The initiative represents the latest attempt by Mr. Cuomo, a Democrat, to boost struggling upstate economies and to address criticism of the state's corporate-tax system, which the governor himself has derided as unfriendly to business. The program also could signal a greater willingness on the part of the governor, who has been reluctant to promote himself outside New York state, to play a role on a larger stage by boosting New York's impact around the globe.
It would be the second phase of a program the state launched this month, Start-Up NY, creating zones, mainly in upstate regions, in which companies can establish themselves while being relieved for a decade of having to pay state taxes.
Mr. Cuomo intends to outline the program Wednesday in his state of the state address, administration officials said. They said it would focus on encouraging export deals between startup companies and foreign markets, as well as opening the startup program to foreign companies interested in establishing a branch of their business in New York state.
The new effort would be called Global NY, these people said, and would be overseen by Mr. Mack, now a senior adviser to Morgan Stanley and an economic development adviser to New York state.
Mr. Mack, along with officials from the state's economic development agency, Empire State Development Corp., is expected to organize a conference at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, which would bring representatives of foreign markets and businesses together with executives from startup companies.
Mr. Cuomo, an administration official said, is expanding the startup program "to create more jobs and increase economic opportunity, particularly in upstate New York."
"We are attracting international businesses with our zero-tax plan so that even more New York made products are sold in places like China, the United Kingdom, Switzerland and Israel," this person said.
Officials said there were several New York industries and foreign markets they hope to bring together, including agricultural products, such as apples, milk and other dairy products, to China, and advanced technology and manufacturing to Israel.
Citing federal data, Cuomo administration officials said that New York currently ranks third nationwide in both total exports and attracting foreign investment, and that while the value of the state's exports grew by 38.5% between 2009 and 2012, it fell in 2012 to $81.4 billion from a recent high of $84.8 billion in 2011.
Export-related jobs linked to manufacturing account for nearly 10% of the state's total private-sector employment, and in places such as Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse, nearly one in 10 jobs is export-related.
Until now, the state has relied largely on the Empire State Development Corp. to connect companies with distributors in Canada, Europe and South Africa, and on federal grants from the U.S. Small Business Administration for assistance entering the Chinese and Korean markets.
No additional state funding would be allotted to the new program, administration officials said; rather, the state could use existing funding through Empire State Development to create its infrastructure.