The task of the state-owned economic development agency NRW.INVEST is to market North Rhine-Westphalia as an investment location and to acquire foreign direct investments for North Rhine-Westphalia. Foreign and German companies are supported in their investment projects and/or their settlement in North Rhine-Westphalia – support which they receive throughout the entire process of establishing their business. The ser¬vices offered by NRW.INVEST range from comprehensive information about North Rhine-Westphalia as an investment location and tips regarding tax and legal aspects to information on the state's economic structure and sectoral clusters.

The experts at NRW.INVEST identify and acquire potential international investors for North Rhine-Westphalia, analyze investment projects and offer suitable locations for them in the state. They arrange appointments for negotiations with all those involved in the approval process and accompany the process to its successful conclusion. For investors who have already set up business in North Rhine-Westphalia, NRW.INVEST pro¬vides particular assistance with expansions, start-ups and spin-offs. In doing so, NRW.INVEST works closely with the local and regional economic development agencies in the state, the Ministry for Economic Affairs, firms, federations, chambers of industry and commerce, and other associations geared to economic interests.

NRW.INVEST GmbH, which has its head office in the state capital Düsseldorf, was established in 1960 as "Gesellschaft für Wirtschaftsförderung Nordrhein-Westfalen mbH (GfW)". The state of North Rhine-Westphalia, represented by the Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy, is the sole owner. In addition to subsidiaries in Japan and the USA, NRW.INVEST operates representations in China, India, Korea, and Turkey.