Beyond the Building: Turning Public Investment into Private-Sector Growth

In our previous column, we outlined DBEDT’s long-term strategy for building Hawaii’s economic foundation through investments in land, planning, construction, and specialized manufacturing equipment. These investments are essential to addressing the structural challenges that have historically limited the growth of local industries.

But constructing a facility is not the ultimate objective. The true measure of success is what happens after the doors open.

Will local entrepreneurs be able to manufacture products that previously had to be produced overseas? Will Hawaii businesses have the capacity to expand, hire more workers, and reach new markets? Will our students have opportunities to build careers in the industries we are investing in today?

These are the outcomes that must guide our investments.

At DBEDT, we believe government’s role in economic development is not to compete with private businesses, but to help establish the conditions in which they can succeed. By investing in shared infrastructure, coordinating workforce development, and creating opportunities for private-sector partnerships, the State can help reduce barriers that have prevented many Hawaii businesses from growing beyond their initial markets.

Connecting Infrastructure to Economic Opportunity

For many small businesses in Hawaii, the cost of acquiring land, constructing facilities, and purchasing specialized equipment presents a significant obstacle to expansion. Shared-use manufacturing facilities can help address these challenges by providing access to infrastructure that individual businesses may not otherwise be able to afford.

Through the Food and Product Innovation Network, DBEDT is advancing a statewide system of facilities intended to help entrepreneurs transition from product development to commercial manufacturing. Similar investments in advanced manufacturing through the Hawaii Technology Development Corporation and in creative industries are designed to establish opportunities for businesses to produce and scale locally.

But infrastructure alone does not create an industry. These facilities must be connected to businesses that need production capacity, educational institutions that prepare skilled workers, and private-sector partners that can help sustain operations and expand market opportunities.

Building the Workforce Alongside the Industry

As Hawaii invests in new manufacturing capacity, we must also prepare the workforce needed to support it.

This means strengthening the connections between the Department of Education’s career and technical education programs, the University of Hawaii Community Colleges, and the industries we are working to develop. By aligning workforce training with planned infrastructure investments, we can create clearer pathways from education to employment and entrepreneurship.

Our objective is to ensure that as new facilities become operational, Hawaii residents have the skills and opportunities to participate in the economic activity those investments create.

From Public Investment to Private-Sector Growth

Public-private partnerships are another essential component of this strategy. While the State can help establish the physical infrastructure, private businesses bring the innovation, operational expertise, market relationships, and investment needed to turn that infrastructure into productive economic activity.

This is particularly important as DBEDT advances facilities intended to serve multiple businesses and industries. The long-term success of these investments will depend not simply on their construction, but on their ability to attract users, support financially sustainable operations, and create opportunities for businesses to grow.

The State’s investment should therefore be viewed as a catalyst, creating a platform that allows private enterprise to expand beyond what might otherwise be possible.

Measuring What Matters

Ultimately, economic development must be measured by more than the amount of public funding appropriated or the number of facilities constructed.

We must also consider the businesses supported, private investment attracted, jobs created, production capacity expanded, and new markets reached. These are the outcomes that demonstrate whether our investments are strengthening Hawaii’s economic foundation.

Over the next four years, DBEDT’s focus will remain on advancing the infrastructure needed to support food and product manufacturing, advanced manufacturing, and creative industries. But equally important will be ensuring these investments connect to workforce development, private-sector participation, and opportunities for long-term business growth.

Hawaii cannot change its geography or eliminate every cost associated with operating in an island economy. What we can do is make deliberate investments that reduce barriers, strengthen local industries, and create greater opportunities for our residents.

The objective is not simply to build facilities. It is to build an economy where Hawaii businesses can grow, our people can build meaningful careers, and more of the economic value we create remains here at home.

Mahalo for your continued partnership as we work toward that future.

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