Orange County is a 21st century business hub, boasting a total of 114,845 businesses (EDD 201). According to the United States Department of Employment Development, 114,625 companies have 0 to 500 employees. It is the perfect combination of diverse and dynamic industries, a metropolitan lifestyle with a suburban environment, and a phenomenal climate that's hard to find anywhere else in the world. Leaders in every field, from fashion to music to cars, are heading to Orange County today to spot tomorrow's trends. The success and growth of the Irvine Spectrum have led to the development of the University Research Park, in the northwest corner of the University of California in Irvine.
This research institution is recognized throughout the country and will house another 100 high-tech companies. Total high-tech employment in Orange County exceeds 76,000 jobs, more than in regions such as Raleigh-Durham, Seattle, Austin and San Diego. Small businesses now have several new resources available for free thanks to BizLink Orange. This program is managed by the National Entrepreneur Center in partnership with the Orange County Government and is designed to help the small business community solve problems. It provides much-needed assistance and helps them to be well positioned for long-term success. The Orange County biopharmaceutical industry cluster represents more than double the national average, making it the seventh strongest in the United Kingdom.
The Cenfluence initiative places Orange County on the map as one of the top destinations for technological research and innovation. The Orlando Economic Association offers a full range of services to businesses looking to establish or expand in the Orlando area. Their team of business development experts can help with everything from analyzing the location of the site to evaluating financial assistance. OCBC's Latino educational achievement program has been shown to reduce the education gap among immigrants in Orange County. Home to planned communities with great schools and safe streets, Orange County is not only an ideal place for your business but also a great place to call home. The life sciences and biotechnology industry employs more than 65,000 people in more than 2,000 locations in Orange County. Fortune 100 companies such as Amazon, JP Morgan Chase, Walt Disney, Charter Communications and Boeing have all established themselves here.
But it is also proud to offer some of the safest streets in the country, high-performance schools, nearly 300 days of sunshine and 42 miles of coastline along the Pacific Ocean. Orange County is a mecca for outdoor activities all year round. It offers any activity imaginable from its beaches to its art and music scene. Shopping and restaurants are also plentiful here. WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT OCBC works to ensure a portfolio of qualified workers for Orange County's dynamic, global companies. Where do you seek to find the business trends and sociological developments that will define where the avant-garde cities of the next century are heading? According to New York Times critic Paul Goldberger, there is no better place than Orange County.
