Gov. Schwarzenegger Promotes Businesses on Trip

Addressing the California Business Reception, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger recently concluded his trip promoting California business and the state’s global leadership in information communications technology at CeBIT 2009 in Hannover, Germany.

As the first official state partner with CeBIT, a technology trade fair for digital business solutions and information and communications technology (ICT), California companies were spotlighted among over 5,000 exhibitors and half a million attendees.

“As I’ve said before, California is not only the eighth-largest economy in the world - we are the high-tech capital of the world and the biotechnology capital of the world - and I’m proud to have showcased our great state here at the world’s largest technology trade fair,” said Gov. Schwarzenegger. “Especially in the middle of this difficult global economy, it’s terrific to see so many companies from California seize this tremendous opportunity to network with organizations from across the globe, sharing their innovative technologies and pumping up their businesses.”

During his two-day CeBIT Exhibition promotional tour, the Governor met with various business and elected officials including German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Lower Saxony Minister President Christian Wulff and Hannover Lord Mayor Stephan Weil. In his meeting with Chancellor Merkel, discussions focused on economic stimulus and California’s desire to collaborate with other nations like Germany on climate change.

The Governor also delivered remarks at several events including CeBIT’s Opening Ceremony, where he spoke to over 2,000 audience members. The Governor also toured the CeBIT exhibition fair grounds which showcased California companies and included 27 separate exhibit halls spanning over 10 million square feet of exhibition space. Many California companies, including a state delegation of 51 small and medium-sized businesses, showcased the state’s innovative ICT in several key industries including green technology, entertainment, Internet-based services, TeleHealth, security, consumer electronics, digital content generation and distribution, aerospace, and research and technology at CeBIT 2009.

Additionally, the Germany-California ICT Summit was the star attraction of the Partner State program, giving the two entities the opportunity to step-up collaboration and stimulate increased bilateral business.

For more information about CeBIT 2009, visit at www.cebit.de/