RICHMOND - Governor Timothy M. Kaine today announced that Electronics and Computer Software Export Promotion Council (ESC), an Indian government-sponsored association of information technology exporters, will establish a U.S. presence at George Mason University’s Mason Enterprise Center for Regional Analysis and Entrepreneurship (MEC). ESC has chosen five Indian technology companies to open their offices in the MEC’s International Business Accelerator later this month. The companies are expected to create 60 high-paying jobs within three years.
Governor Kaine announced the partnership today during the Virginia Conference on World Trade, which is being held at the Norfolk Waterside Marriott. The conference, which is focused on Virginia-India trade relations, is also being attended by Ambassador of India to the United States Ronen Sen.
“As one of Virginia’s strongest trade allies in the technology industry, India holds a key place in efforts to develop and strengthen our economy,” Governor Kaine said. “Partnerships with trade organizations like ESC will create an important network of resources for our state’s more than 10,900 high-tech firms.”
ESC, which works to facilitate business partnerships between Indian and foreign companies, currently hosts five Indian companies in a business incubator facility in Rockville, Maryland. The Virginia Economic Development Partnership’s International Division, Virginia Secretary of Technology Aneesh Chopra and the MEC assisted ESC with its decision to locate five additional Indian companies in Virginia. The Virginia-bound companies provide Web portal development, software services, infrastructure management, and business applications development, among other services. ESC will provide a shared office space and marketing personnel to the companies for three years.
“This initiative represents an excellent opportunity for local information technology firms to create strong business partnerships, leading to increased trade between Virginia and India,” said Nalin Kohli, Immediate Past Chairman of ESC.
Located in Fairfax, MEC’s International Business Accelerator provides international companies with business tools and resources necessary to enter the U.S. marketplace, including strategic planning, capital formation and market research. MEC has worked with 18 companies from around the world.
“Virginia companies will be in a position to directly take advantage of the unique technologies offered by the Indian firms and also explore the prospects for exporting their products and services to the large Indian marketplace,” said Marshall Ferrin, MEC Director of International Business Development.