Investment promotion agency
An investment promotion agency (IPA) is most often a government agency (or occasionally a non-profit organization functioning similar to a chamber of commerce or business consulting corporation) whose mission is to attract investment to a country, state, region or city. Generally, IPAs have core four functions: image building of FDI hosting country, investment generation, project management and after care services. Some IPAs have additional advocacy function mostly in developing countries where investment climate is not fully favorite.
The IPA does this by introducing investors with local suppliers (raw materials or other inputs), providing userful statistical data and business information such macroeconomic indicators (GNP, GDP, HDI, inflation etc.), labor productivity, average wages, attractive sectors of domestic economy and by managing any investment incentives that the city, state or country may offer to foreign investors (companies or individuals).