News & Resources

The 2025 Midland Entrepreneurial Challenge recently recognized five local businesses with funding following a unique opportunity to access one-on-one business coaching from America’s Small Business Development Center at UT Permian Basin. Funded by the Midland Development Corporation (MDC) and administered by the University of Texas Permian Basin (UTPB), this annual challenge serves...Continue Reading

The Site Selectors Guild, the only association of the world’s foremost professional site selection consultants, announced the winners of its two award categories for exemplary economic development initiatives. The awards program, now in its fifth year, recognized the winners during the Guild’s Annual Conference, the world’s largest gathering of professional...Continue Reading

Governor Greg Abbott today celebrated Texas as America’s most dynamic economy as the state again surpassed all previous records for total jobs, the number of Texans working, and the size of the Texas labor force based on January 2025 employment data.“Hardworking Texans drive America’s most dynamic economy,” said Governor Abbott...Continue Reading

Following a record year for infrastructure investment, TxDOT leadership recently told a regional gathering of employees, contractors and other transportation partners the agency is meeting the increasing demand for safety, delivery and innovation as the Texas population continues to grow like no other.“You all have seen just tremendous growth in...Continue Reading

The U.S. aerospace and defense industry is growing rapidly. Between a heightened global threat environment and ongoing government initiatives to modernize military capabilities, demand for Sensitive Compartmented Information Facilities, also known as SCIFs, is on the rise.At the same time, new requirements and standards for SCIFs are being issued in...Continue Reading

Data centers faced their toughest power challenges yet in 2024, but the industry didn’t just survive – it thrived, according to JLL’s new North America Data Center Year-End 2024 Report. The sector is charging full speed ahead, with colocation vacancy plummeting to a record low of 2.6% and absorption levels...Continue Reading

Midland telecommunications company AST SpaceMobile, Inc. is at the center of early global communication headlines in 2025. In January, the company’s satellites were behind the first space mobile video call, and other major milestones in 2024 further served AST SpaceMobile’s mission of connecting the entire globe. Headquartered in the Midland Spaceport Business...Continue Reading

February 25, 2025 — Yuki Soda, a junior at Legacy High School, has been selected to attend the International Science School (ISS) in Australia this summer. This program brings together approximately 150 students from around the world every other year to engage in advanced STEM learning experiences. Yuki is one...Continue Reading

Here, I am looking at innovation through the lens of process improvement. The value of most organizations is defined by their intellectual capital rather than their physical assets. The intellectual capital of your organization can be traced through the process maps that enable your business operations.Process innovation is not achievable...Continue Reading

Understanding your customers' needs, frustrations and praise for your brand is a critical element for entrepreneurs who want to improve their products and generate more revenue. What used to be a simple task through customer conversations and basic surveys is now more complex than ever. Today, audiences with rapidly changing...Continue Reading

Thousands of engineers are being celebrated across the state and nation for National Engineers Week.Started by the National Society of Professional Engineers in 1951, the week is meant to recognize the work of engineers and inspire future generations of innovators.“With over 26 years of experience managing multi-million-dollar roadway and bridge...Continue Reading

The Risk of Marketing Without a PlanMany rural communities struggle to attract business investment, site selectors, and workforce talent–not because they lack opportunity, but because they don’t have a clear economic development marketing strategy.We’ve seen it happen time and time again. Economic developers in rural America rely on one-off marketing...Continue Reading

We're excited to announce that the Midland Development Corporation and Flour Child Baked Goods have entered into an economic development agreement. MDC and Flour Child were introduced to each other through the MDC's Business Retention & Expansion (BRE) program, and MDC learned about their food manufacturing process, which takes place...Continue Reading

The Detroit factory where Henry Ford first began mass-producing automobiles had a transformative impact not just on the auto industry but on manufacturing and business practices across all industries. However, that factory was singular in purpose—assembling a Model T as quickly and uniformly as possible.Today, while optimal efficiency in production...Continue Reading

The Lone Star State stands tall—not only in landmass, but also as the nation’s top energy producer. From oil and gas to wind-powered generation, Texas leads in energy innovation and drives economic prosperity. With its robust energy production to fuel Texas infrastructure, the state serves as a model of reliability...Continue Reading

Effective collaboration with local governments is essential for success when planning large industrial developments. These partnerships often determine whether a project moves smoothly through approvals and into operation or encounters delays, budget overruns, and community opposition. For decision-makers overseeing site selection or expansion, building and maintaining strong relationships with local...Continue Reading

Vodafone makes world's first space video call from an area of no coverage using Midland's AST SpaceMobile. Vodafone has successfully made the world’s first space video call using normal 4G/5G smartphones and satellites that will allow multiple users in areas of no mobile coverage to make and receive video calls,...Continue Reading

The best economic development strategy for any community focuses on sustainability and growth. Economic development organizations exist in their communities to promote economic growth and development. Midland Development Corporation is a Type A sales tax corporation with an array of tools and resources to assist a range of local community...Continue Reading

The investment opportunities afforded by decades at the center of the West Texas energy sector helped Midland seize new opportunities at Midland International Air & Spaceport. The creation of a commercial space launch site, one of only 14 in the United States, further diversified the dynamic economy of Midland, Texas,...Continue Reading

Although homebuyers and home sellers continue to encounter headlines declaring the housing market a seller’s domain with national home prices at record highs, a closer analysis shows that several regional markets have shifted, offering homebuyers increased leverage.During the pandemic housing boom, spanning from summer 2020 to spring 2022, active home...Continue Reading

Texas’ most compelling selling points no longer have anything to do with size or stars. Top-ranked as one of the best states to nurture a business based on infrastructure investments and economic advantages, Texas continues to incentivize individuals and incorporated entities alike. Here are 3 reasons business is better (and...Continue Reading

The Midland, Texas, aerospace and defense industry has endless opportunities as an FAA-approved horizontal launch site. After decades as the heart of the oil and gas industry in West Texas, Midland, the fastest-growing midsize city in the U.S., is dedicated to economic diversification and opportunities in aerospace and defense.Leasing incentives...Continue Reading