Tennessee economic development presentation outlines 2026 strategy, cites $11.4 billion in 2025 investments
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Summary
An unidentified department presenter outlined Tennessee's 2026 economic strategy, highlighting 2025 results of 75 projects, more than 8,000 jobs and $11.4 billion in capital investment, emphasized rural job growth and named Oak Ridge as central to future advanced-industry plans.
Unidentified Speaker, a department presenter, outlined Tennessee's 2026 economic strategy and said the state is "positioned not just to compete, but to lead the charge." The presenter framed a shift in success metrics from raw job counts to capital investment, research and development, resilient supply chains and innovation capacity.
The presenter cited the administration's 2025 outcomes as evidence of momentum: "75 business development projects, more than 8,000 new jobs, and $11,400,000,000 in capital investments, with 40% coming from foreign direct investment," the speaker said. They added that nearly 60% of the 8,000 new jobs "are being created in our rural communities," calling that the highest number of rural job wins to date.
Why it matters: The department said it will prioritize long-term competitiveness—measured by capital investment and R&D—rather than only headline job totals. That approach, the presenter said, is intended to strengthen Tennessee's ability to attract advanced industries and resilient supply chains.
Target industries named in the presentation include aerospace and defense; pharmaceuticals and biotechnology; nuclear energy; artificial intelligence; quantum computing; and next-generation power systems. "At the center of this strategy is Oak Ridge," the presenter said, citing Oak Ridge National Laboratory's capabilities as a once-in-a-generation opportunity to combine nuclear energy, AI and quantum computing.
The presenter emphasized energy and computing infrastructure as foundational: secure, reliable energy, they said, "positions Tennessee to support world class supercomputing that advances national security, health care, and scientific discovery." The talk also said county and city leaders must have resources and support to realize rural growth across the state's 95 counties.
On the department's role, the presenter said the office is evolving "from recruiting projects to orchestrating ecosystems, aligning capital, talent, infrastructure, research, and policy to deliver long term value for Tennesseans." The remarks closed with thanks to Governor Lee and the General Assembly for their leadership and support.
