What TDO does

TDO (Train, Develop, Optimize), originally founded in 1988 as the Central New York Technology Development Organization (CNY TDO) and rebranded to TDO in 2018, is a private nonprofit consulting and training organization headquartered in Liverpool (Syracuse), New York. The organization operates as the designated New York State CNY Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) center and as a NIST MEP affiliate, serving small and mid-sized manufacturers and technology companies in the Central New York region with the mission of driving operational excellence and cultural transformation.

The company's core offerings are organized into six service pillars — Empower (customized in-house training and workshops), Innovate (new product development and commercialization), Transform (Lean and Lean Six Sigma cultural transformation with executive coaching), Optimize (continuous improvement tools including Kanban, TPM, FMEA, and Lean Six Sigma belts), Grow (market development including ExportNY), and Plan (strategic planning) — supplemented by specific programs in Value Stream Mapping, Toyota Kata coaching, and Lean Six Sigma training at Yellow, Green (64 hours), and Black Belt (80 hours) levels. Delivery is built on certified practitioner methodologies, notably Training Within Industry (TWI) via partnership with the TWI Institute, plus ISO 9001 / AS9100 / ISO 13485 quality-system expertise. The technology base is purely consultancy-grade: no proprietary software, APIs, SDKs, or AI/ML capabilities are disclosed.

TDO's go-to-market is direct enterprise field sales — engagements begin with free consultation, are scoped as customized projects, and are delivered by senior practitioners on-site or remotely. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and each engagement is bespoke. The organization supplements its consulting revenue with grant administration: it connects clients to grant funding from USDA, National Grid's Manufacturing Productivity Program (up to $40,000 or 60% matching), NYSEG, Trade Adjustment Assistance Center, Empire State Development, Workforce Development Institute, and RIT's Pollution Prevention Institute. Customer outcomes disclosed include lead-time reductions of 50%+, unit-cost improvements of 20%+, scrap reductions of $40K–$100K per client, and client-side economic impact of $265M in the most recent contract period.

Name

TDO

Legal name

TDO

Website

https://tdo.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

TDO is a nonprofit consulting and training organization headquartered in Syracuse, New York that serves Central New York manufacturers and technology companies with Lean Six Sigma, Training Within Industry, Toyota Kata, and operational excellence services, operating as the regional NIST MEP center.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Liverpool

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Consulting and Training Services: TDO generates revenue through customized consulting engagements and training programs for manufacturers and technology companies. Services include lean six sigma training, workforce development, strategic planning, and operational excellence consulting. The organization also helps clients secure grant funding to offset project costs.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

TDO is a nonprofit consulting and training organization that delivers customized Lean manufacturing, Lean Six Sigma, Toyota Kata, and Training Within Industry (TWI) engagements to Central New York manufacturers and technology companies. It also helps clients navigate and secure grant funding from government and private sources (e.g., USDA, National Grid, NYSEG, Empire State Development) to offset project costs such as ISO/AS certifications and productivity improvements.

Product overview

TDO (Train, Develop, Optimize) is a nonprofit consulting and training organization offering a portfolio of interconnected services to help Central New York manufacturers and technology companies achieve operational excellence. The core service offerings include Empower (customized training workshops), Innovate (new product development and commercialization), Transform (Lean and Six Sigma transformation), Optimize (continuous improvement measurement systems), Grow (market development and export services), and Plan (strategic planning). Key specific programs include Value Stream Mapping, Toyota Kata coaching, and Lean Six Sigma training at Yellow/Green/Black Belt levels. TDO also provides grant assistance for ISO certifications and access to various government and private funding sources. The services are delivered through hands-on consulting engagements with experienced practitioners certified in specialized techniques, supplemented by grant funding support to help offset project costs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Empower Services Customized in-house training and workshops focused on building employee skills for operational excellence, including leadership development, problem solving, and technical skills. Designed for Central New York manufacturers seeking to develop their workforce.
• Innovate Services Innovation and ideation processes for new product development, commercialization, and market intelligence, including Value Stream Mapping and Kaizen Events, targeted at manufacturers and technology companies seeking growth.
• Transform Services Cultural transformation and coaching services delivering Lean Principles, Managing Change Process, Lean Six Sigma, and Executive Coaching to ensure transformation sticks. For organizations pursuing deep operational and cultural change.
• Optimize Services Continuous improvement services employing Kanban, Cellular Workflow, Total Productive Maintenance (TPM), ISO Quality Management, FMEA, and Lean Six Sigma belts for measurement and process optimization.
• Grow Services Growth potential identification and realization services including ExportNY and US Department of Commerce Service for market development, targeted at manufacturers seeking new markets and revenue.
• Plan Services Strategic planning services for developing short-term action plans, workforce improvement plans, manufacturing process plans, and long-term strategic plans that deliver lasting results.
• Value Stream Mapping (VSM) Lean manufacturing tool for mapping processes to identify and eliminate non-value-added waste, creating Current State and Future State maps to achieve transformational growth. Targeted at manufacturers seeking operational improvement.
• Lean Six Sigma Training Blended Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma training programs offering Yellow Belt, Green Belt (64 hours), and Black Belt (80 hours) certifications with hands-on company projects. Designed for manufacturing staff pursuing process improvement credentials.
• Toyota Kata Skill-building process combining Improvement Kata and Coaching Kata for developing scientific thinking and establishing a culture of continuous improvement, including simulations and train-the-trainer programs.
• ISO9001 & AS9100 Certification Assistance Grant-funded certification assistance for rural New York State manufacturers to obtain ISO9001 or AS9100 certifications, with up to $3,000 in grant funding available per participant.
• Grant Assistance Services Grant funding navigation services connecting manufacturers with government and private sector funding sources including National Grid's Manufacturing Productivity Program (up to $40,000 matching grants), USDA, NYSEG, Empire State Development, Workforce Development Institute, Pollution Prevention Institute, and Trade Adjustment Assistance Center.

Quantifiable outcome

• 50%+ decrease in lead time
• +10 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• New York Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTDO is a division of the New York MEP and a NIST MEP affiliate. The MEP network provides national support for small to mid-sized manufacturers, and TDO serves as the CNY MEP center.
• CenterState CEOminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional economic development organization; Andrew Fish serves as SVP Member and Business Experience on TDO's Board of Directors.
• MACNYminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerManufacturing Association of Central New York; Randy Wolken serves as President & CEO on TDO's Board of Directors.
• FuzeHubminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional podcast and media platform featuring TDO as a manufacturing podcast guest, supporting marketing and thought leadership.
• TWI InstitutecoreTechnology or IntegrationTDO staff are certified trainers through the TWI Institute for Training Within Industry programs including Job Instruction, Job Relations, Job Methods, and Job Safety. TWI methodology is a core component of TDO's service offerings.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• Ohio MEP: Ohio's NIST MEP center, comparable in mission and federal/state affiliation, providing Lean consulting, technology acceleration, and workforce services to Ohio manufacturers.
• Wisconsin MEP (WMEP): Wisconsin MEP center offering similar manufacturing transformation, training, and grant assistance — structurally identical NIST MEP peer.
• Greater Buffalo Manufacturing Partnership (GBMP): Another New York MEP-affiliated nonprofit providing Lean Six Sigma training, operational consulting, and grant assistance to manufacturers in the Buffalo region. Structurally identical to TDO under the NIST MEP umbrella.
• TechSolve (Cincinnati MEP): NIST MEP-affiliated manufacturing consulting organization serving Ohio manufacturers with operational excellence, technology adoption, and workforce development services — same federal/state affiliation model as TDO.
• Impact Washington: Washington state's MEP center providing Lean manufacturing consulting, workforce development, and growth services to small/mid-market manufacturers; structurally and operationally comparable to TDO.
• CONNSTEP: Connecticut's NIST MEP center delivering operational excellence consulting, export assistance, and technology/growth services to small and mid-market manufacturers.
• TMAC (Texas Manufacturing Assistance Center): Texas-based MEP center providing Lean Six Sigma training, operational consulting, supplier development, and grant access to manufacturers; a larger-state peer operating the same model.

Emerging players

• Lean Enterprise Institute (LEI): Lean thought leadership organization that develops and disseminates the Lean methodologies TDO deploys; comparable in training focus, positioned as content and community rather than direct delivery.
• Gemba Academy: Online Lean manufacturing training provider offering scalable digital Lean Six Sigma content; partially overlaps with TDO's Lean Six Sigma certification offerings and competes on the training side.

Others

• RWD Consulting: Independent Lean deployment and Six Sigma consulting firm serving manufacturers; an adjacent consultancy competitor without MEP affiliation.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CNYTDO

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about TDO