High-Growth Sectors Connect At LiveXchange Emerging Industries

With high-growth industries the focus, Business Facilities LiveXchange event looks at what’s next in site selection.

Earlier this month, Business Facilities presented its signature LiveXchange conference in Orlando — with the November 16-18 event focused on emerging industries and site selection. Against the backdrop of the picturesque Loews Sapphire Falls Resort at Universal Orlando in sunny Florida, this LiveXchange featured over 140 meetings between site selectors and economic development professionals. During these one-on-one meetings, attendees and sponsors discussed the relocation and expansion needs of companies in high-growth sectors, such as electric vehicles, AI, fintech, biotech, and agritech. 

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Meetings at LiveXchange Emerging Industries, November 16-18 2022 (Photo: Business Facilities)

Over the course of several days, conversations from the one-on-one meetings extended into the conference sessions, networking events, and free time. In the signature style of the Business Facilities’ long-running LiveXchange events (the 19th annual meeting will take place in April 2023; see more below), LiveXchange Emerging Industries in Orlando combined business meetings with conference sessions and fun networking events.

Attendees were invited to meet and mingle poolside with appetizers and cocktails, prior to the welcome dinner on Wednesday. This event provided the time to get acquainted before getting down to business the following day, the first day of meetings between site selectors and economic developers.

A Lively Look To The Future

With emerging industries and the specific site selection needs of those firms, Greg Lindsay, futurist (and two-time Jeopardy! champion) presented the opening keynote to the group. As senior fellow for applied research and foresight at NewCities, Greg is also a senior fellow of MIT’s Future Urban Collectives Lab and a non-resident senior fellow of the Atlantic Council’s Scowcroft Strategy Initiative.

In his fast-paced, engaging style, Greg talked about the numerous, significant, and, perhaps, surprising ways technology is impacting people, business, and overall development across the globe. The one-on-one meetings following this session were sure to touch on some of the trends brought to light in that talk.

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Futurist Greg Lindsay presents the opening keynote at LiveXchange Emerging Industries, November 17, 2022. (Photo: Business Facilities)

The conference program later in the day looked at foreign direct investment trends and current data around industries in this sphere. Presented by Bruce Takefman, Founder & CEO of ResearchFDI, the talk showcased five emerging industries, and a sampling of investment into these spaces. For many, Bruce’s talk was sure to provide eye-opening context into the amount of investment into these industries, and the potential for growth.