Great story from our partners at the Sun Sentinel:
By Doreen Hemlock / Sun Sentinel
After scouring sites across the U.S., a huge Japanese company is setting up the global headquarters for its new software division in Fort Lauderdale — a decision that could boost the region's stature in tech circles. Sato Holdings of Tokyo will invest $5 million this year and aims to employ 200 people in three years at its new Sato Global Solutions.
The division will develop and market software for hospitals, retailers and others to track items ranging from hip implants to mobile devices. Its systems also will enable the booming "Internet of Things," the concept of linking of almost any device — from phones to appliances to machines — to one another and the Internet, executives said Wednesday. "This has the potential to be the biggest foreign investment in tech in Broward County," said Bob Swindell, president of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance economic development group. "It's huge."
Sato employs more than 4,000 people worldwide, including about 300 in Pinebrook., N.J.; the Chicago area; Charlotte; and Daytona Beach. The company considered Chicago, Dallas, New York and the Silicon Valley before choosing Fort Lauderdale to host its first global headquarters outside Japan, said Kazuo "Kaz" Matsuyama, president and chief executive. South Florida won out because the area was less expensive than the Silicon Valley and some other rivals. State and local governments also were business-friendly and offered incentives. Additionally, South Florida ranks as "one of the fastest-growing IT hubs in the United States," Matsuyama said.