Choose Western Mass

Tourism The travel, tourism and hospitality industry plays a tremendous role in Massachusetts’ Pioneer Valley (a brand used for tourism purposes to describe Hampden, Hampshire and Franklin counties.) The visitor industry ranks #1 worldwide, #2 in the United States and stands #3 in the Commonwealth, making it critical to our economy. Tourism related employment in…

Renewable Energy A recent census reported that the Massachusetts renewable energy cluster supports 14,400 jobs within 556 entities. Soon, Green energy will replace textiles as the state’s tenth largest industry at a projected growth rate of 20% per year, three times that of any other industry. Massachusetts is currently ranked within the top 10 states…

Plastics Massachusetts has the seventh largest concentration of plastics companies in the country, and Western Massachusetts is well represented with highly skilled and specialized businesses. Beginning with the production of raw material, the industry in Western Massachusetts extends through plastic converters, radio frequency sealing, and processes such as injection molding, blow molding, and thermoforming. This…

Medical Devices Western Massachusetts is home to more than 300 medical device companies who are positioned to thrive through support from world-class universities, research-driven hospitals and a flux of high-precision manufacturing facilities. A 2004 Milkin Institute study of America’s health care economy reported that New England has the nation’s highest concentration of medical device and…

Manufacturing Western Massachusetts has long been known for a large and diverse manufacturing industry employing nearly 40,000 workers. In Hampden County alone, manufacturing represents 12.1% of the region’s total employment and almost 10% in Hampshire, Franklin and Berkshire Counties. This industry is focused in developing parts and products within the Fabricated Metal, Paper, Computer, Electronics…

Life Sciences Massachusetts is the home of the world-renowned “Super Cluster” in the Biotechnology industry, focused in Cambridge. It is spreading west beyond the Greater Boston-Cambridge area as it expands. In Western Massachusetts, proximity and connections to the Super Cluster are regional strengths. The twin giants of the industry in this region are research institutions…

Information Technology Western Massachusetts’ large and diverse IT industry leverages the region’s cutting-edge infrastructure, highly-educated workforce and geographic advantages to serve clients ranging from Fortune 500 companies to celebrities such as Mick Jagger. Nearly the best data-carrying infrastructure in the nation belongs to Western Massachusetts. As the crossroads of all national and international fiber optic…

Healthcare More than 50,000 workers, nine hospitals, and 100 clinics or related facilities make healthcare the largest private industry in Western Massachusetts and a leading economic driver for the region. Area hospitals are research-driven centers for cutting-edge medical technology, advanced education, and renowned care. Baystate Health, the parent organization of Baystate Medical Center, is the…

Financial Services The Financial Services industry of Western Massachusetts and the Knowledge Corridor is a powerful force in both national and international markets. Multi-national banks, the Springfield-based operations of the MassMutual Financial Group and Liberty Mutual, as well as the Knowledge Corridor’s dense concentration of insurance giants, all contribute to the region’s strong financial services…

Entrepreneur Resources Below is the breakdown of the different levels of resources available. Regional-Level Resources Mentorship Valley Venture Mentors provides key support to the entrepreneurial ecosystem by uniting carefully selected start-ups with high quality business mentors at a structured monthly pitch and planning session. The Massachusetts Small Business Development Center Network’s Western Regional Office provides…

Creative Economy The Commonwealth has launched a Creative Economy Initiative and appointed a Creative Economy Industry Director in the Massachusetts Office of Business Development to work one-on-one with businesses and artists. What are the Creative Industries? In Massachusetts, the creative industries include the many interlocking industry sectors that provide creative services or create and promote…

Aerospace Many of Western Massachusetts’s precision manufacturing companies are contracted suppliers of precision mechanical components and sub-assemblies to major commercial manufacturers, aircraft engine builders, and military equipment contractors across the United States and internationally. These companies, led by the Massachusetts Chapter of the National Tooling and Machining Association (WMNTMA) perform highly critical, close tolerance work…