Last month, the City of Fremont led its first-ever Trade Delegation to India – a country that represents our largest share of population, and even more strikingly, represents business opportunities in our two most important economic growth sectors, Life Sciences and Clean Technology. Vice Mayor Natarajan (a Bangalore native) and Councilmember Bacon represented the City along with key staff, and were accompanied by Ohlone College personnel and Fremont businesses. The following slideshow highlights the activities and takeaway themes that will inform our international business proposition over time. Stay tuned for an upcoming blog post from Anu Natarajan that speaks to Fremont’s unique Trade Mission approach.

1. Bangalore – India’s Silicon Valley

Bangalore is India’s Silicon Valley with many entrepreneurs, an educated population, and a growing startup industry. Sound familiar? It’s not a surprise that Fremont companies such as Metabyte have a presence in both cities, and that we found many Bangalore companies looking for a presence in the Bay Area.



Additionally, the tough credit market in India means that business growth is tied to cash flow reinvestment – a fact that bodes well for business expansion efforts by Indian companies. Companies like Infosys and Biocon Research Center are growing gangbusters and will undoubtedly be intertwined with our future.

2. Chennai – Advanced Manufacturing; Talented Workforce

Government investment in infrastructure is evident everywhere in Chennai from its vast business parks, to the ambitious metro under construction. The Ticel Biotech Park is one such example where Asia’s single largest lab space is under construction. Chennai’s stellar educational institutions further fuel business growth, and we were impressed by the gender equity that was evident at large tech campuses.


3. Jaipur – Sisters in Sustainability

Jaipur has been Fremont’s sister city for more than 20 years, and while the relationship has historically been about cultural exchange, we are now engaging in more pressing matters. With guidance from Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, we kicked off a sustainability collaboration with Jaipur – conducting an official MOU signing ceremony and beginning to share best practices related to climate action.


In summary, there is as much to “import” as to “export” related to our ongoing relationship with India. In addition to business and sustainability relationships that were formed, we are now better able to articulate our strengths to an international audience. Things like reliable and (relatively!) affordable power are important to potential overseas business partners. Combined with a receptive, can-do attitude, Fremont stands to gain tremendously from its global approach to business development.