This year’s Global Orlando Report underscores the region’s emergence as a global creative capital and outlines a strategy to accelerate foreign direct investment.
ORLANDO, Fla. — The Orlando Economic Partnership (OEP) released its 2026 Global Orlando Report, highlighting the region’s continued evolution into an internationally connected economy—and outlining a targeted strategy to convert that momentum into increased foreign direct investment (FDI).
Building on its inaugural report, the updated analysis reinforces a central conclusion: Orlando’s global connections across talent, trade, and business activity are strengthening and represent a critical pathway to becoming a global creative capital. However, realizing this opportunity will require focused targeting and proactive global engagement to achieve sustained investment and long-term economic growth.
The report highlights how Orlando’s global footprint continues to expand across all major indicators:
- Nearly 1 in 4 residents (23.0%) are foreign-born, the fastest-growing share among large U.S. regions
- More than 340 foreign-owned companies from over 30 countries employ approximately 40,000 workers
- Global trade reached $27.4 billion in 2024, up 39.0% since pre-pandemic levels
- The region has attracted $2.7 billion in foreign direct investment over the last decade
The report emphasizes that expanding foreign direct investment is key to Orlando’s long-term economic strategy.
“FDI is a key driver of higher wages, productivity gains and economic diversification, helping transition the region toward a more innovation-driven economy aligned with the Orlando 2045 Regional Vision.”
Neil Hamilton, OEP Senior Vice President, Research & Strategy
Foreign-owned firms, such as Siemens, Deloitte, and Mitsubishi Power are concentrated in advanced, high-wage industries and bring new technologies, capital and global market access. Selected FDI projects facilitated by the OEP also deepen Orlando’s global business connections and signal confidence in the region’s competitiveness.
“In selecting Florida—and Orlando specifically—we evaluated a wide range of factors to ensure the right long-term fit for Novartis and the patients we serve,” said James Fredette, Head, U.S. Drug Operations, Novartis.
“Orlando and the state of Florida stood out as an ideal environment to expand our technology capabilities, supported by a strong logistics infrastructure and a highly skilled workforce.”
James Fredette, Head, U.S. Drug Operations, Novartis
Orlando’s value proposition aligns closely with what international companies are seeking in today’s regional environment—combining talent depth, energy capacity, industrial land availability and permitting efficiency. While Orlando’s fundamentals are strong, the report also highlights the need for a targeted approach to capturing future investment.
“Orlando’s global connections are a present-day competitive advantage.”
Tim Giuliani, OEP President & CEO
“International talent, trade, and investments are already shaping our economy. But by focusing our efforts on leveraging the region’s specialized capabilities to target high-value opportunities in sectors responsible for the majority of Orlando’s recent FDI wins, we can accelerate our transformation into a top 10 innovation ecosystem, No.1 place to live, and global creative capital,” said Tim Giuliani, OEP President & CEO.
The 2026 Global Orlando Report builds on the previous version, which established a baseline for the region’s promising international growth opportunities by providing clear direction for how to translate its global strengths into sustained investment, higher-wage job creation, and long-term prosperity.
Download the full 2026 Global Orlando Report to explore the data and strategy shaping the region’s global future.
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About the Orlando Economic Partnership
The Orlando Economic Partnership is the Orlando region’s champion for economic prosperity, bringing together leaders, industries and ideas to expand opportunities and drive investment. Our vision is to be the next global creative capital. Learn more.
