Investor targeting research was rated the single most frustrating workflow in our 2026 survey. 

Investor Expansion Snapshot

Generate a rapid company profile, growth overview and international expansion intelligence​

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"Act as an FDI research analyst. Research [Company Name], a [sector] company headquartered in [country]. 

Summarise: what they do, their size, and any recent news about international expansion." 

Investor Opportunity Assessment

Assess investor attractiveness, strategic fit and recommended engagement approach.

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"Act as a senior FDI research analyst working for [Investment Promotion Agency name].

Research the following target company:

Company: [Company Name]

Sector: [Sector]

Headquarters Country: [Country]

Website: [URL]

Our IPA value proposition is:

[Insert 2-3 sentence value proposition]

Your objective is to determine whether this company represents a credible foreign direct investment opportunity for our location and identify how the IPA should engage them.

Use publicly available information only and prioritise company websites, annual reports, investor presentations, press releases, executive interviews, earnings call transcripts, industry publications, trade media, recent news articles, and LinkedIn company information.

Analyse the company and provide:

1. Executive Summary

- One-paragraph assessment of investment attractiveness.

2. Company Snapshot

- Headquarters

- Sector

- Products/services

- Geographic footprint

- Key business indicators

3. International Growth Appetite Assessment

Identify evidence of:

- International expansion

- New market entry

- Facility investments

- Acquisitions

- Strategic partnerships

- Recruitment activity

- Capital investment programmes

For each indicator provide evidence and a confidence rating of High, Medium or Low.

4. Strategic Priorities & Investment Drivers

Summarise key company objectives, challenges and possible triggers for future investment decisions.

5. Location Fit Assessment

Compare the company's apparent needs against our IPA value proposition.

For each value proposition element:

- Explain the relevance

- Assess the strength of fit

- Provide supporting rationale

Provide an overall fit rating:

High / Medium / Low

6. Risks & Information Gaps

Identify uncertainties, missing information and any reasons the company may not currently be a strong prospect.

7. Tailored Outreach Talking Points

Provide three highly personalised talking points for an initial business development conversation.

8. Recommended IPA Next Step

Recommend a practical next action for the investment promotion team.

Clearly distinguish between facts, analysis and assumptions.

Do not speculate. If reliable evidence is unavailable, state "No reliable evidence found."

Flag anything you are not confident about so it can be independently verified."

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NOTES:

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Relevant IPA KPIs

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• Number of target companies identified

• Number of qualified investor leads

• Number of priority accounts researched

• Investor engagement conversion rate

• New investment projects generated

• Investment pipeline growth

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FDI Value Benefits

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This analysis helps the IPA:

• Prioritise high-potential investors.

• Improve targeting efficiency.

• Increase relevance of outreach.

• Reduce time spent on unsuitable prospects.

• Strengthen investor engagement.

• Generate more qualified investment opportunities.

• Improve conversion from research to active projects.

PROMPT 1
 

Investor Portfolio Prioritisation

Identify, score and rank the investors most likely to deliver investment projects, jobs and economic impact

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"Act as a senior FDI research analyst and investment strategy consultant.

I am uploading a dataset containing [number] companies operating within [sector].

Our IPA value proposition is:

[Insert value proposition]

Evaluate every company against the following criteria:

1. Likelihood of international expansion within 24-36 months.

2. Strategic fit with our location.

3. Potential investment and job creation value.

Score each criterion from 1-5.

Use publicly available evidence wherever possible.

Explain scoring logic and confidence levels.

Provide:

• Executive summary

• Scoring methodology

• Ranked company table

• Top 10 priorities

• Top 25 priorities

• Highest strategic fit companies

• Highest growth companies

• Highest economic impact companies

• Recommended next-step research priorities

Clearly distinguish facts from assumptions."

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.........

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NOTES:

​

Relevant IPA KPIs

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• Qualified target accounts

• Priority companies identified

• Investor pipeline growth

• Research productivity

• Targeting accuracy

FDI Attraction Value Benefit

Enables the IPA to move from large undifferentiated target lists to a manageable set of high-potential investors.

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PROMPT 2

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Investor Readiness Assessment

Evaluate investment likelihood, location fit and engagement priorities for shortlisted investor prospects

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"Continue acting as the senior FDI research analyst and investment strategy consultant..

Review the shortlisted companies identified during investor screening in more detail.

Assess each company's investment readiness and likelihood of choosing our location.

Analyse:

• Business growth trajectory

• Internationalisation plans

• Investment triggers

• Workforce requirements

• Real estate requirements

• Technology requirements

• Supply chain considerations

Create an Investor Readiness Scorecard supported by evidence.

Identify:

• Most likely investment drivers

• Potential barriers

• Critical intelligence gaps

• Recommended engagement strategy

Provide FDI consultant advice and answer:

1. What is our strongest investment proposition for this company?

2. What evidence are we missing?

3. Which assumptions need testing?

4. Why might this company choose a competing location instead?

Include coaching questions for the business development team."

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NOTES:

​

Relevant IPA KPIs

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• Qualified leads

• Strategic accounts

• Pipeline conversion

• Investor meetings secured

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FDI Attraction Value Benefit

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Improves lead qualification quality and reduces pursuit of low-probability prospects.

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PROMPT 3

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Investor Targeting Strategy

Turn investor research into a practical action plan that prioritises opportunities, allocates resources and accelerates pipeline growth

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"Act as a senior FDI strategy consultant advising the Investment Promotion Agency.

Review all outputs from investor screening and investor readiness assessment.

Develop a practical investor targeting strategy for the next quarter.

Recommend:

• Priority tiers

• Outreach priorities

• Business development resource allocation

• Executive engagement opportunities

• Partner introductions

• Sector targeting priorities

Identify:

• Quick wins

• Strategic bets

• Long-term opportunities

Produce:

1. Portfolio overview

2. Investor tiering framework

3. Quarterly action plan

4. Resource allocation recommendations

5. Outreach calendar

6. Risk assessment

Provide strategic consulting advice by answering:

• Where should we focus effort?

• What assumptions need testing?

• Which opportunities are most likely to convert?

• Which opportunities are most likely to create the greatest long-term economic impact?

Clearly distinguish evidence-based assessments from strategic recommendations."

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.........

​

NOTES:

​

Relevant IPA KPIs

​

• Pipeline creation

• Investor meetings

• Qualified opportunities

• Pipeline value

• Investment wins

• Job creation potential

​​

FDI Attraction Value Benefit

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Turns research into action and ensures limited IPA resources are focused on the highest-return opportunities.

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AI can significantly accelerate investor targeting research, but all outputs should be verified using authoritative sources such as company websites, annual reports, investor presentations, press releases, and reputable business news.

Use AI-generated insights as hypotheses to investigate, not facts to act upon, and validate any high-priority targets, assumptions, or low-confidence findings before making business development decisions.