Fairfax County VIRGINIA • USA
Fairfax County, Virginia, is one of the premier centers of commerce and technology in the United States, providing businesses the environment they need to grow and succeed. Fairfax County is strategically located on the mid-Atlantic seaboard, minutes from neighboring Washington, D.C. U.S. and foreign-owned businesses seeking a headquarters or office location find Fairfax County attractive for many reasons, including: ●
one of the world's largest clusters of technology firms, services and workers;
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proximity to the U.S. federal government—the world's largest consumer of technology goods and services;
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a state-of-the-art technology infrastructure;
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one of the largest office markets in the United States with affordable, flexible and attractive real estate options;
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access to a regional market of more than 5 million people;
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direct links to global markets through Washington Dulles International Airport;
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a competitive tax structure;
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access to venture capital and other funding sources; and
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proximity to international financial institutions such as the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and the Overseas Private Investment Corporation, as well as the diplomatic community and embassies—all located just across the Potomac River in Washington, D.C.
The Fairfax Advantage The county’s pro-business climate, highly skilled and well-educated workforce, and the enviable quality of life in the Washington region combine to create a unique and effective business advantage. Tens of thousands of business establishments have already discovered the advantages of a Fairfax County location. This includes hundreds of foreign-owned or foreignaffiliated corporations—the largest number in the Washington area—and one of the largest concentrations of minority-owned firms in the nation. With thousands of technology companies, Fairfax County’s diverse and dynamic business community includes industry leaders in the fields of: ●
aerospace
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homeland security
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simulation/training
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biotechnology, bioinformatics and biomedicine
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infrastructure solutions
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software development
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network security
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systems integration
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digital technology
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optical networking
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engineering
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satellite communications
telecommunications and wireless communications
Fairfax County’s large workforce is one of the best educated in the country. Nearly two-thirds of county adults have at least a bachelor’s degree and more than a quarter hold advanced degrees. Total technology jobs in the Washington, D.C., area number in the hundreds of thousands, and the majority are in Fairfax County. It’s no wonder that Fairfax County is a magnet for corporate headquarters, technology entrepreneurs and venture capitalists. Fairfax County companies receive hundreds of millions of dollars in venture capital investments each year.
Strategically Positioned for Global Competition Fairfax County businesses are well-positioned for continued growth with access to two major international airports—Washington Dulles International and Baltimore-Washington International—and one domestic airport, Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. Washington Dulles International Airport is one of the fastest-growing airports in the country. The airport is the second largest transatlantic gateway on the east coast and the third largest east coast gateway to the Pacific Rim, with direct flights to dozens of world markets such as Beijing, Brussels, Dubai, Frankfurt, London, Paris, Munich, Seoul, Tokyo, Toronto and Zurich.
Education Fairfax County Public Schools is a national leader in public education—its students consistently score well above the national average in standardized testing. The school system offers many unique programs, including: ●
the nationally recognized Foreign Language Immersion Program, which teaches elementary-level students in German, French, Japanese or Spanish;
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advanced academic programs in all schools;
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an International Baccalaureate (IB) degree program;
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advanced placement programs; and
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the Thomas Jefferson School for Science and Technology, one of the leading secondary schools in the nation for students with aptitudes in science, mathematics and technology.
Fairfax County also is home to a Saudi Arabian school, while British, French and German schools are nearby. Residents benefit from the dozens of major colleges and universities in the Washington area that offer a wide range of undergraduate and graduate degree programs. George Mason University, in Fairfax County, is known for its innovative academic programs— especially in information technology fields—and was the first university in the nation to offer a doctoral degree in information technology. Northern Virginia Community College is one of the top-ranked and largest community colleges in the United States.
Quality of Life Fairfax County offers a great quality of life that attracts and retains professional and technology talent essential for successful businesses. With 30,000 acres of parkland available to them, residents can enjoy a wide variety of outdoor activities, such as biking, hiking, tennis and golf. Residents and visitors alike can choose from among thousands of restaurants and take advantage of an abundance of shopping opportunities, including five major malls and hundreds of shops. The arts and culture abound in the county and neighboring Washington, D.C. In addition to Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts, the Kennedy Center and a host of other theaters are just minutes away. Worldfamous Smithsonian Institution museums and other well-known Washington and Virginia historic attractions are favorite destinations. The National Air and Space Museum’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, on the grounds of Washington Dulles International Airport, houses hundreds of aircraft and large space artifacts, including the Space Shuttle Enterprise, a SR-71 Blackbird and the B-29 “Enola Gay.” Popular historic attractions in the county include George Washington’s Mount Vernon and George Mason’s Gunston Hall.
About the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority The Fairfax County Economic Development Authority (FCEDA) provides free services and information designed to promote Fairfax County as a world center for business and trade. Experienced marketing professionals work with corporate decision-makers from small companies, mid-size firms and FORTUNE 500 corporationsinterested in locating or expanding operations in Fairfax County. The FCEDA’s services include providing current and comprehensive market information about Fairfax County and the Commonwealth of Virginia; assisting businesses with start-up, relocation or expansion needs by identifying and showing county office or industrial real estate options; providing information about county zoning, taxes and other issues critical to conducting business; acting as a liaison between businesses and regulatory agencies; providing information for employees relocating to the county; and acting as a liaison with venture capital firms and other financial institutions. The FCEDA has representatives in Bangalore, London, Los Angeles, Munich, Seoul and Tel Aviv.
Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts
National Air and Space Museum Steven F. UdvarHazy Center
Fairfax County Economic Development Authority
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Pentagon
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Mount Vernon Estate and Gardens
Gunston Hall
Photography: Cover, left to right, top row—Office worker, by Kaveh Sardari; Washington Dulles International Airport, courtesy Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority; Reston Town Center, FCEDA archives; Inova Hospital System, FCEDA archives Cover, left to right, top second row—Herndon Town Hall, FCEDA archives; Mount Vernon Estate and Gardens, FCEDA archives; a DNA researcher at Bode Technology Group, by Kaveh Sardari; the Washington, D.C., skyline, FCEDA archives Cover, left to right, third row—Commencement day at George Mason University, courtesy GMU; International Concourse, Washington Dulles International Airport, courtesy Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority; The Tycon Tower Building in Tysons Corner, FCEDA archives; the National Air and Space Museum Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, courtesy Smithsonian Institution Cover, left to right, fourth row—A building under construction in Fairfax County, FCEDA archives; The Ritz-Carlton Tysons Corner Hotel, FCEDA archives; Fairfax Corner, FCEDA archives; a tutor and student, courtesy Fairfax County Public Schools Inside spread, panel 1, top to bottom—2941 Fairview Park in Merrifield, by Kaveh Sardari; business meeting, FCEDA archives; Arrowhead Global Solutions, Inc., network operations center, by Kaveh Sardari Inside spread, panel 2, top to bottom—Washington Dulles International Airport, courtesy Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority; a Head Start educator and student, courtesy Fairfax County Office for Children; George Mason University, FCEDA archives Inside spread, panel 3, top to bottom—Wolf Trap’s Filene Center, courtesy of the Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts; bicyclist, FCEDA archives; golfer, FCEDA archives; Fairfax County Economic Development Authority headquarters in Tysons Corner, FCEDA archives
8300 Boone Boulevard | Suite 450 | Tysons Corner, VA 22182 USA t: 703.790.0600 | f: 703.893.1269 | e:
[email protected] www.FairfaxCountyEDA.org Offices worldwide in Bangalore, London, Los Angeles, Munich, Seoul and Tel Aviv
