Showcasing World-Class Culture and Innovation, Pittsburgh Regional Alliance and Pittsburgh Symphony Partner to Increase Pittsburgh’s Profile in Germany

Showcasing World-Class Culture and Innovation, Pittsburgh Regional Alliance and Pittsburgh Symphony Partner to Increase Pittsburgh's Profile in Germany

The 2022 PSO European Tour Trade Mission Aims to Build Bridges to Pittsburgh

Billed as a "trade mission to build bridges to Pittsburgh," this partnership - initiated in 2008 between the PSO and the Pittsburgh Regional Alliance - puts Pittsburgh back on the international stage as an iconic American city where what's next is happening now and where world-class culture and innovation meet to create a dynamic quality of place with the assets for businesses and talent to thrive.

The PSO celebrates 75 years of international touring this year, and this anniversary tour allows the Pittsburgh Regional Alliance to leverage music once again as a bridge to raise awareness of the Pittsburgh region and open doors for foreign direct investment conversations. Support from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development has been vital to reinvigorating this special collaboration. In addition, Pittsburgh Symphony international touring is made possible, in part, by the Hillman Endowment for International Performances.

The PSO: A Global Ambassador Epitomizing the Best of Pittsburgh
Companies evaluating where to locate or expand a business cite art and culture as priority assets. A world-class orchestra, the PSO is synonymous with the highest quality. It is widely recognized as the Pittsburgh region's cultural ambassador through its tours and GRAMMY-nominated recordings.

By extension, it represents a region that shares a commitment to excellence and quality in doing business, innovating and creating products, services and solutions - across industries such as advanced manufacturing, energy, financial services, life sciences and tech. Pittsburgh is also committed to and has deliberately invested in creating a the type of place and environment where people enjoy their lives, at work and outside of it.

"Pittsburgh's arts and culture is one of the region's greatest exports. The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra represents the best of this culture," said Pittsburgh Regional Alliance President Mark Anthony Thomas, who will be participating in the trade mission. "The orchestra is as equally committed to serving as ambassadors for our region's legacy and creative future as it is to performing.

"This partnership between business and cultural community has never been more important. Foreign direct investment is an anchor for our strategy to amplify the region as a hub for international business and talent, and Germany is one of Pennsylvania's strategic trade partners. We couldn't be more excited about this mission and the remarkable platform it provides to share Pittsburgh's value proposition, face to face," said Thomas.

"When audiences abroad experience the remarkable performances of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra with Manfred Honeck - and media coverage surrounds the visits - the reputation of Pittsburgh as a home of excellence is really demonstrated. Receiving invitations to perform in the most celebrated halls and festivals in Europe, Manfred and the PSO musicians - with their exceptional Pittsburgh sound and unique interpretations - leave an indelible impression of a vibrant and compelling city and region," said Marty Bates, Executive VP and COO of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra.

At tour stops in the cities of Essen and Düsseldorf, representatives of the Pittsburgh Regional Alliance and the PSO will engage with German business and civic leaders and other decision makers about opportunities in the Pittsburgh region, which already has a robust relationship with Germany. Planning for these involved the leadership of Pennsylvania's investment representative in Germany, David Moock, head of Foreign Direct Services at AH International.

Germany and Pittsburgh's relationship is grounded in a mutual affinity for each other's built and natural environments, work ethic, spirit of innovation, passion for the arts and penchant for precision - a few of the characteristics that make Germans and Pittsburghers so compatible.

The Pittsburgh-Germany Business Connection
Germany is the largest foreign investor in the Pittsburgh region with 84 German-owned companies operating approximately 200 establishments and employing more than 10,700 people. The region is a popular destination for German companies to establish North American or U.S. headquarters including Covestro, LANXESS, Veka, Inc. and Ventana USA, in addition to nearly 30 others. Eight of Germany's Fortune Global 500 firms have a regional presence, including Bosch, BASF, Bayer, Fresenius and Siemens.

An important market for Pittsburgh-based businesses, Germany is home to more than 15 major Pittsburgh region companies. These includes manufacturers - ATI, PPG Industries and Wabtec Corporation - as well as companies in tech (Black Box Corporation), business services (Development Dimensions International) and legal services (K&L Gates and Reed Smith).

While in Germany, the Pittsburgh Regional Alliance, aside from the PSO, will travel to Frankfurt and Berlin where key sectors, like Fintech and Artificial Intelligence/Robotics, are positioned for growth that Pittsburgh can support. In Berlin, Pittsburgh Regional Alliance representatives will sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with SiBB, the digital business association of Berlin-Brandenburg. The MOU will strengthen partnerships and increase the ability to connect entrepreneurs and tech companies in the Berlin and Pittsburgh ecosystems.

Earlier this year, Startup Genome, in its 2022 Global Startup Ecosystem Report (GSER) - the world's most comprehensive report on global startup and economic growth - ranked Pittsburgh as the #13 global emerging ecosystem. The report calls out Pittsburgh's strengths in advanced manufacturing, robotics, life sciences and cleantech - all sectors from which Pittsburgh welcomes the investment interest of both entrepreneurs and established businesses.

The Pittsburgh region is home to approximately 400 foreign-owned firms, including Bayer, Brasken, Denso, Hitachi, LANXESS, Mitsubishi Electric, Philips and Siemens, which together employ nearly 55,000 people across southwestern Pennsylvania. The top countries for foreign direct investment in the Pittsburgh region include Germany, UK, Canada, Japan and France.