Chamber releases 2017 Economic Development Report Card

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

Private companies invested more than $216 million in the Mahoning Valley last year, the Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber said Wednesday.

The chamber and its economic development partners said in the 2017 Economic Development Report Card released Wednesday there were a total of 367 projects that resulted in $216 million invested, 926 new jobs and an additional 2,434 retained jobs.

In 2016, 164 company projects resulted in more than $1 billion in investment and 1,323 new jobs, the chamber said.

The chamber, in partnership with 16 other agencies, gathers data on economic development investment in the Mahoning Valley annually.

The 2017 report card looks at direct business development, transportation and infrastructure development, international exports and investment, programs and operations, area construction, attraction and marketing efforts and other areas that benefited economic development. Specific large projects were not noted.

For direct business development, the report mentions that 29 women business owners graduated from the Women in Entrepreneurship Accelerator Programs at the Youngstown Business Incubator. There were $13,500 in grants awarded to women-owned businesses through the YBI’s Women in Entrepreneurship Program.

For international exports and investment, 10 students were placed in the Export Internship Program through the Small Business Development Center’s Export Assistance Network and Williamson College of Business Administration at Youngstown State University. Five students were offered full-time positions after completing the program, and three students passed their Certified Global Business Professional exam.

For programs and operations, the start-up phase of Valley Growth Ventures, a $6 million micro venture capital fund aimed at technology companies, was completed.

In real-estate development, the construction of about 200 new Campus Edge Student Apartments at Youngstown State University was finished, bringing the total number of Campus Edge apartments to 400 built within the past two years.