start-ups and other businesses, delivering on a promise to create a more business-friendly environment and attract investments.
- Streamlining Economic Development Tools: Simplified the application process for the Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP), one of the Commonwealth’s most important economic tools.
Advancing Pennsylvania’s Manufacturing and Tech Sectors
Governor Shapiro and his Administration has secured hundreds of millions in private sector investments to strengthen Pennsylvania’s manufacturing and technology industries, including:
- Astrobotic Technology: Announced a $20 million expansion in Pittsburgh, creating 283 new high-tech jobs.
- EMD Electronics: Invested $300 million in Schuylkill County to build the world’s largest integrated specialty gas facility, creating nearly 200 jobs.
- Mitsubishi Electric Power Products: Committed $86 million to build an advanced switchgear factory, creating at least 200 new jobs.
Supporting the Agriculture and Food Industries
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The Shapiro Administration has also focused on bolstering Pennsylvania’s agriculture and food sectors:
Expanding Life Sciences and Biomedical Industries
The Shapiro Administration has supported significant investments to expand Pennsylvania’s life sciences and biomedical industries, including:
Broadening Opportunities and Support for All Businesses
The Shapiro Administration has prioritized expanding opportunities and support for minority-owned businesses, including:
- Historic Investment in Minority-Owned Businesses: Secured $20 million for the Historically Disadvantaged Business Program in the Governor’s first and second budgets to create opportunity for more small businesses across the Commonwealth.
- Executive Order for Small Diverse Businesses: Signed an Executive Order to open new opportunities for small and small diverse businesses to compete for state contracts, while taking actionable steps to help these businesses grow, succeed, and create good-paying jobs.
- Increased Spending with Diverse Businesses: Boosted Commonwealth spending on small diverse businesses to nearly $700 million, including a 30% increase in spending with Black-owned and Latino-owned businesses, as well as veteran businesses.
Governor Shapiro: Two Years of G-S-D
As Governor Shapiro marks two years in office, his Administration remains committed to driving innovation, fostering economic growth, and advancing workforce development. By investing in businesses, communities, and Pennsylvania workers, the Shapiro Administration is positioning the Commonwealth as a global economic development leader and expanding economic opportunity for all Pennsylvanians.
Visit Governor Shapiro’s Accomplishments website to explore the Administration’s interactive midterm report and download a detailed PDF overview of accomplishments.
For more information about the Department of Community and Economic Development, visit DCED website, and be sure to stay up-to-date with all of our agency news on Facebook, X, and LinkedIn.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Governor’s Press Office, [email protected]
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