DRC Mission to Europe Adds Station F to Itinerary

by Dave Moore, Staff Writer

Business and city leaders joining the Dallas-Fort Worth trade mission to London, Paris and Brussels will get a firsthand look at what’s billed as the world’s largest startup campus: Station F.

The facility – located along the River Seine in Paris’ 13th Arrondissement – is a former rail depot and encompasses an area equal to the Eiffel Tower, laid on its side. The business incubator includes an on-site gym, 3,000 rentable desks, its own post office, and 100 soon-to-be-completed apartments.

“Our stop at Station F fits well with our overall mission goal, which is to learn more about new developments in our target markets, and to inform them of what we’re working on in the Dallas Region,” said the DRC’s Sarah Carabias-Rush, who is helping organize the trip to Europe. The Dallas-Fort Worth delegation will be touring Station F on June 22 as part of its June 17-23 trip. They will focus primarily on fashion, retail and related innovation technologies while in Paris.

Members of the delegation will have the option to visit London Tech Week prior to the mission, and during their time in London, will focus on meeting with executives in the health care, life sciences and medical technology industries. The group’s time in Brussels will focus primarily on government relations and international trade policy.

The mission will be led by Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings and Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price; to date, the contingent from the Dallas-Fort Worth area includes representatives from the health care tech, construction and legal industries. A few open slots still remain. Contact Melissa Maguire, DRC Manager of International Economic Development, for more information at mmaguire@dallaschamber.org.

The mission is being organized by Dallas Fort Worth International Airport with the Dallas Regional Chamber and Fort Worth Chamber leading the business pillar activities of the mission.

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UPCOMING INTERNATIONAL EVENTS
DRC partners are hosting exciting opportunities related to international business.

The German Dual Education System as a Model: The Potential Benefit to America’s Businesses and Young People
Thursday, March 22, 2018
11:45 AM – 1:30 PM
Chase Tower, 38th Floor, 2200 Ross Avenue, Dallas, Texas 75201
The Dallas Eric M. Warburg Chapter of the American Council on Germany in honored to host a discussion and luncheon with Christine Benz. The Dual Education System is often cited for Germany’s economic success, its low youth unemployment rate, and low levels of earnings inequality. This talk will take a close look at Germany’s Dual Education System and the current state of the U.S. apprenticeship program, with an emphasis
on their advantages and opportunities. You can register online here.

Export Finance and Foreign Government Procurement Conference
Tuesday, April 10, 2018 (RSVP by April 3)
Registration at 7:30 a.m.; program runs from 8:30 AM to 4 PM
Sheraton Arlington Hotel, 1500 Convention Center Drive, Arlington, Texas 76011
On hand will be experts from the Small Business Administration (SBA), the U.S. Commercial Service, the U.S. Trade and Development Agency; and a variety of international development and banking interests, including the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB). Together, they will discuss the best ways to use government resources, best export practices, and ways to expand and target export markets. You can register online here.