Kemp: Companies invested $35 billion in fiscal year 2026

(The Center Square) – Companies invested $35.2 billion in Georgia in fiscal year 2026, creating 25,300 new jobs, Gov. Brian Kemp said Thursday.

Of the 436 projects, 79% were expansions that added 15,370 new jobs and $24.7 billion in investments. Kemp said Georgia had a record year for economic investments for the second consecutive year.

"The greatest vote of confidence is a company choosing to expand their existing operations in our state, and that decision made up the vast majority of projects this past fiscal year," Kemp said in a statement. "With our partners in the General Assembly, Georgia's world-recognized economic developers, and community leaders, we're proving why we remain the No. 1 state for business.”

Seventy-five percent of the projects are outside metro Atlanta.

“Georgians in rural communities across the state have access to historic opportunity thanks to the commitment of the Georgia House and Governor Kemp,” said House Speaker Jon Burns in a statement. “With more job creation and economic investment reaching communities outside of metro Atlanta than ever before, we’re ensuring that every Georgian, regardless of their ZIP code, has the opportunity to find a good-paying job in the community they call home.”

International companies added 9,350 new jobs and $7.8 billion in foreign direct investment, according to Kemp's office.

“These investments create jobs, strengthen local tax bases, and give communities greater resources to build an even stronger future for their residents," said Economic Development Commissioner Pat Wilson in a statement. "Georgia’s more than 50 years of representation in global markets means we have built relationships and earned the trust that allows us to meet companies where they are today and be part of their plans for tomorrow.

The governor recently returned from an economic development trip to South America.

Numbers from fiscal year 2026, which began on July 1, 2025 and ended on June 30, 2026, are not available. Open Georgia shows that in fiscal year 2025, Kemp's travel expenses were $56,506.12. Wilson's expenses were $117,720.97. The website did not show what counted as domestic travel and what counted as international travel.

Economic development trips are included in the state's budget, Jessica Atwell, communications manager for the Georgia Department of Economic Development, previously told The Center Square in an email.

This story originally appeared on thecentersquare.com.