InBIA’s Soft Landings network ensures that businesses entering or expanding into a new country are provided with an accelerated introduction to that country’s business practices, regulations and culture. We recognize the rapid growth in the need for entrepreneurship centers that have the capacity to serve foreign companies interested in expanding outside of their domestic markets. In order to serve these foreign companies, we’ve developed a global network of Soft Landings-designated centers that have been validated through a rigorous application and peer-review validation process.

A Soft Landings designation recognizes entrepreneurship centers that excel in providing companies with various services. Ultimately, Soft Landing designees ensure that foreign companies experience a “soft Landing” when entering a new country.

The Welcoming Center for New Pennsylvanians has been a member for over 3 years and has a growing program that is fueling the growth of the economic ecosystem on a global level. Their international efforts have not gone unnoticed. Let us be the first to congratulate them on their Soft Landings Designation!

Read on for their press release below.

Featured Press Release – The Welcoming Center for New Pennsylvanians

The Welcoming Center for New Pennsylvanians (Welcoming Center) is excited to announce its admission to the Soft Landings Global Network under the International Business Innovation Association (InBIA). InBIA has more than 2,100 members in over 60 countries.

InBIA recognizes the rapid growth in the need for entrepreneurship centers that have the capacity to serve foreign companies interested in expanding outside of their domestic markets. As a result, InBIA has developed a global network of Soft Landings-designated centers that have been validated through a rigorous application and peer-review vetting process. As of today, the InBIA Soft Landings global network has 31 members in more than 8 countries. The Welcoming Center is one of only two organizations in Pennsylvania to earn the Soft Landings designation.

In 2013, Blandine Chantepie-Kari initiated a partnership between the French-American Chamber of Commerce, Philadelphia Chapter, and the Welcoming Center to launch the soft landing program Global Access. The mission of Global Access is to support local job creation by attracting Foreign Direct Investment, fostering entrepreneurship, and cultivating international economic synergies. This initiative helps foreign enterprises and entrepreneurs navigate the various hurdles of entering the U.S. market and incorporating in the U.S. Global Access combines immigration solutions with cultural education, technical assistance, and business development.

“The Global Access program at the Welcoming Center clearly demonstrated it has the resources and programming to meet the needs of foreign/non-domestic firms that want to enter the U.S. market,” states Kirstie Chadwick, InBIA’s President and CEO. “InBIA’s Soft Landings designation enables entrepreneurship centers to attract new clients and differentiate their programs as being specially designed to work with a unique clientele.”

Benefits of enrolling in Global Access include achieving global visibility, gaining credibility through acceptance after a selective application process, and enjoying opportunities to collaborate with InBIA on international projects and grant proposals.

Learn more about Global Access and gain information on InBIA’s global network & Soft Landing’s program.