The Economics of Infrastructure

This week, our CEO Jim Mintern joined the Semafor World Economy Summit 2026 to exchange his insights and perspective on the economics of infrastructure.

In a discussion with Semafor CEO Justin Smith and surrounded by the world’s most forward-looking CEOs and global leaders, Jim discussed how:

• US infrastructure is in a position of deficit, following an accumulation of decades of underinvestment
• The US has spent only half of what the EU has spent on infrastructure
• Reshoring efforts are reliant on ancillary infrastructure investment
• Infrastructure investment needs a more visionary, long-term view
• Roads, a significant portion of the IIJA Policy, are responsible for the transit of 75% of all goods in the US and must remain a top investment priority
• Water infrastructure requires, according to the Civil Society of Engineers, an anticipated 1.2trillion investment
• The global demand for new infrastructure investment will be $68 trillion by 2040, which is the equivalent of building the entire Interstate Highway System and the Transcontinental Railroad, start to finish, every six weeks, for the next 15 years!

Watch the full clip below: