Q4 Report and Year-in-Review
2021 is a significant year for Greater Winston-Salem, Inc. as it marks our first full year of operations under the unified vision of economic development set forth when we launched as a new organization in 2020.
Programs in entrepreneurship, talent and workforce, place marketing, and target industry sector recruitment are new. We’ve introduced inaugural events, championed our vibrant small business community, and debuted strategic vision and goals.
Local and regional wins this year are all we need to see to confirm what we already knew- our time is now. In 2022 we are ready to prepare Forsyth County for imminent growth, new jobs, and greater opportunities.
What’s Inside:
ECONOMIC DASHBOARD: 505 new jobs were added and $296m was invested in economic expansions and locations in 2021. A 3.5% employment growth rate is higher than average among peer metros.
STARTUPS: The Winston-Salem Partners Roundtable (WSPR) Fund, launched this year, is expected to invest $300k+ into scaling local companies.
SMALL BUSINESS: We focus on local business success with resources, advocacy, and talent development initiatives; plus a comprehensive awareness campaign with 2.2m+ impressions and video views in 2021.
TALENT: ASPIRE WS, a paid internship program for WS/FCS students, launched in 2021 and is on track to more than double program participation for Spring 2022 internship placements.