Excellent recap of Governor Markell's recent trip to Germany. Delaware's Governor stands for diversification and entrepreneurship, and commits to helping Bavarian companies expand into the US through Delaware

1. Bayernkurier.de, Auf der Jagd nach „Hidden Champions“, by Heinrich Maetzke
Translation by Stefanie Friedeborn | Global.Delaware.gov
On the Hunt for “Hidden Champions”
Bavaria’s successful medium sized businesses have brought admirers to
the other side of the Atlantic. In order to entice small Bavarian success
companies – so-called “hidden champions” – to come to Delaware,
Governor Jack Markell has come to Munich. He has an attractive offer:
His government wants to help Bavarian entrepreneurs in Delaware in
every imaginable way.
No joke: Governor Jack A. Markell, from the small east coast state, Delaware, is on a big wild
hunt in Bavaria. He is looking for Bavaria’s biggest and most valuable but also the shy wild. The
US governor is on a hunt for medium sized businesses, for Bavarian “hidden champions.”
Economists have coined the term “hidden champions” to call small and medium-sized
enterprises found in their niches with special products delivering top quality and are often
world leaders. Simply Champions. And Markell knows that in Bavaria there are hundreds of
thousands of successful medium sized businesses.
“The goal of the mission is to strengthen the ties with the blooming
small and medium sized enterprises in Bavaria and its capital Munich”
Naturally, Markell does not want to lose Bavaria’s small and medium sized enterprises, he
wants to entice them to Delaware. Therefore, he came especially to Munich. Where he lead
discussions with politicians and especially SMEs (small and medium sized enterprises). To
commence his almost one week trip he said this in his written press release at home, “The goal
of the mission is to strengthen the ties with the blooming small and medium sized enterprises in
Bavaria and its capital, Munich.” Markell’s small delegation trip is a part of the initiative “Global
Delaware,” which was presented this year – and Bavaria is the first stop.
“Had a productive meeting with Bavarian Biotechnology enterprises
that are interested in coming to USA”
- Governor Markell via Twitter @DelawareGlobal
Thursday afternoon he had an appointment in Martinsried. The discussion in the top location
for biotechnology enterprises was very important to Markell. “In Delaware, we also have a
biotechnology cluster,” said Markell previously at a breakfast in Munich. “I came to Bavaria
because of that.” After the visit in Martinsried, he immediately sent out a tweet “Had a

2. Bayernkurier.de, Auf der Jagd nach „Hidden Champions“, by Heinrich Maetzke
Translation by Stefanie Friedeborn | Global.Delaware.gov
productive meeting with Bavarian Biotechnology enterprises that are interested in coming to
USA.” The Delawareans should know what their governor is pushing in Bavaria. His visit is a
great success for Martinsried and Bavaria because how many US-governors – or prime ministers
– know of Martinsried?
Bavaria and Delaware
The governor did his homework and he deliberately chose Bavaria: “We are concentrating on
Bavaria.” He believes Bavaria and Delaware have a few things in common. Naturally, Bavaria is
ten times as big as the just 6447 kilometers (4006 miles) squared big US state with around a
population of 900,000. Despite the differences in size, there are in fact similarities. They are
both in the middle of a hard journey in an entirely new economic world. Both are succeeding
well at adapting to the conditions of the high-tech economy – so-called “new economy”. With a
GDP of $61,183 per head, Delaware is the richest US state. In addition, Delaware is one of the
few states that has received a Triple-A-Rating by the big rating agencies for fifteen years.
“I want to be with Delaware where Bavaria is.”
Both Bavaria and Delaware are in their nations the top business locations: 80% of the American
pharmaceutical industry is found in the larger region around Delaware. Delaware has the third
highest concentration from IT jobs nationwide. Both Bavaria and Delaware have an
understanding that in a fast and constantly changing economy one thing is for sure: They need
to be as effective as possible at connecting with the rest of the world. Markell said: “Success for
our state in the 21st
century means we have to look beyond the borders in order to create jobs
and economic opportunities for Delawareans.”
Admiration for Bavaria
Even with all the IT and high-tech, Delaware has also stayed quite agricultural: 2500 farms are
farming 39% of the state. In 2012, Delaware’s agricultural production amounted 12 million
dollars. Additionally, Delaware is the 8th
most important Exporter of chicken products in the
USA.
“Such a wonderful Park in the middle of the city – that is quality of life”
A piece of admiration for the first state comes from governor Markell too: “I want to be with
Delaware where Bavaria is.” And he especially likes Munich. Before the breakfast appointment,
he rented a bike and biked through the English gardens. He is still shocked: “Such a wonderful
Park in the middle of the city – that is quality of life.” Throughout the discussion he comes back
to the English garden once more.

3. Bayernkurier.de, Auf der Jagd nach „Hidden Champions“, by Heinrich Maetzke
Translation by Stefanie Friedeborn | Global.Delaware.gov
Entrepreneurially minded head of Government
As many American politicians, Markell also has a significant economic background. He was a
business economist and worked for the management consultant McKinsey. In the beginning
phases of the US mobile operator, Sprint, he was employee number thirteen. Today Sprint is
the 4th
largest enterprise in its art in the USA, with at least 64,000 employees and 43 million
dollars of sales.
As finance minister in a democratically governed Delaware from 1998 to 2008, Markell
emphasized fiscal soundness and lowered government spending. What Markell – and probably
not just him in the USA – understood under fiscal transparency is that he shows a detail as
amusing as it is revealing: On the official State of Delaware website he reveals, estimations of
what his small Delegation trip to Germany costed: less than 50,000 dollars. In 2008, Markell was
elected in the so-called Obama wave, for the democrats, in the small state with a strong 67% of
the vote. In 2012, he managed to get re-elected with an overwhelming 69%.
“I would prefer 10 enterprises with 1000 jobs or 100 firms with 100
positions over just one employer with 10,000 jobs.”
The governor is described as entrepreneurially minded. Exactly that leads him now to Bavaria’s
middle class. Not that he would have anything against big enterprises such as Siemens or BMW
– Siemens employed 1000 employees in Delaware. But he means that the big enterprises are
“on everyone’s radar”. And by appeal, such a big employer for such a small state is not entirely
unproblematic. When the business or the enterprise gets into difficulties, thousands of jobs
could be affected in one hit. Delaware already saw this happen with the fall of the chemistry
giant DuPont. The enterprise that once employed 17,000 people and today only has a tenth of
that. Markell stated “I would prefer 10 enterprises with 1000 jobs or 100 firms with 100
positions over just one employer with 10,000 jobs.”
Furthermore, the governor stands for diversification and would be just as glad over employers
that can support just 10, 15, or 20 employees. Recognized in Delaware tax determination is an
enterprise that invests $200,000 dollars or more and employees 5 or more qualified workers,
receives a tax credit.
Assistance for the SMEs that dare to take the step over the Atlantic
The “wild” that he is looking for in Bavaria are small enterprises that possibly already have
business ties with the USA. Such SMEs are in most cases family enterprises with conservative
thinking and very cautious leadership. That is exactly why so many shy away from taking the
difficult decision to take the step across the pond. In order to make the decision easier for
SMEs, Delaware advertises assistance and all kinds of business services – especially legal
services.

4. Bayernkurier.de, Auf der Jagd nach „Hidden Champions“, by Heinrich Maetzke
Translation by Stefanie Friedeborn | Global.Delaware.gov
“In the USA, Delaware is known as an undisputed market leader in the
area of enterprises and legal service”
The state government maintains that its corporate division in the capital Dover is always ready
to react and that experts with advice and assistance are always on stand-by. Furthermore, the
small east coast state is known as an undisputed market leader in the area of enterprises and
legal service. A big triumph of Delaware is its excellence in administration of justice nationwide.
In the USA, firms are always subject to the law of the state in which they are registered. Due to
such a good reputation of Delaware’s justice and its judges, there are over a million employers
registered there. Among those registered are 65% percent of the 500 biggest worldwide listed
corporations.
Small and practical in a prime location
Also, from purely geographical grounds, Delaware would probably not be a bad choice for a
Bavarian SME, which is debating to dare to take the step across the Atlantic. There are direct
flights from Munich to Philadelphia, which is only 20 minutes away from Delaware. “Small is
beautiful” and for Delaware that remains true. “Everyone knows everyone here,” says a co-
worker of the Governor. It is easy, to bring people together, employers and employees,
economists and politicians. Governor Markell likes to talk especially about the many skilled
workers in Delaware. The state advertises the 2nd
highest concentration of doctorates per
resident in the USA.
“In the summer, Washington gathers at the Delaware beaches and
makes the federal state the summer capital of the nation.”
In addition to its prime location is the equally short distance between Washington and New
York. It is possible to have a morning appointment in New York and to be back in Delaware for
lunch. Those who prefer to settle down in New York, pay three times as much in rent and twice
as much in the average median wage. To get to Washington, you don’t even have to leave
Delaware, especially not in the summer, because in the summer the capital comes to Delaware.
Everyone that has name and rank gathers in the beautiful holiday villas along the Delaware
beaches. This earned Delaware the nickname “the nation’s summer capital.”
Translation by: Stefanie Friedeborn