Key Industries in Raleigh

Raleigh’s key industries are not far off from what you might expect. With deep roots in technology, Raleigh dominates several industry sectors while fueling the growth of newer, emerging industries. Raleigh’s east coast location is easily accessible for people and companies from around the state, the U.S., and the world. 

Our not-so-secret sauce is our talent pool. Raleigh's proximity to three tier-one research universities and twelve other colleges and universities is a significant competitive advantage. Additionally, partnerships and support from academia and government create an ecosystem of innovation, invention, and growth. 

Whether you are a CEO looking for a new headquarters location, a tech company searching for a hybrid workforce, or a manufacturer seeking a site with world-class infrastructure, you’ll have access to the resources you need to grow and expand your company in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Here’s a look at industry sectors in Raleigh: 

  • Headquarters

  • Advanced Manufacturing & Production

  • Life Sciences 

  • Technology 

  • Professional & Financial Services/Technology  

Emerging industry sectors include:

  • Automotive 

  • ESports & Gaming


In Good Company

Here’s a snapshot of several companies in each industry sector. This is not a complete and comprehensive list of all the great companies in Raleigh.

Headquarters

Advanced Manufacturing and Production

Life Sciences

Technology

Professional & Financial Services/Technology

Automotive

Raleigh supports the new wave of electric vehicles with comprehensive courses at North Carolina State University and Wake Technical Community College. In 2022, Ineos Automotive announced a U.S. headquarter location in Raleigh and will release the Grenadier 4x4 utility vehicle in 2022. 

Between workforce-ready talent and existing (regional) industry support, Raleigh is a prime location for automotive companies. Regionally, Toyota’s newest electric vehicle automotive battery plant is under construction in Greensboro. VinFast, a Vietnamese electric vehicle company, will open a $4 billion manufacturing facility employing 7,000+ workers in Chatham County in 2024.

Esports and Gaming

Have you heard of the online video game Fortnite? We thought so. 

The Epic Games headquarters is a few miles from Raleigh, located in the Town of Cary. The creators of Fortnite announced an expansion project in 2019 and planned to hire over 2,000 new employees. Available talent mixed with competitor companies, events, and curricula is significant when evaluating Raleigh as a viable location for your gaming company. 

Learn more about gaming and ESports on the Greater Raleigh Sports Alliance webpage.

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