The required amount depends on where the shop is located. If it qualifies as a targeted employment area, the lower amount applies; otherwise the standard amount does. Investing more than the minimum is permitted but does not substitute for the job count.
Let the location and the jobs set the number
The reduced amount applies to investments in a targeted employment area, which is a rural area or an area of high unemployment as defined in the statute and designated according to the current rules, or in an infrastructure project. Whether a Texas industrial park qualifies is a factual question answered by the designation evidence, not by the investor's preference. The investor should obtain that evidence before setting the amount. Investing above the minimum is allowed and can be sensible for a business that needs the capital, but the additional money must equally be at risk and lawfully sourced. The amount is fixed by statute at the time of filing and is scheduled for adjustment from January 2027, so an investor planning to file near that date should verify the current figure. USCIS filing fees and legal costs are additional to the investment and are set out in the fee schedule.
Hypothetical example: a solar-panel assembly project is advertised as rural, but the address is outside the area shown in the project's designation evidence. The first review should obtain the designation record for the actual new commercial enterprise and match its effective date to the intended filing. That record, not a broker's description, settles whether the lower investment amount applies. If the location does not qualify, budget for the standard amount or choose another project before transferring funds; a mistaken assumption about the threshold can leave an otherwise sound filing short.