Nearly 100 people from around the country converged on Portsmouth at the end of April for the Bureau of Industry and Security’s U.S. Export Controls Training Seminars. Business and Economic Affairs Commissioner Taylor Caswell and US Rep. Chris Pappas spoke on the importance of exporting to the New Hampshire economy. 
Industry leaders converged in Hanover last week to the annual Governor’s Conference on Tourism. The state’s second largest industry brings 39 million visitors here from around the world, who generated more than $5.5 billion in spending last year. 
The annual New England Matchmaker in Portland, Maine drew scores of New Hampshire small business representatives, taking the opportunity for one-on-one meetings with prime contractors on the goods and services they need to fulfill government contracts. 
A team from New Hampshire traveled to Toronto for a presentation to Canadian businesses about the state’s vibrant life sciences sector, which is 300+ companies strong.
Posts Tagged ‘New Hampshire’
Throughout April, Business was on the Agenda in New Hampshire
Thursday, May 2nd, 2019New Round of Job-Creating Business Tax Cuts Take Effect in 2019
Wednesday, January 2nd, 2019The New Year means further reductions to New Hampshire’s business taxes, which take effect on Jan. 4.
“New Hampshire’s economy is booming like never before, thanks to strategic investments and tax cuts made by my administration,” said Gov. Chris Sununu. “Our commitment to creating a business-friendly climate in the Granite State continues into the New Year, with a 2.5 percent reduction in the Business Profits Tax and 11 percent reduction in the Business Enterprise Tax.
“I’m incredibly proud that our management has led to more Granite Staters working than ever before, an increase in the number of young people moving to New Hampshire, and consumer confidence is at an all-time high. New Hampshire’s economy is roaring – and with this new round of job-creating tax cuts, we continue to move in the right direction. We remain committed to a further 2.5 percent reduction of the Business Profits Tax and 16.6 percent reduction of the Business Enterprise Tax in 2021. The economic successes we create for individuals will continue to drive opportunity for the state.”
NH Tourism Officials Projecting More Than 2.5 Million Overnight Travelers to Visit Granite State This Winter
Friday, November 30th, 2018
Stay connected with New Hampshire tourism on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube, and be sure to follow the #LiveFreeNH tag to see what other people are saying about winter in NH.
The New Hampshire Division of Travel and Tourism Development anticipates more than 2.5 million overnight travelers will visit the Granite State this winter, spending more than $1.1 billion. DTTD’s winter travel projections mark approximately 3 percent increases in both visitation and spending compared to last winter. DTTD unveiled its winter marketing plan, along with the forecast, during a winter kickoff hosted by Ski New Hampshire at McIntyre Ski Area in Manchester.
“The division’s advertising and promotional efforts shine a spotlight on what makes New Hampshire the region’s premier travel destination,” said Victoria Cimino, director of the New Hampshire Division of Travel and Tourism Development. “In winter, the Granite State’s array of outdoor recreation opportunities—highlighted by the state’s tremendous skiing—as well as an emerging dining scene and tax-free shopping, sets the state apart from the competition.”
Ski New Hampshire, the organization that promotes New Hampshire as the top ski destination in the region, hosted its first Ski 603 Winter Kickoff event to showcase the variety of options for skiing and snowboarding. More than 20 New Hampshire resorts participated in the event, which featured 14 New Hampshire breweries, distilleries and wineries.
For the 2019 winter season, DTTD will continue to focus on markets in northeast Canada, New York and the New England region. DTTD’s creative features skiing, family fun and snowmobiling as core winter activities, as well as après ski activities and off-slope adventures such as snowshoeing, dining and shopping.
Explore www.visitnh.gov for New Hampshire winter inspiration, including:
- Skiing and Snowboarding
- Winter Hikes
- Holiday Festivals
- Holiday Tours
- Snowmobiling
- Dog Sledding
- Sleigh Rides
- Tax-Free Shopping
REPORT: New Hampshire Showing Strong Population Growth
Tuesday, September 4th, 2018
Commissioner Taylor Caswell
New Hampshire had the highest population growth rate in the northeastern United States between 2016 and 2017, according to a recent study by Pew Charitable Trusts.
According to the Pew report, the state population increased by 0.58, approximately 8,000 people. Over the same period, the national median growth rate was 0.46 percent.
“This report adds to and confirms other data trends that are very encouraging,” said Taylor Caswell, commissioner of the New Hampshire Department of Business and Economic Affairs. “Census data have shown our net migration numbers increasing over the past two years, and the majority of those new residents are in that 25-44 age group we are targeting.”
Since it was established one year ago, the Department of Business and Economic Affairs has singularly focused on strengthening the state’s economy, through the work of its Divisions of Economic Development and Travel and Tourism Development.
“New Hampshire’s greatest asset is that it’s New Hampshire,” Caswell said. “Here you can work as an engineer in a biotech or precision manufacturing firm and after work be mountain biking while commuters in urban areas are still waiting just to get on the highway.”
Between 2016 and 2017, according to the Pew data, California had the next highest percentage of growth from New Hampshire, at 0.61 percent. Massachusetts, two spots below New Hampshire, grew at 0.53 percent.
Increasing Diversity, Inclusion in New Hampshire Makes it Stronger, Infuses Fresh Ideas
Tuesday, July 17th, 2018
Will Arvelo ~ NH Division of Economic Development
Will Arvelo is the director of the New Hampshire Division of Economic Development. – ed.
Diversity plays a valuable role in our communities and state; from it comes fresh ideas, innovation and new ways to look at old ways. Insuring that New Hampshire’s population continues to diversify and be inclusionary is a priority of the Division of Economic Development.
Data shows that New Hampshire’s population is becoming more diverse. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the non-white population, including those that identify with two or more races, increased to 6.4 percent in 2017 and Latinos make up almost 4 percent of the population.
While these percentages may seem small in comparison to southern New England, it is undeniable that New Hampshire is changing and becoming more diverse.
As New Hampshire continues to evolve as part of a broader international community and as the U.S. continues to see significant demographic changes, the demographics within our state will also shift to reflect those changes.
In 2012, 21 percent of the U.S. population was non-white, or of two or more races. Also that year, 17 percent of the total U.S. population was of Latino/Hispanic descent. By 2060, the U.S. non-white population and those with two races or more will exceed 30 percent and those of Latino descent will also exceed 30 percent.
For our employers who are increasingly concerned about their ability to attract and retain a diverse workforce, this diversification is welcome in New Hampshire. Many are instituting initiatives to make their workplaces more welcoming and accepting of, not only different ways of thinking, but people’s differences. We also know that younger people, white and non-white, prefer to be in diverse communities, whether that be their workplaces or living spaces.
This is good for all of us.
New Hampshire, like its neighboring states, is still challenged in its efforts to attract and retain a more diverse demographic. To that end, we are focusing on ways to be a state that is welcoming, accepting, and supportive. If we are to widen our competitive advantage, we need a diverse workforce.
There are many efforts in corporations, including Eversource, Eastern Bank, Hutchinson and others, and communities building advocacy and sustainability to achieve this goal. In addition, agencies including The Endowment for Health; Diversity Workforce Coalition; NAACP of the Seacoast; AARP, Welcome New Hampshire and many others that are working to make improvements across our state.
The Governor’s Advisory Council on Diversity and Inclusion will be central to this effort, with its recommendations due later this year. They will be used to create a sweeping, unifying strategy that brings all these efforts together to leverage resources, build a collective vision, build capacity, and have deep impact within a short time.
On July 26, a statewide working group will meet to begin building a unified, strong, sustainable effort around diversity and inclusion. Doing so will make New Hampshire more welcoming and attractive within our increasingly diverse nation and it will allow us to build a society reflective of diverse ways of being and thinking. It will also allow New Hampshire to continue to build and sustain its diverse economy and remain competitive regionally, nationally, and internationally.
New Hampshire’s Report Card: How We’ve Ranked in 2016
Tuesday, September 20th, 2016| New Hampshire Rankings – 2016 | |
| #1 – Business Friendliness | |
| #1 – Freest State in the Union | |
| #1 – Best State in which to Live a Richer Life | |
| #1 – States of the Union | |
| #1 – State in the NE for workforce development | |
| #2 – Employment Leader, #7 Best Biz Tax Climate | |
| #3 – Lowest Tax Burden | |
| #3 – Most Peaceful State | |
| #4 – Top 10 Tech Hotspots | |
| #6 – States with the Best School Systems | |
Now that the kids are back in school, it seems like a good time to round up the rankings that came out over the summer in which New Hampshire fared well when it came to business climate, education, quality of life and more.
Rankings are an enlightening look in from the outside, although they don’t tell the whole story, nor should they be anything upon which we rest.
Still, it feels good – like making the honor roll good.
Lorna Colquhoun
Communications Director
Division of Economic Development
New Hampshire Meets the World at Hannover Messe
Wednesday, April 27th, 2016
If the world didn’t know about New Hampshire a week ago, it sure does today.
Halfway through Hannover Messe, the world’s largest industrial trade fair, Carmen Lorentz, director of the Division of Economic Development, and Tina Kasim, of the Office of International Commerce, have put behind them dozens of meetings.
“We met with 13 European industry clusters (Tuesday), all in different advanced manufacturing areas,” Lorentz said. “We talked about how we might work together to match New Hampshire and European businesses for joint R&D projects.”
Throughout the five-day show, Lorentz and Kasim are scheduled to meet with representatives from more than 30 companies, from places like Germany, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, France and Belgium, which have businesses and manufacturers that complement our key industries. The goal of attending this trade show is to make connections with international companies that may have an interest in investing here; forming partnerships; or expansion or relocation to the US.
One New Hampshire company is also exhibiting at the show. Jewell Instruments, which is located in Manchester, is a world leader in the manufacture and distribution of acceleration and tilt sensors, as well as avionics components, solenoids and panel meters. Its JMA-165 MEMS accelerometer has been nominated for Direct Industry’s i-NOVO Design Award.
Hanover Messe has 17 huge exhibit halls and over the course of the show, more than 200,000 people are projected to pass through there. There is great value in being here to tell the New Hampshire business story to an international audience.
Lorna Colquhoun
Communications Director
Division of Economic Development
Autumn Falls, Bringing Visitors From Around the World to New Hampshire
Tuesday, September 22nd, 2015
Sugar Hill to the Franconia Range ~ Lorna Colquhoun/NHEconomy.com
About 8.5 million people are expected to visit New Hampshire this fall, according to our friends down the hall at the Division of Travel and Tourism Development. That’s an increase of about 5 percent over last fall and they are projected to spend $1.3 billion, up 7 percent over last year.
The fall season is historically the second busiest in New Hampshire, attracting more than 25 percent of all visitors to New Hampshire annually.
Most visitors will come here from the New England and mid-Atlantic markets, but thanks to low gas prices, expect to see an increase in overnight visits from more distant states, including Florida, California, Illinois and Texas.
Just in time for autumn, Visit New Hampshire launched a new foliage tracker aimed at helping visitors plan their peak adventure. The interactive, mobile-friendly tracker offers regional reports of New Hampshire’s stunning scenery, lodging and dining suggestions, points of interest around the state, and images from a network of leaf peepers.
Visitors can plan their New Hampshire Fall Adventure with help from VisitNH.gov. The Vacation Inspiration website has a guide to help get the most out of fall, including scenic drives, places to pick your own, a go-to guide for antiquing, and much more. Visitors are encouraged to share their New Hampshire fall foliage images with New Hampshire tourism on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, by using #nhfoliage.
Lorna Colquhoun
Communications Director
Division of Economic Development
Live Free and Start: A Guide to New Hampshire’s $tartup Competitions
Wednesday, April 2nd, 2014Spring is in the air and if you’re an entrepreneur, this means one thing — business plan competition season. Over the next two months, entrepreneurs and start-up companies have the opportunity to win over $230,000 in cash and in-kind services through four start up competitions: The Dartmouth Ventures Entrepreneurial Contest, the MYPN Start Up Challenge, the Startup Rochester Business Competition and the Holloway Prize Innovation-to-Market Competition.
Ladies and Gentlemen, start your start-ups …
Dartmouth Ventures Entrepreneurial Contest
On Saturday (April 5), three start-up businesses will vie for $100,000 in cash and prizes at the Dartmouth Ventures Entrepreneurial Contest, open to anyone with a Dartmouth College affiliation. The contest is part of Dartmouth Ventures, an annual conference on entrepreneurship established in 2002.
All attendees of Dartmouth Ventures will have the opportunity to vote for a People’s Choice winner during the Entrepreneurial Contest. The People’s Choice winner will take home $2,500 in cash and additional in-kind services. For information on attending Dartmouth Ventures click here.
Holloway Prize Innovation-to-Market Competition
Similar to the Dartmouth Ventures competition, the Holloway Prize Innovation to Market Competition is hosted by the Paul School of Business at the University of New Hampshire, open to students within the University System of New Hampshire. The Holloway Prize is in its 26th year and has a history of applicants going on to create sustainable and profitable companies.
The most notable entry came from Joe Faro in 1991. He founded Tuscan Brands, Tuscan Market and Joseph’s Pasta, which he sold for $60 million to Nestle. Faro credits part of his success to his participation in the Holloway Prize, which encouraged him to create a business plan that was realistic and sustainable.
The Holloway Prize is worth over $100,000 in cash and in-kind services and championship round begins at 1 pm, May 7 at the Paul College. For more information on the Holloway Competition and the Charles and Miriam Nelson Poster Competition, click here.
MYPN Start Up Challenge
The Manchester Young Professionals Network started the MYPN Start Up Challenge in 2006 to encourage and promote entrepreneurship in the young professional community. The competition is open to New Hampshire start-ups and applications will be accepted until April 18. Over the past five years, $210,000 in cash and in-kind services have been awarded to New Hampshire startups. This year’s winner will receive more than $55,000 in cash and in-kind services.
One of the many start up success stories from the Start Up Challenge is Nearby Registry, which won in 2012. Allison Grappone’s 2009 wedding was the inspiration, when she and her husband channeled the frustration they had when they were unable to support their favorite local businesses through the traditional gift registry model. So like any entrepreneur, Grappone developed a website that enables people to create a registry for wedding, birthdays and other events using small businesses from all over the state. Since winning the Start Up Challenge, Nearby Registry has grown to three full-time staff and is expanding its business into Seattle, Portland, Ore., and Vermont. The company has signed on more than 150 storefronts in New Hampshire and Seattle and has kept over $18,000 and counting in the local economy.
The MYPN Start Up Challenge semi-final event is May 15 and the winner will be announced June 17 at the NHIOP at Saint Anselm College. To learn more about the MYPN Start Up Challenge or submit an application, click here.
Startup Rochester Business Competition
Similar to the MYPN Start Up Challenge, the Start Up Rochester Business Competition is open to New Hampshire startups that have not raised more than $100,000 in funding. Applications will be accepted until April 8.
This is the second year of the competition, which started as a partnership between the Rochester Community and Economic Development Division and the abi Innovation Hub. Last year’s winner, Kinetic Surface Control, is a growing company in Newmarket that develops technology to strip paint and corrosion from metal, concrete, asphalt and other surfaces. This year’s applicants will compete for a $20,000 cash-and-in-kind prize package at the final event on May 8. To learn more about the business competition or submit an application, click here.
New Hampshire is a great place to start and grow a business and these competitions are a perfect complement to the expanding New Hampshire start-up ecosystem, thanks to the incredible – and enthusiastic – efforts of our incubators around the state and the hundreds of start-ups created each year.
Live Free and Start!
NH Division of Economic Development
Business Resource Specialist
The Seacoast and Cheshire and Sullivan Counties
Safran/Albany Celebrate New-to-the-World Technology at Inaugural Event
Monday, March 31st, 2014
Dignitaries from New Hampshire and France took part in this morning’s ribbon cutting at Safran’s new manufacturing plant in Rochester.
This afternoon’s ribbon cutting in Rochester was so much more than the opening of a new manufacturing plant, where Safran and Albany International Corp. have co-located to produce composite parts for the US and French governments.
“This is a significant milestone, not only for our two companies, but for our customers and partners in the aerospace industry and for the city of Rochester and the state of New Hampshire,” said Joseph Morone, president and CEO of Albany International. “We are opening an identical sister plant in Commercy, France and this is a first of its kind in the aerospace industry. The manufacturing technology and the product being produced with that technology are new to the world …”
New to the world … right here in New Hampshire.
“What a great day for Rochester and New Hampshire,” said Gov. Maggie Hassan. “This is a shining example of the kind of innovative business that has New Hampshire as well-positioned as any state to lead the country in economic growth.”
Rochester Mayor TJ Jean called the grand opening of the plant a celebration “of the power of partnerships,” between the two companies, between the local, state and federal officials who made sure the resources would be available, and “the community college system, which will help train our workforce.”
As manufacturing ramps up in this new plant, hundreds of more jobs will be added to 130 already in place. They will work to produce 3D woven composite parts using RTM technology for aircraft engines parts.”Our presence in Rochester reflects our commitment to this state and the US,” said Jean-Paul Herteman, chairman and CEO of Safran. “Our aim is to continue to expand our position and to contribute to the development of the aerospace and security markets as an American company, to ensure optimum service for our civil and military customers here.”
More than an opening of a new manufacturing plant, today’s event clears New Hampshire’s aerospace and defense industries for take-off.
“This is new-to-the-world high impact technology,” Morone said.
Lorna Colquhoun
Communications Director
NH Division of Economic Development