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Missouri Companies May Soon Have Access to Talent 240 Miles Away

  • April 12, 2017

Every day across the U.S. employees commute to and from their place of work. In Missouri, that commute could soon be as long 240 miles one way.

Does it seem like a long way to go? What if we told you it would only take 23 minutes?

It may sound like the land of science fiction, but it could soon be a reality for Missouri workers and companies. This is due to Missouri being one of the semifinalists in the Hyperloop One Global Challenge.

Hyperloop One is a private company with the mission of transforming transportation through its ultra-fast Hyperloop system. The tube-based autonomous transportation system uses electric propulsion to accelerate pods that levitate slightly above the track, thanks to strategically placed magnets that create magnetic fields. Additionally, it can leverage renewable energy, such as wind, solar and kinetic energy, to operate. The system would offer on-demand service, departing stations as often as every 20 seconds.

The Hyperloop would allow companies looking to grow in Missouri greater freedom in selecting a site that makes the most sense for them while still having access to talent from several of the top cities in the U.S.

According to Nick Earle, Hyperloop One’s senior vice president of global operations, the Missouri application stood out for several reasons, including government buy-in, ample traffic, and a strong business case. Missouri is the nation’s rail, river and road crossroads, and a booming epicenter of commerce. Additionally, the Show-Me state is home to the seventh-largest state highway system in the U.S., and is served by every Class 1 railroad in the country.

According to Earle, another standout for Missouri is St. Louis being one of the nations’ largest inland ports, and the northernmost ice free port on the Mississippi with unrestricted access to the Gulf of Mexico. Hyperloop One is looking for business advantages, such as the ones Missouri provides, as it hopes to not only transport passengers but goods as well.

The Global Challenge received more than 2,600 team applications from more than 100 countries. The 35 semifinalists include 11 teams from the U.S., including the Hyperloop Missouri Team, which consists of Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) representatives.

Check out what Tom Blair, the assistant district engineer for MoDOT in St. Louis, and the person leading the charge for submitting MoDOT’s application to Hyperloop One’s Global Challenge, had to say about the project here.

For more information on why Missouri could be a prime location for your next business expansion, contact Steve Johnson, CEO of Missouri Partnership, at 314.725.2688 or via our contact form, with any questions you might have, and learn how Missouri Partnership can help with your business expansion and investment needs.

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