Recapping Minnesota’s Business Development Mission to Ireland
By Commissioner Matt Varilek
This past week I had the honor of traveling with Governor Walz, Agriculture Commissioner Thom Petersen and DEED’s Minnesota Trade Office on a business development mission to one of Minnesota’s most important trading partners: Ireland.
Ireland was Minnesota’s 5th largest market for goods in 2024, up from 8th in 2023, with exports valued at $782 million last year. It is also our 6th largest source of imports, showing the mutually beneficial nature of our trading relationship.
Beyond the welcome opportunity to visit Ireland’s capital of Dublin and the beautiful city of Galway, and to see (via cross-country coach bus, at least!) its namesake emerald countryside, the mission drove home the deepening trade and investment ties between Minnesotans and the Irish.
 |
Commissioner Varilek with Orla Feely, President, University College Dublin; Governor Walz; Triona McCormack, Vice President for Strategy and External Engagement, University College Dublin; MTO Executive Director Gabrielle Gerbaud; and Agriculture Commissioner Thom Petersen
We had several important working meetings with business and political leaders during our mission, including:
- A discussion on Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). Making Minnesota an American hub for SAF is a major priority for our state, and we learned much about Ireland’s experience with the fuel during our visit.
- A first-of-its-kind roundtable featuring leading voices at the intersection of SportsTech and MedTech, where innovation is critical to athlete health and innovations have application beyond the playing field. Our panelists came from the Minnesota Vikings, the NFL, the Mayo Clinic and the New York Yankees!
- A roundtable discussion featuring Governor Walz on the state of the transatlantic relationship, the role of states like ours in industrial policy and how we can recruit businesses and foreign direct investment to Minnesota.
- A celebration of Minnesota’s MedTech industry with senior leaders of Medtronic. We are, of course, proud of Medtronic’s global footprint: we’ve had the opportunity to celebrate Medtronic on trade trips to Australia, Japan and now Ireland! Medtronic typifies the worldwide reach of MedTech innovation and discovery that happens right here at home.
- In partnership with Destination Medical Center, Medical Alley and GreaterMSP, we met with MedTech and life sciences business leaders to promote Minnesota as an ideal place for investment in innovation, clinical research and commercialization.
- A visit to the headquarters of Kerry Group, an Irish food manufacturer with several production facilities in Minnesota, including a major presence in Rochester.
- And, on a lighter note, at a “Irish Friends of Minnesota” reception at Trinity College, I had the chance to celebrate many Minnesota-Ireland connections, including the fact that Ireland’s late Sinead O'Connor made famous the song “Nothing Compares 2 U,” written by none other than … Minnesota’s late, great Prince!
I always appreciate the opportunity to represent Minnesota abroad. This trip, in particular, was a great reminder that a single flight can take you directly from Minnesota to one of our most important global trading partners.
During this time of trade uncertainty, I am grateful to help nurture this relationship on behalf of, and alongside, other state leaders and Minnesota’s business community .
Governor Walz speaks during the business development mission to Ireland.
DEED Developments Blog
Subscribe to receive more information from DEED.
|
