Willdan

What Willdan does

Willdan Group, Inc. is a publicly traded (NASDAQ: WLDN) professional services and engineering firm founded in 1964 and headquartered in Anaheim, California, that delivers energy efficiency, grid optimization, program administration, and municipal engineering services to more than 100 utilities, hundreds of municipal governments, and commercial clients across 25+ U.S. states plus Alberta, Canada and Puerto Rico. Its revenue model blends four streams: (i) consulting and engineering services billed under multi-year contracts (FY2025 net revenue of $365 million, contract revenue of $682 million), (ii) subscription and license fees for a proprietary software portfolio spanning LoadSEER (grid load forecasting used by PG&E for 20-year planning), NEO (energy modeling validated on 4,300+ projects), DSMore, IDROP, B3 Benchmarking, MuniMagic+, ViewPoint, and SMART, (iii) design-build and energy performance contracting (e.g., San Diego $112M, Alameda County $97M, LADWP $330M), and (iv) utility program administration delivered through a 1,400+ subcontractor network (LADWP CDI 74,000+ projects, ConEdison SMB 33,000+ retrofits, PSE SBDI 13,000+ projects).

The company's technology stack combines decades of utility domain data (330,000+ projects, 9.2 million MWh and 117 million therms of energy savings, $1.5 billion in secured incentives) with acquired capabilities including Energy and Environmental Economics (E3, acquired 2019) for energy economics and resource planning, Alternative Power Generation (APG, March 2025) for AI-driven data center site selection, Enica Engineering (October 2024) for building automation, Burton Energy Group (May 2026, $103M contract revenue) for multi-site commercial energy management, and Compass Municipal Advisors (2025/2026) for municipal advisory.

Willdan serves nine primary vertical segments — utilities, government and public sector, K-12 and higher education, healthcare, hospitality, telecom and data centers, small business and commercial, industrial, and multifamily housing — through direct enterprise sales, competitive RFP processes, and its national subcontractor channel, with an institutional ownership base of approximately 72% and a market capitalization of roughly $1.35 billion.

Name

Willdan

Legal name

Willdan Group, Inc.

Website

https://willdan.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

1964

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Willdan Group (NASDAQ: WLDN) provides energy efficiency, grid optimization, and municipal engineering consulting services to more than 100 utilities and public agencies, supplemented by proprietary software (LoadSEER, NEO, B3 Benchmarking) and design-build performance contracting.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Energy and Infrastructure Consulting

NAICS

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (54), Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services (54169), Computer Systems Design Services (541512), Custom Computer Programming Services (541511)

SIC

Services-Engineering Services (8711), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700), Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)

akta.pro primary industry

Turnkey distribution buildouts (feeders, reclosers, capacitor banks, line extensions) (EUADAKAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Tariffs, Net Metering & Distributed Generation Regulation (EUAMANAD)

Keywords

• Energy efficiency consulting
• Utility program administration
• Municipal engineering services
• Grid optimization software
• Design-build energy contracting

Headquarters

HQ city

Anaheim

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Energy and Infrastructure Consulting Services: Willdan generates the majority of its revenue from professional consulting and technical services including energy efficiency program design and delivery, grid optimization, engineering, and sustainability consulting. Revenue is contract-based, often multi-year, with utilities and government agencies. FY2025 net revenue was $365 million, with contract revenue of $682 million.
2. Software Licensing and Analytics: Revenue from licensing proprietary software platforms (LoadSEER, NEO, B3 Benchmarking, DSMore, IDROP) to utilities, municipalities, and commercial clients. Includes software-as-a-service and license fee arrangements, contributing to the company's consulting-led upstream business model delivering higher margins.
3. Design-Build and Energy Performance Contracting: Turnkey infrastructure and energy performance contracting delivering guaranteed savings for clients. Revenue recognized over project duration, including construction management and optimization services for existing infrastructure retrofits. Notable projects include $112M San Diego energy savings contract and $97M Alameda County contract.
4. Program Administration: Revenue from administering utility energy efficiency programs, demand response programs, and government sustainability programs. Programs span multiple years with recurring revenue from program administration, outreach, data management, and installation services. Over 100 programs administered across the country.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Willdan provides professional technical and consulting services to public agencies, utilities, and commercial clients across the U.S. The company designs and delivers energy efficiency and grid modernization programs, develops proprietary analytics software (load forecasting, DER valuation, building benchmarking, and AI-driven site selection), and executes design-build and energy performance contracting with guaranteed savings. Core delivery is contract-based, multi-year consulting combined with subscription software licensing.

Product overview

Willdan is a professional services firm that operates as a platform-plus-modules architecture, combining consulting/engineering services with proprietary software tools. The software portfolio includes LoadSEER (grid planning), NEO (energy modeling), B3 Benchmarking (building rating), DSMore (DER valuation), IDROP (asset forecasting), MuniMagic+ (municipal data), SMART (program management), and ViewPoint (client platform). These software products are complemented by acquired consulting brands including Energy and Environmental Economics (E3) for energy economics, Alternative Power Generation (APG) for data center services, Burton Energy Group for commercial energy management, Compass Municipal Advisors for municipal advisory, and Enica Engineering for building automation. Willdan serves utilities, government agencies, healthcare, education, hospitality, data centers, commercial/industrial, and multifamily housing markets with services spanning energy efficiency, grid optimization, engineering, program administration, and design-build performance contracting.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• LoadSEER Multi-year planning and grid valuation software that merges econometric, geospatial, and engineering analysis to support utilities with load forecasting, solar/storage/EV adoption scenario planning, and capital decision-making for grid upgrades. Licensed to utilities and used for distribution network planning up to 20 years ahead at hourly resolution.
• NEO (Net Energy Optimizer) Automated, real-time energy modeling software that streamlines new construction design and existing building retrofits. Identifies available technologies and provides early cost estimates for efficient project planning. Validated for over 4,300 commercial new construction projects and accessible via netenergyoptimizer.com.
• B3 Benchmarking Advanced metrics software for rating and benchmarking building energy efficiency. Helps clients prioritize energy improvement projects and deferred maintenance by analyzing how efficiently buildings use energy. Accessible via b3benchmarking.com.
• DSMore Cost-effectiveness scoring and distributed energy resource (DER) valuation software that helps utilities and asset owners evaluate and score DER projects.
• IDROP Real-time distributed asset valuation, forecasting, and dispatch choreography software for utilities and asset owners.
• MuniMagic+ Municipal and government data management software including special charges and parcel taxes management for local government clients.
• ViewPoint Program management software tool connecting operations, clients, and customers on one platform for utility program delivery.
• SMART Secure, transparent data and process management software for utility and public-sector programs.
• Utility Program Design and Delivery End-to-end design and delivery services for utility energy efficiency, demand response, and new construction programs. Includes direct install programs, audits, design, equipment procurement, installation, and measurement & verification for utility clients such as SDG&E, PSE, ConEdison, LADWP, and PG&E.
• Energy and Sustainability Consulting Energy and sustainability services covering grid optimization, energy efficiency program delivery, energy planning, and energy design assistance. Served 100+ utilities and 230,000+ customers across the U.S., delivering 9.2 million MWh and 117 million therms of energy savings.
• Grid Optimization Services Grid optimization consulting services paired with LoadSEER and related analytics to support utilities with load forecasting, DER integration, and grid modernization planning.
• Energy Design Assistance Free technical support to building owners and design teams for new construction and major renovation projects, accessible via the Willdan Energy Design Assistance portal (energyassistance.willdan.com).
• Program Administration Services Program administration services for utility energy efficiency, demand response, and government sustainability programs. Includes outreach, data management, and installation across 100+ programs nationally.
• Design-Build and Energy Performance Contracting Turnkey design-build infrastructure and energy performance contracting delivering guaranteed savings for public and commercial clients, including construction management and optimization services for existing infrastructure retrofits (e.g., $112M San Diego energy savings contract and $97M Alameda County contract).
• Municipal Engineering Services Municipal engineering services for cities, counties, and state agencies including staff augmentation, building and safety, code enforcement, design engineering, construction management, and planning services (e.g., City of Paramount since 1973, City of Westlake Village since 1983, City of Bellflower Caruthers Park Stormwater Capture Project).
• Building & Safety, Code Enforcement, and Fire Services Building and safety, code enforcement, and fire services delivered to jurisdictions, including electronic plan review via an online planroom developed with GeoCivix that accepts PDF submittals, enables redlining in Bluebeam, and transmits reviewed plans back to applicants or designers.
• Financial, Economic, and Strategic Planning Services Financial, economic, and strategic planning services for government, utilities, and large energy users. Includes real estate and economic development, financial consulting, financing and revenue optimization, and market price forecasting delivered through Willdan's POSR Financial Services team.
• Engineering Design and Construction Management Engineering design, construction management, and system optimization services for telecom, data center, and commercial clients. Includes HVAC upgrades, PUE optimization, and full EPC project delivery (e.g., Los Angeles County Metro Orange Line Extension design-build, Evoque Data Centers, Lumen Technologies).
• Smart Cities, Microgrids, and Emerging Technology Studies Smart city and microgrid consulting, technology studies, and emerging technology assessments for utilities, municipalities, and campuses. Includes the IIT microgrid, ComEd intelligent streetlights pilot, and DOE-funded Bronzeville community microgrid expansion.

Quantifiable outcome

• 330,000+ energy-saving projects delivered; 9,200,000 MWh and 117 million therms saved
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers25 records

Segments9 records

Ideal customer profiles8 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature10 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• BlenderboxminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 April 2026Local firm partnered with Willdan for the NYC Accelerator program contract ($27 million, three-year). Eight local firms including Blenderbox were selected to support the program redesign and implementation.
• Bright PowerminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 April 2026Local energy consulting firm partnered with Willdan for the NYC Accelerator program. Bright Power provides energy management expertise as part of the eight-firm consortium.
• Cadence OneFiveminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 April 2026Part of Willdan's NYC Accelerator consortium of eight local firms for the NYC Mayor's Office of Climate & Environmental Justice program.
• Kinetic Communities ConsultingminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 April 2026Community consulting firm partnered with Willdan for the NYC Accelerator program redesign serving NYC building owners.
• LIFE3minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 April 2026Local sustainability firm in Willdan's NYC Accelerator consortium of eight firms for the three-year $27M contract.
• Steven Winter AssociatesminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 April 2026Building science and sustainability consulting firm partnering with Willdan for the NYC Accelerator program.
• TYTHEdesignminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 April 2026Design firm partnered with Willdan for the NYC Accelerator program implementation.
• Urban Green CouncilminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 April 2026NYC-based green building organization partnering with Willdan for the NYC Accelerator program to help building owners reduce emissions and comply with Local Law 97.
• Commonwealth Edison (ComEd)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIntelligent Streetlights Pilot project with ComEd as part of the $65 million IIT microgrid and smart city initiative, funded by DOE.
• South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSCAQMD partnered with Willdan and CEC for the $4 million BEETS demonstration project at SCAQMD Diamond Bar headquarters.
• Consolidated EdisoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing utility partner for whom Willdan has delivered the Small-Medium Business Direct Install Program since 2009 (95,000+ surveys, 33,000+ retrofits, 650,000+ MWh savings). Also contracted for technology studies and evaluations.
• Engineers Without Borders (EWB-USA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWilldan staff mentor and instruct EWB students at City College of New York providing no-cost energy audits for Harlem non-profits, supporting clean water and community projects.
• International Code Council (ICC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWilldan is recognized as an ICC Preferred Provider, with staff available to provide training to jurisdictions on building codes and standards.
• NAESCO (National Association of Energy Service Companies)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWilldan is an accredited NAESCO energy services company and holds pre-qualifications and certifications for dozens of state and local programs nationwide.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Tetra Tech: Tetra Tech is a global consulting and engineering firm with a deep water, energy, and environment practice, including utility advisory and grid-related work. It is the most direct peer to Willdan given overlapping services for utilities, municipalities, and federal clients, and is the prior employer of Willdan's CEO.
• ICF International: ICF is an advisory and digital solutions firm with large energy, environment, and public sector practices, providing energy efficiency program implementation, climate strategy, and analytics to utilities and government. Like Willdan, ICF blends consulting with proprietary analytics and serves many of the same utility and federal customers.
• TRC Companies: TRC is an engineering and consulting firm focused on power, energy, and infrastructure, delivering energy efficiency, grid modernization, environmental, and engineering services to utilities and commercial clients. It overlaps directly with Willdan's utility program delivery and grid optimization business.
• Burns & McDonnell: Burns & McDonnell is a 100% employee-owned engineering, architecture, and construction firm with major utility-side practice areas in transmission, distribution, and grid modernization. It competes with Willdan for utility EPC and engineering work, particularly for municipal utilities and co-ops.
• Black & Veatch: Black & Veatch is a global engineering, procurement, and construction firm with a major presence in power delivery, grid modernization, and energy transition advisory. Its infrastructure advisory and decarbonization practices are closely comparable to Willdan's grid optimization and program administration offerings.

Broad incumbents

• Leidos: Leidos is a large defense, civil, and health IT services firm with growing energy and infrastructure advisory practices. While broader than Willdan, it competes for federal energy programs, grid resilience, and infrastructure modernization work, especially DOE-funded engagements.
• Stantec: Stantec is a global design and consulting firm serving energy, infrastructure, water, and buildings markets. Its energy practice competes with Willdan in utility advisory, energy efficiency, and district energy work for municipalities and campuses.
• WSP: WSP is a global professional services firm with substantial power and environmental practices, providing planning, engineering, and program management for utilities and public agencies. It overlaps with Willdan in municipal engineering, energy transition, and program management work.
• Jacobs Solutions: Jacobs is a large professional services firm with critical infrastructure and energy consulting practices, including grid, water, and climate adaptation services for utilities and government. Its scale and federal contract access make it a relevant incumbent competitor to Willdan.

Emerging players

• DNV (Energy Systems): DNV provides independent energy advisory, testing, and software (e.g., grid simulation, renewable integration modeling) to utilities and regulators. While more international, its grid planning software and policy advisory work overlap partially with Willdan's E3 and LoadSEER offerings.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/willdangroup
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/willdan
• Xx.com/willdan_

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds4 records

Investors2 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A12 records

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Willdan