Saxony Trade & Invest Takes Stock of 2025: Support for 18 Investment Projects

Once again, the projects were spread across virtually the entire German Federal State of Saxony and took place in the cities of Leipzig, Dresden, and Chemnitz, as well as in the districts of Bautzen, Görlitz, and Saxon Switzerland, as well as in the Erzgebirge and Vogtland districts. The investors are primarily from Germany, as well as the Netherlands, Finland, Switzerland, Japan, Taiwan, and the U.S.

“It is by no means a given that we were once again able to successfully implement numerous business establishment and expansion projects for Saxony in 2025, despite the persistently difficult global situation and economic conditions. We are pleased about this, as it has strengthened Saxony as a business location, secures jobs, and creates value. The appeal of the ESMC location for suppliers and service providers in the industry is becoming increasingly clear. It is particularly gratifying that several companies have chosen Saxony as the headquarters for launching their European operations. This demonstrates the key position that the ‘Silicon Saxony’ region now holds in global competition. Another key factor in the positive development of the business location is new investment from companies already based in Saxony. They are far too rarely in the spotlight, yet they strengthen existing regional value chains, create new jobs, and send a positive signal to the region and to other potential investors,” explains WFS Managing Director Thomas Horn.

"Through its subsidiary Arcade Engineering GmbH, Kurita is strengthening Saxony’s semiconductor industry with specialized solutions for water and wastewater treatment tailored to the industry’s high purity and process requirements. At the same time, Kurita Water Industries is involved in regional initiatives to further develop industrial water treatment, particularly in the areas of wastewater recycling and resource-efficient circulation. The company is thus positioning itself as a reliable component of Saxony’s semiconductor value chain and the region’s critical infrastructure. A central focus is on cooperation with local partners as well as active integration into the Free State’s high-performance industrial ecosystem. “Against the backdrop of growing demand for sustainable supply solutions in European semiconductor production, the Kurita Group plans to further expand its activities in Saxony and contribute to the industry’s technological and environmental stability in the long term,” says Naoto Hasaka, General Manager of the Dresden Branch of Kurita Water Industries Ltd.

• Industry Engagement: Supporting the Formation of a Radiopharmaceutical Cluster and Appointing a New Head of the Security and Defense Industry

As part of its industry engagement, WFS supports technology and innovation fields with future potential, working closely with partners from academia, networks, and clusters on cross-sectoral and interdisciplinary projects. For example, WFS supported the founding of the radiopharmaceutical cluster “nuklid” in January 2025, commissioned a concept study for the food industry on the development of a food innovation ecosystem, and advanced the topic of the bioeconomy within the framework of the Saxony Bioeconomy Forum. In response to current developments in the security and defense industry, the WFS has hired an industry manager who serves as a point of contact for Saxon companies and is tasked with supporting networking and cooperation. Furthermore, the WFS has continued the established format of project workshops — which have a specific industry or technology focus — with 18 events. Nearly 1,200 participants were able to exchange ideas on topics such as robotics & AI — applications for small and medium-sized enterprises, automated production for cell and gene therapy, the future of fruit growing, and the simul+ workshop RegioHolz.

“Various industries — from microelectronics to the automotive sector and robotics—have already successfully demonstrated that clusters are key pillars for our business location. They foster innovation, improve competitiveness, and lead to greater international visibility. Radiopharmacy is another industry with great future potential. Against this backdrop, the WFS played a key role in driving the establishment of the nuclide Radiopharmacy Dresden cluster in January 2025. “We have been continuously supporting the stakeholders since 2022, fostering networking, and initiating various projects, such as the Life Sciences Forums in 2022 and 2025. We have also increased our international visibility—most recently with a successful event at the EANM (European Association of Nuclear Medicine) in Barcelona,” said Thomas Horn.

Saxony’s State Minister of Economic Affairs, Dirk Panter, adds: “Saxony is well-positioned when it comes to future-oriented topics. With investments from ESMC, Infineon, and Globalfoundries, the Dresden microelectronics region represents Europe’s industrial future. Twenty-five years of the biotechnology initiative are also paying off: this sector has become a driving force for innovation, growth, and employment in the Free State. Furthermore, the paradigm shift in security policy is driving new investments in the security and defense industry. The state government is focusing here on attracting new businesses, securing contracts for existing companies, and creating growth opportunities for startups.”

• Support for about 1,180 Saxon companies, R&D institutions, and networks in foreign trade activities

State Minister Dirk Panter: “With tariffs acting as a stranglehold and overcapacity in key sectors such as photovoltaics and electromobility, we are currently witnessing a fundamental transformation of the global rules of the game. A new nationalism and a supposed ‘might makes right’ mentality threaten reliable, free markets. That is why foreign trade policy and internationalization also secure the future of Saxony’s economy. The Free State of Saxony is actively networking with partners in the EU single market, as well as in Central Asia and with India, Japan, and Taiwan. This opens up new markets for Saxon companies and minimizes dependencies. Through our delegation trips—such as last week’s visit to France—we build personal trust. In a world driven by relationships, this proves to be the only currency that protects against blackmail.”

Last year, 80 foreign trade projects were implemented, including 15 delegation and business trips involving 154 participating companies and R&D institutions for market exploration and market development, including to Poland, Spain, Switzerland, as well as Japan, Taiwan, and India. In addition, we organized 35 market information and cooperation events, in which approximately 570 companies participated. Furthermore, we introduced 11 international delegations to the Saxony region and showcased specific industry and technology expertise on-site. As part of “SAXONY!visit” projects, delegation participants learned about Saxony’s expertise in the fields of hydrogen, mechanical engineering, and cycling. In total, we reached nearly 170 companies through these projects. Furthermore, we organized 18 participations in industrial, technology, and food trade fairs for 228 exhibitors on behalf of the business location. Of these, 90 exhibitors participated for the first time.

Since last year, the WFS has also been supporting companies in recruiting international skilled workers and labor. This topic was on the agenda during a business trip to Uzbekistan as well as the delegation trip to India led by Minister of State Panter. As part of the Autumn Campus Uzbekistan, there was a visit program for Uzbek students in the field of nursing.

The Saxony Internationalization Initiative (IOSax), which emerged from the Saxony Foreign Trade Initiative (AWIS), has also supported Saxon companies with additional measures. These include the IOSax.express trips for startups to attract investors to Europe’s most important investor conference, SLUSH, in Helsinki, and to The Next Web in the Netherlands. The Online Marketing Challenge (OMC) was successfully held for the 8th time. In this competition, teams comprising companies, students, and advertising professionals develop digital sales campaigns.

Thomas Horn: “International economic relations are essential for Saxony as a business location. Exports, in particular, are very important for the Saxon economy. Saxon companies earn more than one in every three euros abroad. That is why we continued and expanded our activities to diversify markets in 2025 as well. The focus was once again on Europe, where the potential is far from exhausted. Examples include opportunities for Saxony's companies in the rail industry in Spain, as well as the planned closer cooperation with Lower Silesia in the life sciences sector. International growth markets such as India, Japan, and Taiwan also offer diverse opportunities. Here, we have deepened contacts and expanded cooperation through delegation and business trips. Political support from the Saxon state government served as an important door-opener when it came to establishing contacts with relevant decision-makers and generating local public attention.”

“Every day, the Saxony Trade & Invest Corp. (WFS) does valuable work for the Federal State of Saxony, both within and outside Saxony. Both international and national companies looking to establish a new presence or expand can rely on a well-organized and closely networked environment in Saxony. With WFS’s foreign trade services, companies are more successful than they would be on their own. We saw this firsthand just recently in Paris at the JEC World trade fair, the most important international platform for composite materials. Twenty-two companies and institutes set a new record for participation at the WFS’s SAXONY! joint booth there,” says Minister of Economic Affairs Panter.