By Olga Gorman – Community Growth Director, Gateway85 CID
Gateway85 CID was honored to join the Georgia delegation at the 2025 SelectUSA Investment Summit in Washington, D.C., showcasing why Georgia — and specifically our district — is one of the most business-friendly destinations in the U.S.
As part of the official SelectUSA Georgia exhibition booth, we joined partners from across the state to highlight the unmatched business climate Georgia offers. We’re grateful to have worked alongside Pat Wilson – Commissioner, Georgia Department of Economic Development; Lizann Grupalo – Deputy Commissioner of International Trade, Georgia Department of Economic Development; Ellen Kraft – Managing Director, Georgia Europe Office; Raquel Freitas – Trade and FDI Specialist, Brazil Office; Andrew Hickey – Director of Economic Development, Partnership Gwinnett; and the entire Georgia SelectUSA exhibit team.
Showcasing Gateway85 on a Global Stage
The 2025 SelectUSA Investment Summit brought together more than 5,500 attendees from over 100 countries, including 2,700 international delegates and 1,100 economic development leaders. Gateway85 CID was proud to co-host a major side event, “Select Georgia: Taking Off from the U.S.–Ukraine Tech Launchpad,” at Ukraine House in Washington, D.C. The event was co-hosted with Partnership Gwinnett, the Georgia Department of Economic Development, Georgia Tech, Curiosity Lab at Peachtree Corners and DroneUA, with support from the U.S. Department of Commerce and the Embassy of Ukraine to the United States.
Oksana Markarova, Ambassador of Ukraine to the United States, delivered opening remarks that underscored the spirit of innovation and cooperation between the U.S. and Ukraine. “Ukrainians are very entrepreneurial, brave and active. We love freedom and we’re also willing to defend it. And that’s something that unites Ukrainians and Americans,” she said. “That entrepreneurial and innovative part, I think, is at the essence of it. I think there is a big future ahead of us.”
Elizabeth Schaefer, Deputy Executive Director of SelectUSA, also emphasized the value of foreign direct investment and the summit’s broader economic goals. “The Trump Administration is committed to ushering in a Golden Age for America, creating manufacturing jobs across the United States,” she said. “President Trump’s America First Investment Policy underscores the value of our economy and ensures the United States remains the most attractive investment to foreign direct investment.”
Gateway85’s Executive Director Emory Morsberger positioned the CID as a premier landing zone for Ukrainian technology entering the U.S. market. “Gateway85 CID was honored to organize and represent the district at this landmark event,” he said. “We are building bridges between our thriving Georgia business community and Ukrainian innovators who are ready to expand into the U.S. With world-class infrastructure, opportunity zones and a strong tech corridor and foundation, our CID is proud to welcome these companies into our diverse ecosystem.”
Panel Highlights and Industry Insights
The panel discussion brought together industry leaders and international voices to explore the synergies between Georgia’s thriving tech sectors and Ukraine’s entrepreneurial energy. Valerii Iakovenko, Co-Founder of DroneUA, announced the company’s U.S. expansion and praised Georgia as a natural innovation hub. “Business is the perfect diplomacy,” he said. “Today, Ukrainians are ready to invest, innovate and contribute. Georgia offers a real opportunity for building long-term partnerships and Gateway85 is our partner.”
Ellen Kraft, Managing Director at the State of Georgia Europe Office, highlighted the alignment between Ukrainian companies and Georgia’s industrial strengths. “The State of Georgia is incredibly diverse when it comes to our industrial base,” she said. “With a strong focus on defense, technology, aerospace, cybersecurity and fintech, there is a natural connection with the companies that are here.”
Building Connections and Global Partnerships
In addition to our event, Gateway85 CID had the opportunity to engage in several high-level meetings and form strategic relationships that we believe will support long-term growth for both our district and international partners.
We met with Ukraine Ambassador Oksana Markarova and Diane Farrell – Deputy Under Secretary for International Trade, U.S. Department of Commerce – to discuss economic development efforts and future cooperation. We also held a strategic session with Yulia Myronenko from the U.S. Commercial Service and Stephanie Rothman of SelectUSA to explore how we can attract Ukrainian companies to establish operations within the Gateway85 district with support from our members and partners.
During a productive meeting with Serhii Kiral, Deputy Mayor of Lviv and representative of the Lviv Iron Tech Cluster, we laid the foundation for future collaboration. We also spoke with Rodion Borokhovych, Head of Business Development for ECOFACTOR, and began planning a follow-up visit to Georgia with the company’s owner to explore potential local expansion.
We appreciated the opportunity to connect directly with Ellen Kraft, Managing Director at the State of Georgia Europe Office, to discuss actionable next steps for attracting more tech companies to Gateway85. Another exciting conversation took place with Janenne Remondino and Jon T. Kelly, Vice President and Show Director of CES, respectively, about potential involvement in CES 2026 (Consumer Electronics Show).
Our presence at the “Welcome to Washington” event was a highlight, where we had the honor of personally meeting U.S. Senator and Georgia representative Jon Ossoff. We also met with Rey Benitez, Chief of Staff to Senator Ossoff, to share Gateway85’s priorities and discuss federal support opportunities. Finally, Emory Morsberger met with Marcus Garza, Chief of Staff to Congressman Hank Johnson, to continue exploring ways to bring more federal resources and visibility to our district.
Stay tuned for more information!
