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# Walz Heads to Nordic Countries as Minnesota Courts Investment
- URL: https://www.theamericanquorum.com/state-news-minnesota-2026-09-26-a/
- Published: 2026-09-26T14:27:18.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-26T14:27:18.000Z
- Description: Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz will travel to Denmark, Sweden and Iceland Sept. 27-Oct. 3 to court investment and expand trade. The mission targets health innovation, agriculture, clean technology and advanced manufacturing.
- Author: News Desk
- Tags: Business, Minnesota

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz is scheduled to begin a three-country Nordic trade mission Sunday, Sept. 27, with the state seeking new investment and commercial ties at a moment of uneven export performance.

The itinerary, disclosed in a [Sept. 25 announcement from the governor’s office and the Department of Employment and Economic Development](https://mn.gov/deed/newscenter/press-releases/?id=1045-769507&ref=theamericanquorum.com), runs through Oct. 3 and includes Denmark, Sweden and Iceland. State officials said the trip will center on meetings with government, business and economic-development leaders and will promote Minnesota strengths in health innovation, agriculture, clean technology, higher education and advanced manufacturing.

The announcement provides the authoritative account of the planned travel. It does not name the companies participating in the delegation, provide a public cost estimate or identify agreements ready for signature. Those omissions mean the mission’s value will ultimately be measured by what state officials disclose after the meetings: investment leads, export opportunities, research partnerships or commitments with identifiable timelines.

## A mixed trade backdrop

Minnesota enters the trip after a volatile stretch in overseas sales. DEED reported that [goods exports reached $6.6 billion in the second quarter of 2026](https://mn.gov/deed/newscenter/press-releases/?id=768252&ref=theamericanquorum.com), 14% above the same quarter in 2025\. The department attributed much of that rebound to stronger sales of electrical equipment and said its foreign-office network helps companies identify international opportunities and navigate tariffs and countermeasures.

That quarterly improvement followed a much weaker full year. The state’s [2025 annual export report](https://mn.gov/deed/newscenter/press-releases/?id=1045-740368&ref=theamericanquorum.com) put agricultural, mining and manufactured-goods exports at $23.5 billion, down 13% from 2024\. Fuel shipments to Canada accounted for about half the decline, while European markets outside the European Union were among the areas that posted growth. The contrast shows why the administration is looking beyond Minnesota’s largest traditional markets while also trying to deepen European relationships.

## Investment as well as exports

The mission also has an inbound-investment objective. DEED’s current [foreign-investment profile](https://mn.gov/deed/dobusiness/doing-business-here/international-assistance/?ref=theamericanquorum.com) estimates that 1,200 foreign-owned businesses operate in Minnesota, employing about 168,500 people and representing $42 billion in property, plant and equipment. The agency says its foreign offices and partner representatives cover 131 countries, giving the state an existing channel for following up with prospects after the governor returns.

The sectors highlighted for the trip broadly match the state’s established pitch to international companies: a large medical-technology base, agricultural production, research institutions and advanced manufacturing. But a trade mission is an opening step, not an economic result. The practical test will be whether meetings generate projects that reach site selection, capital spending, hiring or measurable new sales for Minnesota firms.

Walz’s office said the administration has led 12 international missions to more than 18 countries since 2019 and visited more than 45 companies investing in Minnesota. For this trip, the most useful post-mission accounting would pair that history with specific Nordic leads, responsible agencies and follow-up dates, allowing businesses and taxpayers to distinguish relationship-building from completed economic commitments.