An Increasingly Global Philadelphia

Stephanie Huang for GPA At the invitation of Lord Mayor Peter Feldmann, Mayor Michael A. Nutter will visit Germany this week to establish a new Sister City relationship with the city of Frankfurt, Philadelphia’s first new Sister City in twenty-three years. The two mayors had agreed back in July 2014 to establish a Sister City relationship in order to foster economic, educational, and cultural partnerships between the two cities. 

“When I visited Philadelphia last July, I was fascinated by this bustling city and its open and welcoming citizens,” said Lord Mayor Peter Feldmann. “It’s a huge honor for us that Philadelphia will add Frankfirt as a Sister City”.

Similarly, Mayor Nutter responded: “Frankfurt is one of the world’s great global cities and I am proud that Philadelphia will now count this great German city among its closest partners”.

During his visit Mayor Nutter will participate in a signing ceremony with Mayor Feldmann and U.S. Consul General Kevin C. Milas. Mayor Nutter will also speak to sixty business leaders at a dinner hosted by the Frankfurt offices of Philadelphia law firm Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP.

Following two days in Frankfurt, Mayor Nutter will travel to Tel Aviv, Israel to meet with a range of local companies interested in establishing a U.S. presence with the help of Israeli companies that have already committed to move to Philadelphia based on Mayor Nutter and Deputy Mayor Alan Greenberger’s 2013 trade mission to Israel and subsequent Israeli business delegations to Philadelphia. This 3-day program will showcase Philadelphia as a welcoming city for Israeli companies looking to establish a presence in the US.

“Philadelphia is increasingly on the global radar as a great startup city and a city that welcomes international companies,” said Alan Greenberger, Deputy Mayor for Economic Development. “The fact that Israeli companies who have already chosen Philadelphia are helping us recruit new businesses is testament to the fact that we must continue to raise our profile and build these relationships.”

Some Israeli companies that have already made a commitment to invest in Philadelphia include:

• Pango, a moblie technology company
• We Work, one of the world’s largest network of co-working spaces
• PhysiMax -a healthcare technology company.

In addition, Mayor Nutter will meet with an Israeli delegation of life sciences company, 2 water technology companies, a transportation-related technology company, a group of leading Israeli venture capitalists, and a number of cyber security companies.