Hungarian Investment Promotion Agency

Between 2022 and 2025, the HIPA Hungarian Investment Promotion Agency facilitated investment projects totaling nearly EUR 37 billion, generating over 74,000 new jobs. Annual investment volumes surpassed the EUR 10 billion mark in both 2023 and 2024. Furthermore, 2025 saw a record number of R&D projects, exceptional job growth in the field of business services centers (BSCs), and the highest-ever participation by Hungarian-owned companies in the government’s investment incentive scheme.

These achievements are not only about volume or scale. Hungary has also made significant progress in attracting high-value-added investments. International companies are increasingly selecting the country not just for manufacturing, but as a hub for R&D, innovation, and regional headquarters.

FDI plays a crucial role in economic development. Beyond providing capital inflows and fostering job creation, it introduces advanced technologies and management expertise, and creates new export opportunities, while facilitating deeper integration into global value chains. For Eastern Central Europe – in particular the so called Visegrád Group (V4), consisting of the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia –, FDI has served as one of the most significant engines of economic convergence over the past three decades.

Hungary’s performance stands out in this regional landscape. According to Eurostat, Hungary’s FDI stock reached 116% of GDP in 2024, while this figure was 65% in the Czech Republic, 48% in Slovakia, and just 39% in Poland, clearly demonstrating that Hungary has emerged as the leading FDI destination within the V4.

Such a result is not achieved by chance. As the competition for investment projects becomes increasingly global and complex, companies evaluate potential locations based on a broad range of criteria, including economic stability, taxation, infrastructure, workforce availability, or government incentives. In this environment, professional investment promotion agencies play a decisive role.

When HIPA was established in 2014, Eastern Central Europe was still largely viewed as a cost-efficient manufacturing location. Today, the competition is increasingly about innovation, research capabilities, and highly skilled talent. Hungary’s record-breaking success in attracting R&D and business services projects demonstrates that the country has successfully moved up the value chain.

A decade ago, HIPA set out to become the leading investment promotion agency in the region. Continuous improvements to investor service and incentive schemes have been key to achieving this ambition. The results speak for themselves: since 2022, the value of HIPA has consistently outperformed the investment promotion agencies of the other three Visegrád countries, cementing Hungary’s position as a dominant player in the Central European investment landscape.

International recognition also underscores this success. HIPA has received fifteen prestigious awards, including the recognition for the best investment promotion agency in Central and Eastern Europe by the AIM Global Foundation, and several accolades from the Site Selection magazine.

Equally important is the growing international recognition of the projects themselves. The Financial Times’ fDi Intelligence Investment Impact Awards recently recognized several HIPA-supported investment projects for their contributions to innovation, sustainability, and economic development. Winning and shortlisted projects from Sensirion, Harro Höfliger, Diligent, and BYD all highlight Hungary’s increasing attractiveness for technologically advanced and strategically significant investments.

The message from both the data and industry awards is clear: professional investment promotion creates a genuine competitive advantage. Hungary’s experience demonstrates that a dedicated, agile, and investor-focused agency can play a decisive role in shaping economic development.

Over the past decade, HIPA has facilitated more than 2,300 investment decisions, supporting over EUR 66 billion in investment and the creation of approximately 187,000 jobs. Thanks to these achievements, Hungary has become one of Eastern Central Europe’s leading investment destinations, and the undisputed investment promotion champion of the V4.