The Bold North. The North Star State. The northernmost point of the continental United States is in the little northern notch by the tiny inlet of Angle. Now it’s time to make Minnesota Space North, the Midwest hub for the space industry in the United States.
Why Minnesota, you may ask? Before you let this become too much of a head scratcher, consider this:
Minnesota has a highly educated and diverse workforce.
According to GreaterMSP, we have a thriving business climate with 17 Fortune 500 companies planting their headquarters flag in our state. 40%+ of our workforce has completed at least a bachelor’s degree. In 2018, Minnesota was one of the finalists for the U.S. Army’s new Futures Command.
People who live in Minnesota tend to stay here.
People who move here also tend to stay here, and a significant number of people who leave Minnesota end up moving back here.
Our economy is thriving.
The stereotype is that Minnesotans move away to escape our so-called brutal winter weather. The real normal is that Minnesotans come back to Minnesota because it’s affordable to live here and provides the qualities of life they value.
So why not bring the industry to the people?
Minnesota is centrally located in the country, and is an easy flight from anywhere. Utilizing secure technology, aerospace and STEM employees in Minnesota offices can be connected to existing space industry centers in California, Texas, Florida and more. It’s a win-win.
A few years ago, SpaceX tried recruiting talent from Seattle. Talent refused to move to L.A. So what did SpaceX do? They opened an office in Seattle.
So hey, SpaceX, Blue Origin, NASA: Hope you’re paying attention – Minnesota is the dark horse you’re looking for.
We are brimming with Midwest work ethic, and we have the next generation of innovators in aerospace and STEM. They’re here, in Minnesota.
The welcome mat is out. Let’s build Space North together.
