2011 has been an exciting year for Midscand!
We have implemented a new approach to investment promotion with so-called Value Propositions. We’ve developed a new website and started working with social media. We were involved in the extensive work for Facebook's data center establishment. The second edition of the wind power conference "Investors and Suppliers Forum for wind power" was held in May. Our monthly seminars in the Netherlands have been improved and we have had several Dutch families visiting and moving to Jämtland during the year. We have had visits from American and Chinese investors. We have participated in several international conferences and trade shows. And much more!
Marketing the region as an attractive place to invest in is a job that requires focus and a clear methodology. Midscand started the new project with a workshop with Clive Vokes, one of the leading people in managemnet of Investment Promotion. The aim was to implement a methodology in order to attract investments in the new globalized economy. There are many players in the world working with investment promotion, in Europe alone there are around 2000 different organizations working with place marketing and investment promotion. In order to attract investors to Jämtland, we must present an investment opportunity that is associated with an innovation, a market or a value chain combined with our geographical location, nature, infrastructure and lifestyle.Midscand is dependent on cooperation with the municipalities, regional businesses and other organizations to gain knowledge and insight into the county's investment opportunities. The next step is to package the opportunity and then advertise it in our network to different investors. Within the work of investment promotion, this is called a "Value Propostion".
During the late spring and summer Midscand developed a new web. The Web is the basis for all communication and is a strategically important tool. This was Anja Palms first assignment as a new employee in the project.
The investment process is often very long. This appeared in the work on Facebook and their establishment in Sweden (Luleå). The process started with a sales meeting on 24th of June 2009 and the establishment was announced in the beginning of November 2011. The City of Östersund and Midscand have been working with that process. Our site proposal was one of the two sites that were in the final. Facebook have had both sites to come to a full approval of the permits before the decision, and unfortunately Östersund were not the winner. The evaluation of sites has gone from several countries to one country and in Sweden alone from 40 municipalities to two sites. The last three months was more a due diligence than an evaluation.
We can conclude that our region has the advantages that an investor is looking for. In 2012 and 2013, we will continue our efforts to promote our data center sites together with Invest Sweden.
Tourism is another focus area for Midscand. It is also a large and important industry in our region. We have several cases that we work with. With our new colleague Anja Palm, we will highlight several interesting value proposition for different investors in 2012 and 2013.
CleanTech with emphasis on wind power in Jämtland is another focus area. Former Midscand and current project has promoted the region as a wind Power center in Sweden with one of Sweden’s largest wind Power portfolios. The Match-making conference "Investor and Supplier Forum for Wind Power" which became a hit in 2010 was again organized in the spring. Our partnership with the organization vindkraftcentrum.se has continued, and together, we have dialogues with some of the largest wind energy companies in the world. In the autumn, we had a Chinese delegation representing several of the major wind manufacturers from China. They have a clear interest in investing in Jämtland.
Another part of Midscand is working to promote the region to Dutch families that want to change their lifestyle and move to Jämtland. Again, competition is hard. Up to one hundred municipalities are working in this field through its own organization or through business partners. The area of Holland is slightly smaller than the county of Jämtland and with a population of about 16 million; there is naturally a group of people who are interested in what our region has to offer. Midscand focus is mainly on those who are interested in starting or acquiring companies. Midscand market the region (in Holland) by arranging information seminars, personal meetings, “The Jämtland Day”, exhibition at the Immigration Fair in Utrecht as well as through social media. An important part of our work is the collaboration with the functions that work with immigrant service at the municipalities. An essential part of the solution for a family who choose to move here consists of possibilities of an income, social services, housing, leisure, etc. The better solutions the municipalities can offer, more and more people choose to move here.
In the autumn we have developed our strategy regarding immigration promotion. On the new web, we advertise companies for sale (supply is a prerequisite for a successful immigration) and by the help of our blogging Dutchmen we show the real life in Sweden. We have also worked to create a more open dialogue with interested Dutchmen through our Facebook page and we have improved our Dutch newsletter. In our marketing, we are more targeted oriented than before and our activities are more customized. One example is that we offer families to book a personal consultation with our immigrant promoter Jan Sikking during his visits to Holland throughout the year.
Moving within the EU (of free movement) may sound simple but the process is more complex than one might imagine as several authorities are involved. The tax authority has during the autumn implemented a more strict evaluation of the applicant for residence permits and this has created frustration for many families. As a result, we decided to develop a checklist that describes the immigration process, which became much appreciated. However, it is still a bureaucracy that does not go in harmony with the need for immigration based on the demographic situation in the region (and Sweden).
This year, 24 Dutchmen moved to Jämtland as a direct result of Midscands work. The work of investment promotion has resulted in four smaller companies, and five who are in the start-up phase. Another contribution to the region is that Midscand market the region in the world which is important in a globalized world. Midscand has participated in eight international conferences / exhibitions that relate to our focus areas to establish contacts, promote the region and highlight the region's value proposition.
The coming year, Midscand will continue our work according to our strategy and plan. The ambition is that our commitment to continuous improvement will lead to more establishments, and that this year's efforts to develop value propositions will contribute to an increase in investments in 2012 and 2013. External factors that Midscand cannot influence such as the financial situation in the EU and in other continents, some of which directly affect Midscand and our results (the difficulty of selling houses in Holland) are factors that we can relate to and adapt to as much as possible.
We are proud and happy to contribute to the development of the region and look forward to the year of 2012.
Happy New Year!
Calle Suwe
Project Manager
Download the full text here (In Swedish)