Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade

What Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade does

The Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT) is a Colorado state government agency under the Governor's Office, established in 2011 through the merger of the Colorado Office of Economic Development and the International Trade Office under Governor Hickenlooper. It functions as the centralized state authority for economic development, administering a portfolio of grants, tax credits, and incentive programs that target business recruitment, expansion, retention, export, workforce development, rural development, housing finance, and tourism. Its grant and incentive instruments include the Advanced Industries Accelerator Programs (covering seven advanced industries: advanced manufacturing, aerospace, bioscience, electronics, energy and natural resources, infrastructure engineering, and technology/information), the Job Growth Incentive Tax Credit (50% of FICA per net new job over 8 years), the Strategic Fund Job Growth Incentive (up to $6,500 per job over 5 years with local match), the State Trade Expansion Program (STEP) grant (up to $10,000/year for international expansion), the CHIPS Community Support Program, CHIPS Zones (Enterprise Zone tax credits for semiconductors), the Colorado Quantum Incubator (a 13,000-square-foot facility in Boulder), and the Colorado Renter Rewards Program (the nation's first state-backed tenant rewards initiative, powered by fintech partner Stake).

OEDIT is funded through annual Colorado state budget appropriations and federal grants and does not generate revenue from product sales or fees. The agency distributes its services through direct enterprise engagement by its Global Business Development team, the self-serve Choose Colorado website, international trade and investment missions (active in the Nordics, Finland, South Korea, Taiwan, Japan, the UK, and Mexico), a Global Consultant Network operating across 12 countries, and partnerships with regional and local economic development organizations. Its served customer base spans Colorado small and medium-sized businesses, primary employers considering relocation or expansion, rural communities and businesses, advanced industries companies across multiple verticals, international firms pursuing U.S. market entry (e.g., Vexlum's US HQ in Broomfield), and—via the Renter Rewards Program—Colorado tenants. Internally, OEDIT operates at least nine divisions including the Business Support Division (led by Director Nikki Maloney), Global Business Development, Business Funding and Incentives, the Colorado Tourism Office, Colorado Creative Industries, the Colorado Outdoor Recreation Industry Office, the Rural Opportunity Office, the Talent Innovation Office, and the Colorado Small Business Development Center Network. The agency is led by Executive Director Eve Lieberman and reports through the Colorado Economic Development Commission.

Name

Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade

Legal name

Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade

Website

https://oedit.colorado.gov

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

The Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT) is a Colorado state government agency under the Governor's Office that administers business recruitment, expansion, export, workforce, housing, and tourism programs through grants, tax credits, and trade missions for Colorado businesses and international companies.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Government Economic Development Services

NAICS

Employment Services (5613)

SIC

Services-Help Supply Services (7363)

akta.pro primary industry

Economic Growth, Trade & Private Sector Development Programs (BPADABAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Official Development Assistance (ODA) Program Management (BPADAOAC), Dislocated Worker & Rapid Response / Reemployment Programs (EDAAAOAF)

Keywords

• Economic development services
• Business incentive programs
• International trade promotion
• Workforce development programs
• Rural economic development

Headquarters

HQ city

Denver

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. State Budget Appropriations: OEDIT is funded through annual appropriations from the Colorado state government budget as the primary mechanism for supporting economic development activities, trade promotion, and business development programs statewide.
2. Federal Grant Funding: OEDIT receives federal grants including State Trade Expansion Program (STEP) funding to support international trade activities and export assistance for Colorado small businesses.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

OEDIT is Colorado's state government economic development agency that promotes economic growth and long-term job creation by administering grant programs (e.g., Advanced Industries Accelerator, STEP), tax credit incentives (Job Growth Incentive Tax Credit, Strategic Fund, Enterprise Zone, CHIPS Zones), business recruitment and retention services, international trade promotion and export assistance, workforce development (Talent Innovation/Opportunity Now, SBDC advising), and targeted initiatives such as the Colorado Quantum Incubator and Colorado Renter Rewards Program. Its services are aimed at businesses considering expanding, relocating to, or operating within Colorado, as well as foreign companies exploring U.S. market entry via Colorado.

Product overview

The Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT) is a state government agency that serves as an economic development ecosystem rather than a single-product company. Its portfolio consists of multiple interconnected programs: the Advanced Industries Accelerator Programs provide grants and tax credits for technology businesses; Global Business Development division offers business recruitment, export services, and trade missions; workforce programs under Talent Innovation support job training and talent development; and specialized initiatives like the Colorado Renter Rewards Program, CHIPS Community Support, and the Colorado Quantum Incubator address specific economic development priorities. These programs work together to support businesses at every stage from startup funding through international expansion.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Advanced Industries Accelerator Programs
• Global Business Development Division Services
• Job Growth Incentive Tax Credit
• Strategic Fund Job Growth Incentive
• State Trade Expansion Program (STEP) Grant
• Trade and Investment Missions
• Global Consultant Network
• Talent Innovation / Opportunity Now
• Colorado Renter Rewards Program
• Colorado CHIPS Community Support Program
• CHIPS Zones Program
• Colorado Quantum Incubator
• Colorado Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Network
• Enterprise Zone Program

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• University of ColoradocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOEDIT collaborates with the University of Colorado system as a key partner in the Colorado Quantum Incubator initiative, supporting quantum technology commercialization and research-to-marketplace pathways.
• Colorado State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerColorado State University partners with OEDIT on the Colorado Quantum Incubator, contributing research capabilities and student talent to support quantum technology startups.
• Colorado School of MinescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Colorado School of Mines collaborates with OEDIT on the Colorado Quantum Incubator, leveraging engineering and applied science expertise to support quantum technology development.
• Colorado Quantum IncubatorcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMulti-university initiative led by OEDIT in partnership with University of Colorado, Colorado State University, and Colorado School of Mines to support quantum technology startups in Colorado.
• VexlumminorOthersFinnish laser company Vexlum established its US headquarters in Broomfield, Colorado with support from OEDIT's Global Business Development team, representing a successful foreign direct investment attraction.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• California Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz): California's state-level economic development agency coordinating business attraction, international trade, and innovation programs. Most directly comparable peer given similar scope covering FDI, incentives, and advanced industries.
• Texas Economic Development & Tourism Office: Texas's state economic development office administering the Texas Enterprise Fund, Skills Development Fund, and international trade promotion. Direct competitor for relocation and FDI projects, with substantially larger incentive budget.
• Empire State Development (New York): New York's principal economic development agency running Excelsior Jobs Program, START-UP NY, and regional council-based economic development strategy. Comparable scope of business attraction, international trade, and innovation programs.
• Washington State Department of Commerce: Washington's state economic development department administering sector-based programs in aerospace, clean energy, and life sciences, plus international trade promotion. Highly comparable given technology/innovation sector overlap and Pacific Rim international trade focus.
• Massachusetts Executive Office of Economic Development: Massachusetts's state economic development umbrella overseeing life sciences, innovation, and workforce programs. Comparable advanced-industries focus and talent-dense ecosystem, though smaller in scale than Colorado.
• Arizona Commerce Authority: Arizona's public-private economic development agency managing business attraction, semiconductor (TSMC-related) incentives, and international trade. Direct peer competing for advanced manufacturing and semiconductor projects, particularly given shared Sun Belt geography.
• North Carolina Department of Commerce: North Carolina's state economic development agency overseeing business recruitment, workforce development, and international trade. Comparable scope with emphasis on advanced industries, rural development, and FDI attraction.
• Utah Governor's Office of Economic Opportunity: Utah's state economic development organization administering tax incentives, workforce programs, and business recruitment. Comparable scale and structure to OEDIT, with similar technology-sector focus and tech-corridor identity.
• Oregon Business Oregon: Oregon's state economic development agency managing business attraction, international trade, and innovation programs. Comparable regional scope and western US focus, with similar advanced industries emphasis.
• Georgia Department of Economic Development: Georgia's state economic development agency running business recruitment, international trade, and innovation programs with substantial FDI activity (especially from Korea and Germany). Direct competitor for advanced manufacturing relocations.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/coloradoecodevo
• Facebookfacebook.com/coloradoecodevo
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/colorado-office-of-economic-development-and-international-trade

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments73 records

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

Frequently asked questions about Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade