Savannah Economic Development Authority

Name

Savannah Economic Development Authority

Legal name

Savannah Economic Development Authority

Website

https://seda.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1925

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Savannah

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

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: SEDA operates as a publicly-funded economic development authority, supported by government appropriations from the City of Savannah, Chatham County, and potentially state sources. Revenue comes from annual public funding allocations rather than commercial revenue streams.
2. Property Transactions: SEDA facilitates economic development through property transactions, including the sale of land and facilities to companies establishing operations in the region, such as the Home Depot distribution center.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

SEDA is a publicly-funded economic development authority that helps businesses locate, expand, and grow in the Savannah region. It provides site selection assistance with GIS-enabled property search, workforce training coordination through Georgia's Quick Start program, tax incentive and abatement negotiation, permitting support, and ongoing 'service after the sale' business retention and expansion support. These services are offered at no cost to businesses as a public economic development benefit.

Product overview

Savannah Economic Development Authority (SEDA) is a regional economic development organization, not a technology product company. SEDA provides economic development advisory services including business attraction, business retention and expansion programs, workforce development initiatives (such as RISE and Quick Start workforce training), property search and site location assistance, international trade facilitation through World Trade Center Savannah, and entertainment production support via the Savannah Regional Film Commission. SEDA also administers Foreign-Trade Zone 104 and operates the Savannah Chatham Manufacturing Center. These are service programs and initiatives rather than technology products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Site Selection and Property Search
• Workforce Development Coordination
• Tax Incentives Coordination and Database Coordination of local, county, and state tax incentives and abatements for businesses, supported by an online incentives database covering SEDA, City of Savannah, Chatham County, and Georgia tax incentive programs.
• Existing Industry Program Ongoing business retention and expansion support for companies already operating in Chatham County, providing assistance with growth planning, workforce needs, and continued operational support.
• World Trade Center Savannah Wholly-owned subsidiary of SEDA providing international trade services, export/import assistance, trade mission facilitation, foreign direct investment support, and global business connections for companies engaged in international commerce.
• Savannah Regional Film Commission Wholly-owned subsidiary dedicated to attracting film, television, and commercial production to the Savannah region through location scouting, permit coordination, and industry connections.
• Savannah Chatham Manufacturing Center 774-acre industrial development park owned and managed by SEDA, marketed as the premier location for advanced manufacturing operations in the Savannah region.
• Foreign-Trade Zone 104 Administered Foreign-Trade Zone providing customs and duty advantages to companies engaged in import/export operations in the Savannah region.
• RISE (Regional Industry Support Enterprise) Wholly-owned subsidiary providing workforce development and industry support services across an eight-county region (Bryan, Bulloch, Candler, Chatham, Effingham, Evans, Liberty, and Screven counties).

Quantifiable outcome

• 526,940 available workers within 60-mile radius
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments9 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• World Trade Center SavannahcoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerLicensed subsidiary of SEDA providing international trade services, export/import assistance, trade mission facilitation, and global business connections for companies engaged in international commerce.
• Savannah Regional Film CommissioncoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerSubsidiary organization dedicated to attracting film, television, and commercial production to the Savannah region through location services, permit coordination, and industry connections.
• RISE (Regional Industry Support Enterprise)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional Industry Support Enterprise provides workforce development and industry support services complementing SEDA's business attraction efforts.
• City of SavannahcoreOthersMunicipal government partner providing economic development funding, coordination on incentives, and permitting support for businesses locating in the city.
• Chatham CountycoreOthersCounty government partner providing economic development funding, tax abatement coordination, and regulatory support for businesses expanding in the county.
• Georgia Department of Economic DevelopmentcoreOthersState economic development agency providing statewide incentive programs, international trade support, and workforce development resources including Quick Start training program.
• Georgia PowerminorOthersUtility company partner providing site information, infrastructure data, and utility coordination for businesses considering Savannah locations.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Greater Houston Partnership: Houston's regional economic development organization, similarly tasked with attracting advanced manufacturing, energy, and logistics investment. Like SEDA, it leverages port/energy infrastructure and operates a coordinated public-private model across a major Southeast/Texas metro.
• JAXUSA Partnership (Jacksonville): The regional economic development arm of the JAX Chamber covering Northeast Florida. Directly comparable peer in a Southeast port-adjacent region competing for the same advanced manufacturing, logistics, and distribution investment that SEDA targets.
• Charlotte Regional Business Alliance: Charlotte-area economic development organization serving a major Southeast metro. Comparable mission in attracting corporate HQ relocations, advanced manufacturing, and logistics investment across the Carolinas/Southeast.
• Greenville Area Development Corporation: Upstate South Carolina's economic development organization attracting advanced manufacturing (BMW, Michelin ecosystem) to the region. Directly comparable peer competing with SEDA for Southeast manufacturing investment using similar incentive and workforce tools.
• Tampa Bay Economic Development Council: Florida-based regional EDO attracting corporate investment, advanced manufacturing, and logistics to the Tampa Bay area. Comparable peer model and Southeast geography with similar industry targets.
• Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce (Economic Development): Nashville's regional chamber/EDO attracting corporate relocations and advanced industry investment. Comparable peer in a fast-growing Southeast metro pursuing similar corporate attraction wins.
• Charleston Regional Development Alliance: South Carolina's tri-county economic development organization. Comparable port-adjacent Southeast peer competing for distribution, advanced manufacturing, and logistics investment with similar workforce and incentive value propositions.

Broad incumbents

• Greater Phoenix Economic Council (GPEC): One of the largest regional EDOs in the US, serving the Phoenix metro with a much larger team and broader national/international reach. Broader incumbent peer showing the upper end of regional EDO scale versus SEDA's smaller operation.

Regional players

• Greater Cincinnati / REDI Cincinnati: Cincinnati regional economic development organization targeting advanced manufacturing, logistics, and corporate investment. Comparable EDO function serving a Midwest rather than Southeast metro, but with parallel industry focus and incentive toolkit.
• Upstate SC Alliance: Public-private regional EDO for the Upstate South Carolina region (Greenville-Spartanburg). Comparable peer organization in the same Southeast corridor targeting advanced manufacturing (BMW, Boeing, etc.), distribution, and supplier attraction.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/SavannahEconDev
• Facebookfacebook.com/SavannahEconomicDevelopment
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/savannah-economic-development-authority
• Instagraminstagram.com/savannahecondev

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Subsidiaries3 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 Savannah Economic Development Authority