Waukesha County Center for Growth
Waukesha County Center for Growth is a 501(c)(3) non-profit founded in 2016 that serves as the lead economic development organization for Waukesha County, Wisconsin, providing business attraction, small business consulting, talent pipeline, and finance programs to enterprises and small businesses.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2016
- HeadquartersWaukesha, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Waukesha County Center for Growth does
Waukesha County Center for Growth (WCCG) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 2016 that serves as the lead economic development entity for Waukesha County, Wisconsin. The organization operates as a one-stop-shop for businesses, providing four core service lines: business attraction, retention, and expansion services (including site selection across 80+ industrial/business parks with 80+ million square feet of inventory); small business consulting delivered in partnership with the Wisconsin Small Business Development Center; talent pipeline programs such as Schools2Skills, Experience the Trades, Discover the Future of Healthcare, and Careers Uncovered; and finance and incentive programs including the GROW Fund, a revolving loan fund exceeding $11 million that supports business expansion and workforce housing.
WCCG's service delivery is relationship-based and human-mediated, with no proprietary technology platform. The organization is funded primarily through investments from municipal partners and contributions from banking and foundation partners that capitalize the GROW Fund. Services are provided at no cost to businesses. The organization is led by Executive Director Therese Thill, with staff support provided through a partnership with the Waukesha County Business Alliance, and is governed by a Board of Directors.
The organization serves a mix of enterprise employers (Milwaukee Tool, Terex, Immucor, Dynamic Ratings, Span Tech) and a long tail of small businesses and startups. Strategic partnerships with WEDC, Milwaukee 7, MEDC, We Energies, and multiple regional banks extend WCCG's reach into the broader Milwaukee 7 (M7) region of southeast Wisconsin. WCCG marked its 10-year anniversary in April 2026.
Waukesha County Center for Growth firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Waukesha County Center for Growth
- Legal name
- Waukesha County Center for Growth
- Website
- https://waukeshagrowth.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2016
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Waukesha County Center for Growth is a 501(c)(3) non-profit founded in 2016 that serves as the lead economic development organization for Waukesha County, Wisconsin, providing business attraction, small business consulting, talent pipeline, and finance programs to enterprises and small businesses.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Waukesha County Center for Growth industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Economic Development Services
- NAICS
- Employment Services (5613), Educational Support Services (611710), Child and Youth Services (62411)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Real Estate Agents & Managers (For Others) (6531), Services-Facilities Support Management Services (8744)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Economic Development & Business Licensing (Local) (BPAIACAN)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- State/Provincial Housing, Urban/Regional Planning & Community Development (BPAIABAM), Workforce Readiness, Career Pathways & Youth Employment Nonprofits (BPAGADAF), Public Workforce Development Programs (WIOA/One-Stop Career Centers) (EDAAAOAA)
Keywords
Where Waukesha County Center for Growth is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Waukesha
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Waukesha County Center for Growth business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Municipal Funding and Partnerships: The organization is funded through investments from municipal partners who invest in economic development efforts for Waukesha County.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
Waukesha County Center for Growth product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Waukesha County Center for Growth is a non-profit 501(c)(3) economic development organization that provides no-cost business attraction, retention and expansion services, small business consulting (via SBDC partnership), customized talent pipeline programs, and access to finance and incentive programs including the GROW Fund revolving loan fund. It serves as the lead economic development organization for Waukesha County, Wisconsin, connecting businesses with real estate, permitting, workforce, and capital resources.
Product overview
The Waukesha County Center for Growth is a non-profit economic development organization offering a portfolio of services including Business Attraction & Expansion, Small Business Consulting, Talent Pipeline, and Finance & Incentive Programs. The organization operates as a one-stop-shop for businesses, providing site selection assistance, workforce development programs (Schools2Skills™, Careers Uncovered™, Experience the Trades, Discover the Future of Healthcare), and access to the GROW Fund—a $11+ million revolving loan fund for business expansion and workforce housing. The organization was established in 2016 and serves as the lead economic development organization for Waukesha County, Wisconsin.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Business Attraction & Expansion Services One-stop-shop services helping existing and prospective businesses locate, grow, and thrive in Waukesha County, including site selection, permitting navigation, and incentive access.
- Site Selection Services Site and building location assistance for businesses, leveraging the inventory of industrial and business parks in Waukesha County.
- Small Business Consulting Connects small business owners and entrepreneurs to counseling services through the SBDC partnership, including business plan writing, financing access, financial projections, and market research.
- Talent Pipeline Services Customized workforce solutions that help businesses address workforce challenges through partnerships with educational institutions and programs like Schools2Skills and industry expos.
- Schools2Skills Career pathway exposure program for middle and high school students, featuring behind-the-scenes manufacturing tours to expose students to regional career opportunities.
- Experience the Trades Hands-on expo for K-12 students to meet local employers and participate in interactive demonstrations of career pathways in the trades.
- Discover the Future of Healthcare Hands-on expo for K-12 students to meet healthcare employers and participate in interactive demonstrations of healthcare career pathways.
- Careers Uncovered Program that allows educators to visit local companies to better understand career pathways available to students and to foster connections between the business community and educational institutions.
- Finance & Incentive Programs Financial package development tailored to business projects, working with lenders and economic development partners. Includes access to the GROW Fund gap financing tool and state incentive programs through WEDC.
- GROW Fund Revolving loan fund exceeding $11 million supporting business expansion and workforce housing in Waukesha County. Managed by the Milwaukee Economic Development Corporation (CDFI) and offering competitive interest rates, fixed rate availability, flexible amortization, and gap financing.
Quantifiable outcome
- 22 companies assisted in 2018, with 17 small business start-ups
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Waukesha County Center for Growth
Customer profileNamed customers11 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Waukesha County Center for Growth technology and API
TechnologyAPI detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Waukesha County Center for Growth partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Waukesha County Business AlliancecoreThe Center for Growth utilizes the Waukesha County Business Alliance for staff support and collaborates on talent pipeline initiatives. Programs like Schools2Skills and industry expos are delivered in partnership.
- Wisconsin Small Business Development Center (SBDC)corePartnership to provide small business owners and entrepreneurs with counseling services, often at no cost. Services include business plan writing, financing access, financial projections, and market research.
- Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC)coreState-level economic development partner providing financial and technical assistance programs including Manufacturing and Agriculture Credit, Business Development Tax Credits, and training grants.
- Milwaukee 7 (M7)coreRegional economic development group for the Milwaukee metropolitan area and southeast Wisconsin region that the Center for Growth collaborates with on business attraction.
- Milwaukee Economic Development Corporation (MEDC)coreCommunity Development Financial Institution (CDFI) that administers the GROW Fund for the Center for Growth.
- Waukesha CountycoreMunicipal partner that invests in the Center for Growth's work and supports economic development efforts across the county.
- We EnergiesminorUtility company partner that contributes to the GROW Fund through the We Energies Foundation.
- Municipal Partners (Various)coreMultiple municipal partners who invest in the Center for Growth's work to make Waukesha County the best place to live, work and play.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Waukesha County Center for Growth competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Milwaukee 7 (M7): Regional economic development organization for the Milwaukee metropolitan area. M7 is a direct peer that collaborates with the Waukesha County Center for Growth on regional business attraction and operates at the next geographic tier (M7 region) above the county-level EDO.
- Waukesha County Business Alliance (WCBA): Local chamber-style business alliance that shares the Waukesha County market and provides staff support to the Center for Growth. Operates in an adjacent economic development and business advocacy role, serving the same geographic market.
- Milwaukee Economic Development Corporation (MEDC): Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) that administers the GROW Fund on behalf of the Center for Growth. MEDC provides overlapping financial services and gap financing, serving a similar business and workforce housing clientele in the broader Milwaukee area.
- Wisconsin Small Business Development Center (SBDC): Statewide network that provides small business counseling in partnership with the Center for Growth. SBDC is a direct peer in the small business consulting and entrepreneurial support category, delivering overlapping services to a similar SMB customer base.
Broad incumbents
- Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC): State-level economic development organization that partners with the Center for Growth to deliver tax credits, grants, and training incentives. WEDC operates at a broader geographic scale and offers overlapping capability areas such as business attraction and incentive programs.
Regional players
- Racine County Economic Development Corporation: County-level economic development organization serving Racine County, Wisconsin. A regional peer in the same M7 region with a comparable mandate for business attraction, retention, and small business support, but operating in an adjacent county.
- Kenosha Area Business Alliance: Regional business alliance and economic development organization for Kenosha County, Wisconsin. Operates in an adjacent M7-region county with a similar mix of business attraction, retention, and workforce development services targeted at southeastern Wisconsin businesses.
- Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce: Regional chamber and economic development organization for the Madison, Wisconsin area. Comparable to the Waukesha County Center for Growth as a Wisconsin-based EDO/chamber, though serving a different metropolitan market.
- Ozaukee Economic Development: County-level economic development organization serving Ozaukee County, Wisconsin. Adjacent to Waukesha County in southeast Wisconsin with a similar mandate, comparable services (site selection, business retention, workforce), but a distinct geographic focus.
- Washington County Economic Development (WCED): County-level economic development partner adjacent to Waukesha County, Wisconsin. A regional peer with a similar county-scale mandate for business attraction, retention, and small business support in southeastern Wisconsin.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses1 record
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Waukesha County Center for Growth social profiles
Digital presenceWaukesha County Center for Growth financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Waukesha County Center for Growth leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Waukesha County Center for Growth funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Waukesha County Center for Growth M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Waukesha County Center for Growth
What does Waukesha County Center for Growth do?
The Waukesha County Center for Growth is a non-profit 501(c)(3) economic development organization that provides no-cost business attraction, retention and expansion services, small business consulting (via SBDC partnership), customized talent pipeline programs, and access to finance and incentive programs including the GROW Fund revolving loan fund. It serves as the lead economic development organization for Waukesha County, Wisconsin, connecting businesses with real estate, permitting, workforce, and capital resources.
Is Waukesha County Center for Growth a public or private company?
Waukesha County Center for Growth is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Waukesha County Center for Growth founded?
Waukesha County Center for Growth was founded in 2016. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Waukesha County Center for Growth based?
Waukesha County Center for Growth is headquartered in Waukesha, United States, in the North America region.
How does Waukesha County Center for Growth make money?
One revenue line is on record: municipal Funding and Partnerships.
Who are Waukesha County Center for Growth's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Milwaukee 7 (M7), Waukesha County Business Alliance (WCBA), Milwaukee Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) and Wisconsin Small Business Development Center (SBDC). Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) is listed as a broad incumbent. Regional players are Racine County Economic Development Corporation, Kenosha Area Business Alliance, Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce, Ozaukee Economic Development and Washington County Economic Development (WCED).
Does Waukesha County Center for Growth have an API?
No public API is recorded for Waukesha County Center for Growth.
What industry is Waukesha County Center for Growth in?
Waukesha County Center for Growth's product category is Economic Development Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAIACAN, Economic Development & Business Licensing (Local), with a secondary code of BPAIABAM, State/Provincial Housing, Urban/Regional Planning & Community Development. Its NAICS code is 5613 and its SIC code is 8600.