Wisconsin officials and Hessen Trade and Invest, an entity that represents all economic development organizations located in Hessen, Germany, recently signed a memorandum of understating to increase collaboration in global trade and business attraction.
The MOU was signed by Missy Hughes, secretary and CEO of WEDC, and Rainer Waldschmidt, CEO of HTAI, as part of a trade mission led by Gov. Tony Evers to Germany and France.
The agreement aims to accelerate innovation, entrepreneurship, trade, and investment, with a special emphasis on promoting start-ups, according to an announcement from the governor’s office.
The two states also agreed to find new ways for entrepreneurs and innovators in both countries to harness their collective expertise in research, development and investment.
“This memorandum of understanding marks a new chapter in our enduring partnership and friendship between Hessen and Wisconsin,” said Evers in a statement. “Maintaining Wisconsin’s strong relationships with our global partners remains as important as ever, most especially given all of the uncertainty in the world today. Together, we will grow our opportunities for collaboration between start-ups in our two states and continue to develop our close business, cultural, academic, and social ties for the betterment of our people, our communities, and our economies.”
Germany is consistently among the top 10 destinations for Wisconsin exports, ranking fourth in 2023 and 2024. In total, Wisconsin exported nearly $1 billion in goods to Germany in 2024
