Santiago Corrales, CEO of Inpronic USA, headquartered in Ecuador (Photo by Mark Newton)
Four businesses have their first offices in America, thanks to a new program from Henrico County’s Economic Development Authority.
Through the Global Business Gateway program, which debuted in May, manufacturers from India and Ecuador and tech-oriented companies from Armenia and the Democratic Republic of Congo are now operating out of Gather West End, the Innsbrook location of a regional firm that provides coworking office space.
The Congolese company, Rego Inc., was fundamental in the gateway’s creation, says Andrew Larsen, Henrico EDA’s managing director. Rego CEO and founder Yogo Dubois was in Richmond for a 2023 international business conference, Select USA, when he expressed interest in expanding into Henrico specifically. When he asked whether the county had a soft-landing program for foreign entrepreneurs, local officials got to work.
Following the programʼs launch, Larsen says, more companies have expressed interest, and he can see the Gather space, which can accommodate up to nine businesses, filling up quickly.
“Weʼre charging these folks very, very little rent, and we have a whole network of different service providers that we can introduce them to,” Larsen says. He adds that the EDA provides 20 hours of custom market research through its Research to Accelerate Market Potential, or RAMP, plan. It regularly hosts networking events as well, inviting immigration lawyers, consultants and accountants who focus on international business.
Larson envisions the gateway as a foot in the door for these businesses, not a permanent solution. “The goal is for them to come in here a step, get their feet under them in the U.S., and then go grow and stay in Henrico and create jobs and add to the county.”
