Appleseed

What Appleseed does

Appleseed is a New York City-based economic consulting firm founded in 1993 by Hugh O'Neill, delivering economic impact analyses, economic and project development planning, social and public policy research, strategic planning, GIS mapping, and graphic design services. The firm operates as a professional services consultancy serving five primary client verticals: educational institutions (e.g., Tulane, Cornell, Johns Hopkins, SCAD, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory), real estate developers and REITs (Related, Vornado, SL Green), government agencies (Port Authority of NY & NJ, NYC EDC), non-profits (YMCA of Greater New York), and corporations/industry associations.

The firm's underlying technology stack is anchored by economic impact modeling methodologies, GIS-based spatial analysis capabilities that array demographic, economic, and market data from state to neighborhood level, and in-house graphic design for communicating findings to non-technical audiences. There is no software platform or productized offering — every engagement is a custom consulting deliverable.

Appleseed generates revenue through project-based consulting fees on engagements that range from single economic impact studies (e.g., university or research institution impact reports) to multi-stakeholder planning initiatives (e.g., Hudson Yards, Penn Station redevelopment, World Trade Center rebuilding). The firm has maintained a deliberately small team (1–10 employees), anchored by President Hugh O'Neill and Vice President Anna Chelius, and extends its delivery capacity through long-running strategic partnerships — notably with NYU's Rudin Center for Transportation Policy and Management (Mitchell Moss) since 1993 and Patricia Adell's Real Estate Solutions Group since 2001. Customer acquisition is relationship-driven rather than marketing-led, relying on referrals, repeat clients, and direct outreach, and the firm serves clients primarily across the United States with marquee engagements concentrated in the NYC metropolitan area and Northeast US.

Name

Appleseed

Legal name

Appleseed

Website

https://appleseedinc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Appleseed is a NYC-based economic consulting firm founded in 1993 that delivers economic impact analyses, economic development planning, and policy research to universities, real estate developers, government agencies, non-profits, and corporate clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Consulting Services: Appleseed generates revenue through professional consulting engagements conducting economic impact analyses, economic development planning, social research, strategic planning, and program development services for government, non-profit and corporate clients.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Appleseed is an economic consulting firm that conducts economic impact analyses quantifying how clients contribute to local and regional economies, and delivers economic development planning, public policy research, and strategic planning services. Its work spans universities, real estate developers, government agencies, non-profits, and corporations, and is supported by in-house GIS mapping, demographic data analysis, and graphic design capabilities that present complex economic findings in accessible visual formats.

Product overview

Appleseed is a single-service consulting firm offering economic impact analysis and economic development planning services. The company does not operate a software product platform; instead, it provides six distinct but interconnected consulting service lines: Economic Impact Analysis, Economic & Project Development, Economic/Social/Public Policy Research, Strategic Planning & Program Development, Graphic Design, and Geographic Information Systems (GIS). These services are tailored to meet each client's specific needs and are delivered directly by the consulting team rather than through a software product.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Economic Impact Analysis
• Economic & Project Development
• Economic, Social, & Public Policy Research Research helping clients understand how changes in economic and social conditions and public policy affect development prospects, including advocacy for policy changes that promote economic growth.
• Strategic Planning & Program Development Assistance to agencies and non-profits in formulating strategies and developing new programs serving their constituencies, including securing financing for new programs and projects.
• Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Capability to array and analyze demographic, economic, market and other data at all levels from states and metro regions to neighborhoods and city blocks, presented through easy-to-understand maps.
• Graphic Design Well-crafted content combined with graphic design to help clients communicate their economic story effectively to intended audiences.

Quantifiable outcome

• Tulane University generates $1 billion+ in annual economic activity for Louisiana
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• NYU Rudin Center for Transportation Policy and ManagementcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing strategic partnership with NYU's Rudin Center for Transportation Policy and Management. Collaborated on multiple projects including analyses of Lower Manhattan and Downtown Brooklyn economic impacts, Port Authority restructuring recommendations, and transportation studies. Mitchell Moss serves as Director of the Rudin Center and has partnered with Appleseed since 1993.
• Mitchell MosscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHenry Hart Rice Professor of Urban Policy and Planning at NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service. Partnered with Appleseed since 1993 on analyses of economic and social conditions, Brooklyn waterfront redevelopment proposals, and impacts of Lower Manhattan and Downtown Brooklyn on NYC economy. Served as adviser to mayoral campaign of Michael R. Bloomberg.
• Anthony TownsendminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSenior Research Scientist at NYU Rudin Center. Partnered with Appleseed on analyses of telecommunications industry trends and assisting NYC EDC in formulating telecom sector economic development strategy. Author of 'Smart Cities' publication.
• Patricia Adell / Real Estate Solutions GroupminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPatricia Adell owns and manages Real Estate Solutions Group, LLC, advising public and private sector clients on mixed-use complexes, hotels, convention centers, office, residential, retail, museums, and special uses. Partnered with Appleseed since 2001 on Port Authority property feasibility analyses, Yonkers redevelopment planning, fashion industry market analysis, and Lower Manhattan redevelopment projects.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Customer concentration

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Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Appleseed