California Lands $400M Investment, 700 Jobs at Summit

California just pulled off its most successful international investment push in years, bringing home a $400 million deal and connecting with investors from over 60 countries who could create thousands more jobs.

The state's Office of Business and Economic Development led a coordinated series of events across April and May 2026, culminating at the SelectUSA Investment Summit in Washington, D.C. The centerpiece victory came when Balt, an international company, announced it would invest more than $400 million to build a new production facility in Irvine, creating 700 new jobs.

California assembled its largest-ever delegation of 33 economic development organizations representing regions from San Diego to Humboldt County. Together, they met with hundreds of potential investors interested in advanced manufacturing, life sciences, aerospace, and emerging technologies.

The coordinated approach worked. A California Spotlight Event at the Summit sold out immediately, with more than 340 international organizations registering to connect with the state's economic developers.

"Foreign investment is an essential driver of jobs and innovation in California," said Emily Desai, Chief Deputy Director at GO-Biz. The numbers back her up: nearly 20,000 international companies already support over 847,000 California jobs, more than any other U.S. state.

The strategy went beyond one big summit. California hosted the SelectLA Investment Summit in Los Angeles on April 28th and ran a TeamCalifornia Roadshow through Imperial, Riverside, and San Bernardino Counties from April 28-30, showcasing opportunities in dynamic regions often overlooked by coastal investors.

The Ripple Effect

This unified approach represents a shift in how California attracts investment. Instead of regions competing against each other, 33 local and regional partners worked together under one banner, sharing leads and coordinating follow-ups. Cities like Bakersfield, Fresno, and Riverside joined forces with tech hubs and universities to present investors with diverse options across the entire state.

Lucas Coleman, Director of World Trade Center San Diego, highlighted the collaborative advantage: "As part of the California delegation, World Trade Center San Diego was proud to showcase the region's innovation economy while building relationships that can lead to future investment and collaboration."

The coordinated model means when an investor shows interest in California, they get connected to the right region for their needs rather than getting lost in bureaucracy. A life sciences company gets introduced to San Diego's biotech corridor, while a manufacturing firm learns about opportunities in the Inland Empire.

These efforts created what organizers call "a strong pipeline of follow-up opportunities" that should generate investment announcements and job creation across California's diverse regions in the coming months.