Brookings Economic Development

What Brookings Economic Development does

Brookings Economic Development Corporation (BEDC) is a non-profit economic development organization headquartered at 2301 Research Park Way, Suite 114, in Brookings, South Dakota, serving Brookings County and the surrounding region. As of January 1, 2025, BEDC consolidated with the Brookings Area Chamber of Commerce, Downtown Brookings, and Visit Brookings into a single unified organization, integrating economic development, chamber advocacy, downtown district management, and tourism promotion under one brand. The organization is staffed by 9 full-time professionals covering business development, community development, destination development, operations, membership, and marketing.

BEDC delivers its services through a portfolio of programs rather than a unified technology product. Core offerings include the CO.STARTERS Boot Camp (a free 2-day entrepreneur accelerator), the Business Retention and Expansion (BR&E) Program (business visits, roundtables, and industry clusters), the Start-Up Hub (with LaunchFounder and Innovate SoDak), the Brookings Child Care Collaborative (addressing a 915-slot childcare gap), and a Research Center that publishes annual economic scorecards, workforce reports, housing studies, and community profiles. Services to businesses are complimentary and confidential, including site selection, incentive identification, and workforce recruitment support.

Revenue is not publicly disclosed and is derived from a mix of membership fees (approximately 500 Chamber member businesses), municipal and county contributions, state economic development funding, and private sector investments, including a long-running partnership with Vision Brookings, founded in 2005. The organization works through a coordinated regional partner network that includes South Dakota State University, the South Dakota Governor's Office of Economic Development, the Small Business Development Center, the Enterprise Institute, the South Dakota SBA, and USDA Rural Development, supporting 1,467 businesses employing 17,446 workers across the county.

Name

Brookings Economic Development

Legal name

Brookings Economic Development Corporation

Website

https://brookingsedc.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Non-profit economic development corporation serving Brookings, South Dakota, consolidated with the Chamber of Commerce, Downtown Brookings, and Visit Brookings in January 2025. Delivers complimentary business retention, attraction, startup, and childcare programs to 1,467 businesses in Brookings County.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Economic Development Services

akta.pro primary industry

Economic Development & Business Licensing (Local) (BPAIACAN)

akta.pro secondary industry

Affordable Housing & Community Development (Housing, Community Land Trusts) (BPAGALAC)

Keywords

• Economic development services
• Business retention expansion
• Site selection assistance
• Startup support services
• Workforce development programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Brookings

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. Economic Development Services: BEDC operates as a non-profit economic development corporation providing free and confidential support services to businesses. Revenue is derived from membership fees, municipal/county contributions, state economic development funding, and private sector investments.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Brookings Economic Development Corporation is a non-profit economic development organization that delivers business retention and expansion support, startup and entrepreneur assistance, site selection and relocation support for incoming employers, workforce development programming, and community economic development initiatives for the Brookings, South Dakota area. Its core work is coordinating stakeholders (city, county, state, employers, and education providers) to grow and diversify the local economy rather than selling a discrete commercial product.

Product overview

Brookings Economic Development Corporation (BEDC) is an economic development organization that serves as the primary engine for promoting economic growth in Brookings, South Dakota. Rather than a unified software product, BEDC offers a portfolio of programs and services including the CO.STARTERS Boot Camp accelerator program, the Business Retention & Expansion (BR&E) Program, a Start-Up Hub for entrepreneurs, the Brookings Child Care Collaborative (BCCC), and various economic research publications including annual scorecards and surveys. These offerings work together to support business creation, retention, and expansion in the Brookings region.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Business Retention and Expansion (BRE) Program

Quantifiable outcome

• 2% unemployment rate vs 3.5% national average
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Brookings Area Chamber of CommercecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025As of January 1, 2025, Brookings Economic Development Corporation consolidated with Brookings Area Chamber of Commerce, Downtown Brookings, and Visit Brookings to operate as one unified organization. The Chamber, founded in 1938 with 500 member businesses, promotes, connects, enriches, and advocates for the Brookings area business community.
• Downtown BrookingscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Consolidated with BEDC to form unified economic development organization. Downtown Brookings manages the business district and operates the Business Fire Relief Grant Program.
• Visit BrookingscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Consolidated with BEDC to form unified economic development organization. Visit Brookings handles tourism promotion and visitor services.
• South Dakota State University (SDSU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSDSU is South Dakota's Land Grant University with 12,065 students. Key partnerships include Research Park at SDSU, Start-Up Hub, and collaborative programs. SDSU employs 3,973 people and is pursuing R1 Research University designation.
• Research Park at SDSUcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch Park at South Dakota State University provides facilities for companies to collaborate with the university. Includes Brookings Innovation Center for startups and entrepreneurs. Managed by SDSU Growth Partnership.
• City of BrookingscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCity government partner with 300 employees. Provides municipal services, infrastructure, and collaborates on economic development initiatives including ARPA funding for childcare facilities.
• Brookings CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCounty government partner with 116 employees. Collaborates on economic development projects and provides county-level support services.
• South Dakota Governor's Office of Economic Development (GOED)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState economic development agency providing resources including financing, research, networking, and REDI Fund access. Supports business attraction, retention, and expansion statewide.
• Small Business Development Center (SBDC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides one-on-one confidential no-cost business consulting, assists businesses with competitiveness, research, business plans, and financial analysis. Located at 2301 Research Parkway, Suite 218.
• Enterprise InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrivate non-profit providing customized business development, commercialization, and market research services to entrepreneurs, investors, and startup companies in South Dakota.
• South Dakota SBAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerU.S. Small Business Administration office providing counseling, capital, and contracting expertise. Located in Sioux Falls at 2329 N. Career Ave, Suite 105.
• USDA Rural DevelopmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal agency committed to improving economy and quality of life in rural America through loans, grants, loan guarantees, and technical assistance for housing, healthcare, infrastructure, and businesses.
• Vision BrookingsflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCatalyst for economic growth initiatives since 2005. Founded by private investors, Vision Brookings has added nearly $80 million in annual payroll, 1,500+ new jobs, and leveraged $50+ million in grants. Current Vision Brookings 2027 campaign addresses innovation, transportation, housing, and childcare.
• Brookings Early Care & Education Collaborative (BECEC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative addressing childcare challenges in Brookings County through cooperative work, innovative solutions, and engagement with business and community leaders to improve childcare short and long term.
• Brookings Child Care Collaborative (BCCC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative between BEDC, Brookings School District, and Boys & Girls Club of the Northern Plains providing continuous care from 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM for up to 360 children aged 0-5. BCCC integrates pre-kindergarten and childcare into local elementary schools.
• Brookings School DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal school district partner in Brookings Child Care Collaborative, expanding to support 230 pre-kindergarten children. Part of childcare solution addressing 915 slot shortage.
• Boys & Girls Club of the Northern Plains (BGCNP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNon-profit youth organization adding capacity for 130 infants and toddlers as part of Brookings Child Care Collaborative. Remodeling Early Childhood Education facility with $380K Vision Brookings grant.
• First Children's FinanceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational non-profit based in Minneapolis working to stabilize, improve, and expand high-quality child care businesses. Partnered with BECEC and BEDC on Brookings County Child Care Supply Plan through Brookings COVID-19 Relief Fund grant.
• Brookings Area United WayminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal United Way organization partnering in Brookings COVID-19 Relief Fund supporting childcare initiatives and community development.
• Brookings Community FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity foundation partner in Brookings COVID-19 Relief Fund supporting childcare supply planning and community initiatives.

Scale indicators20 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Sioux Falls Development Foundation: Sioux Falls Development Foundation is the primary economic development organization serving the Sioux Falls, SD metro, directly comparable to BEDC as a South Dakota-based non-profit EDC competing for the same relocation and expansion projects. Both organizations market tax advantages, workforce, and infrastructure to attract employers in the region.
• Greater Fargo Moorhead Economic Development Corporation: GFMEDC is a non-profit economic development corporation serving the Fargo-Moorhead metro on the I-29 corridor — Brookings' closest large-metro peer and a direct competitor for Upper Midwest business attraction projects, with similar university (NDSU/MSUM) talent-pipeline messaging.
• Lincoln Partnership for Economic Development: Lincoln Partnership for Economic Development is a public-private economic development organization serving Lincoln, Nebraska — a comparable university-anchored (University of Nebraska-Lincoln) micropolitan/mid-size metro competing for the same Midwest manufacturing, ag-tech, and bioscience employers BEDC targets.
• Omaha Economic Development Corporation: Omaha Economic Development Corporation is a non-profit serving the Omaha metro area, directly comparable to BEDC as an Upper Midwest economic development org focused on business attraction, retention, and small business support. Often a competitor for relocation projects coming from Kansas City or Des Moines.
• Iowa City Area Development Group: Iowa City Area Development Group is a non-profit economic development organization serving the Iowa City/Coralville area, directly comparable to BEDC as a university-anchored (University of Iowa) Midwest EDC marketing to life sciences, manufacturing, and tech employers along the I-80/I-380 corridor.
• Lawrence Chamber of Commerce / Lawrence Economic Development: Lawrence Chamber and associated economic development efforts serve Lawrence, Kansas — a small university town (University of Kansas) comparable to Brookings in size, structure, and the challenges/opportunities of being a college-town EDC competing for corporate relocations.
• Grand Forks Region Economic Development Corporation: Grand Forks Region EDC serves the Grand Forks, ND area — a small Midwest university-anchored (University of North Dakota) community directly comparable to Brookings in size, economy structure, and reliance on a regional university as the talent pipeline anchor.
• Ames Economic Development Commission: Ames Economic Development Commission serves Ames, Iowa — a college town (Iowa State University) directly comparable to Brookings in scale, university-anchored economy, and the central role of the land-grant university in supporting business attraction and innovation.

Broad incumbents

• South Dakota Governor's Office of Economic Development (GOED): SD GOED is the state-level economic development agency that funds and partners with BEDC. It is comparable as a broader incumbent operating statewide, providing financing, REDI Fund access, and business attraction services that overlap with BEDC's local offerings.

Regional players

• Enterprise Institute: Enterprise Institute is a South Dakota non-profit providing customized business development, commercialization, and market research services to entrepreneurs and startups statewide — a regional peer that partners with BEDC and offers overlapping entrepreneur-support programming such as LaunchFounder and Innovate SoDak.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/BrookingsEDC
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC5a7k9MdZKuAqRaSjIBu8wQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/BrookingsEconomicDevelopment
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/brookings-economic-development-corporation
• Instagraminstagram.com/brookingsedc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Brookings Economic Development