Solano Economic Development Corporation

What Solano Economic Development Corporation does

Solano Economic Development Corporation (Solano EDC) is a private nonprofit membership organization headquartered in Fairfield, California, that serves as the countywide economic development corporation for Solano County. It operates through a public-private partnership structure with formal representation from all seven Solano County cities (Benicia, Dixon, Fairfield, Rio Vista, Suisun City, Vacaville, Vallejo), the County of Solano, major employers, non-profits, and public agencies. Its core mandate covers three functional pillars: Business Attraction (confidential site location assistance for companies considering relocation), Business Retention and Expansion (the Business First! network and coordinated outreach to existing employers), and Public Good projects (defense advocacy, workforce mobility, energy efficiency). Service delivery runs through the Team Solano Economic Development Task Force, which coordinates city economic development offices, the Workforce Development Board, Solano Transportation Authority, Solano Community College, and utility partners.

Solano EDC operates a portfolio of programs rather than a single product. Solano Biz-Grow is a revolving small business loan fund ($25,000-$125,000 at 6% fixed, 5-year term, county-funded) for COVID-19-impacted small businesses. The Travis Community Consortium (formed 2003) advocates for Travis Air Force Base, the county's largest single economic asset at $1.6B annual impact and 13,414 personnel. Energy efficiency and sustainability services are delivered via partnerships with Bay Area Regional Energy Network (BayREN) and Marin Clean Energy (MCE). Solano Mobility provides commuter programs (vanpool subsidies, rideshare, transit connections) in partnership with the Solano Transportation Authority. The organization also publishes proprietary economic intelligence, including monthly Solano County Economic Updates (2023-2026), the annual Index of Economic and Community Progress, and the Moving Solano Forward countywide strategy (Phases I-III).

The revenue model is membership-dues-based (subscription/recurring), supplemented by county grants for specific programs such as Solano Biz-Grow. Services to businesses are provided at no direct cost. Core technology is explicitly not applicable — Solano EDC is a relationship-driven services nonprofit, not a software or platform company. Approximately 11 staff and management are listed, including a President & CEO (Chris Rico), VP (J. Paul Harrington), and specialized roles in loan program management, business retention, marketing, and project management. Key showcased employers in the county include Jelly Belly, Mariani Packing, Guittard Chocolate, Lonza, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Bio-Rad Laboratories, UTC Aerospace Systems, Kaiser Permanente, and NorthBay Health Medical Center.

Name

Solano Economic Development Corporation

Legal name

Solano County Economic Development Corporation

Website

https://solanoedc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1983

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Solano EDC is a private nonprofit membership organization that drives economic development across California's seven-city Solano County via business attraction, retention, and expansion services, financed through membership dues from cities, the county, employers, and public agencies.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Fairfield

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. Membership Dues: Solano EDC is a private nonprofit membership organization funded by representatives from all seven cities, the county, major employers, non-profits, and public agencies. Membership supports the organization's operations and economic development initiatives.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Solano EDC is a private nonprofit economic development corporation that delivers confidential site location assistance, business retention and expansion services, and a small business revolving loan fund (Solano Biz-Grow) for companies operating in or relocating to Solano County. It coordinates workforce development, permitting navigation, incentive access, and energy efficiency programs across all seven cities in the county through the Business First! network and Team Solano task force.

Product overview

Solano EDC is a private nonprofit membership organization that serves as the economic development corporation for Solano County. Rather than a single software product, it offers a portfolio of economic development programs and services including the Solano Biz-Grow Loan Program (a small business resiliency revolving loan fund), Solano Business First! (a business retention and expansion network), confidential site location assistance, energy efficiency resources through BayREN and MCE partnerships, workforce development coordination, and the Moving Solano Forward countywide economic strategy. The organization also manages the Solano Mobility commuter programs and the Travis Community Consortium advocacy initiative. These services are delivered through partnerships with all seven cities in Solano County, the county government, major employers, non-profits, and public agencies to support business attraction, retention, expansion, and public good initiatives.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Solano Biz-Grow: A Small Business Resiliency Fund - A Revolving Loan Fund offering accessible financial assistance to promote stability and growth for small businesses in Solano County.

Products and services

• Solano Biz-Grow Loan Program A Small Business Resiliency Fund offering revolving loans from $25,000 to $125,000 at a 6% fixed interest rate over a 5-year term, designed to promote stability and growth for small businesses in Solano County impacted by COVID-19. Application requires minimum credit score of 630, $250 application fee (rebated if SBDC counseling completed), no prepayment penalty. Borrowers are connected with Solano-Napa SBDC for business counseling and assessment.
• Solano Business First! A network of all cities and partner organizations dedicated to reaching out and assisting existing companies by connecting them with specific resources, information, and services including expansions, economic difficulties, and incentive programs. Provides retention and expansion support for companies operating in Solano County.
• Site Location Assistance Confidential site location assistance for companies seeking to identify sites or buildings in Solano County. Includes development of proposals and data for location-decision evaluation, coordination of site tours, and connection to city economic development representatives for permitting assistance.
• Energy Efficiency and Sustainability Resources Resources and program connections for Solano County businesses through partnerships with BayREN (Bay Area Regional Energy Network) and MCE (Marin Clean Energy). Offers energy efficiency programs including business assessments, multifamily building enhancements, public building decarbonization, EV charging rebates, and demand response incentives.
• Moving Solano Forward Countywide economic development strategy focused on existing traded sectors, business attraction, maintaining relations with Travis Air Force Base, supply chain analysis, and maintaining competitive advantages including infrastructure and workforce development.
• Financing Assistance Referrals and connections to agencies for loan guarantees, direct financing, SBA loan packages, equipment and real estate financing, Industrial Development Bonds, and California Recycling Market Development Zone loans to support business capital needs.
• Workforce Development and Training Coordination Coordination with local personnel agencies and workforce development organizations for screening, employee recruitment, and connection to local and state training programs, customized training, and on-the-job training programs for Solano County employers.
• Solano Mobility Commuter programs providing transportation resources including transit connections, rideshare options, bike programs, vanpool subsidies, and mobility support for Solano County residents and workers.
• Travis Community Consortium Advocacy initiative for Travis Air Force Base ensuring personnel have resources to meet national security demands. Works with base leadership and the Congressional Delegation to advocate for the long-term sustainability of Travis AFB, coordinated with Solano County, affiliated city governments, and the Travis Regional Armed Forces Committee.

Quantifiable outcome

• $19.65 billion gross regional product
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and supporting.

• Travis Community Consortium (TCC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFormal partnership formed in 2003 to coordinate community support for Travis Air Force Base. Members include Solano County, affiliated city governments, Solano EDC, and Travis Regional Armed Forces Committee. Works with base leadership and Congressional Delegation to advocate for Travis sustainability.
• Travis Regional Armed Forces Committee (TRAFC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional voice for Travis AFB support combining Chamber of Commerce military affairs committees. 180+ local business and civic leaders including elected officials. Shared administration by Fairfield-Suisun and Vacaville Chambers.
• Travis Air Force BasecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLargest employer in Solano County with 13,414 personnel generating $1.6B annual economic impact. Home to David Grant USAF Medical Center, C-5, C-17, and KC-10 aircraft. Travis Community Consortium formalizes community support for base.
• Bay Area Regional Energy Network (BayREN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition of Bay Area's nine counties - local governments partnering to promote resource efficiency. Offers energy efficiency programs including BayREN Business for small businesses, multifamily building enhancements, and public building decarbonization.
• Marin Clean Energy (MCE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCalifornia's first Community Choice Aggregation program providing fossil-free electricity to Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, and Solano Counties. Offers business programs including EV charging rebates, energy assessments, and demand response incentives.
• Solano-Napa Small Business Development CentercoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerProvides business counseling and assessment services for Solano Biz-Grow loan program borrowers. Borrowers completing SBDC counseling receive $250 application fee rebate.
• County of SolanocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary funder of Solano Biz-Grow Small Business Resiliency Fund. County funding enables the revolving loan program for COVID-19 impacted small businesses.
• Participating Lenders (Solano Biz-Grow)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNetwork of lenders participating in the Solano Biz-Grow loan program. Contact information provided for multiple banking partners.
• Solano Transportation Authority (STA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoordinates roadways and public transit in Solano County. Partners on Solano Mobility commuter programs including transit connections, vanpool subsidies, and mobility support.
• UC DavismajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdjacent to Solano County with focus on Food & Agriculture, Health, Science, Business. Sponsors monthly economic update newsletters. Key research partner for biotech and biomedical industry support.
• California Life Sciences AssociationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry association advancing California's life sciences innovation ecosystem. Resource for biotech and biomedical companies in Solano County.
• California Manufacturers & Technology AssociationsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry advocacy organization providing research, job boards, and information for manufacturing and technology companies.
• Bay Area Center for International Trade DevelopmentsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssists businesses in expanding globally and manages one of the largest state-based export promotion efforts in the US.
• Workforce Development Board of Solano CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of Team Solano Economic Development Task Force. Coordinates workforce development and employment services for Solano County businesses.
• Solano Community CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational partner offering Associate's, Certificates, and BS in Biomanufacturing. Part of Team Solano. New bachelor's degree pilot program for biomanufacturing.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Detroit Regional Partnership: Public-private regional partnership marketing a multi-county region for business attraction and job growth. Comparable nonprofit partnership model and corporate-relations-led site-selection services.
• Greater Phoenix Economic Council: Public-private regional economic development organization focused on business attraction, retention, and workforce. Comparable in its cost-arbitrage value proposition versus higher-cost metros — analogous to Solano's Bay Area angle.
• Pittsburgh Regional Alliance: Multi-county regional economic development marketing organization. Comparable membership-funded, employer-coordinated model focused on attraction and retention of traded-sector employers.
• Greater Sacramento Economic Council: Regional economic development organization serving the six-county Sacramento region with business attraction, retention, and workforce programs. Comparable nonprofit membership model and overlapping I-80/corridor geography with Solano.

Broad incumbents

• Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce: Major regional chamber handling economic development, workforce, and policy initiatives. Comparable membership-driven nonprofit structure delivering business attraction and retention services across a multi-county metro.
• Bay Area Council Economic Institute: Bay Area-wide economic research and policy organization. Overlapping Bay Area focus, employer engagement model, and research-driven economic publications parallel Solano EDC's data, economic-update, and Index of Economic and Community Progress reports.

Others

• Fairfield-Suisun Chamber of Commerce: Local chamber sharing administration of the Travis Regional Armed Forces Committee with the Vacaville Chamber. Adjacent ecosystem partner rather than direct competitor; co-administers defense-community coordination that supports Solano EDC's Travis advocacy.
• California Life Sciences Association: Industry association advancing California's life-sciences innovation ecosystem. Cited as a Solano EDC partner for biotech/biomedical companies — adjacent enabling organization rather than a competing EDC.

Direct peers

• Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation (LAEDC): LAEDC is the most direct analogue — a county-level private nonprofit economic development corporation delivering business attraction, retention, workforce, and policy work. Solano EDC's President & CEO Chris Rico previously led LAEDC's Center for Innovation, evidencing direct operational lineage.
• San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation: Regional nonprofit EDC providing confidential site selection, business retention, workforce, and policy advocacy in the San Diego region. Closely comparable in organizational structure, service portfolio, and membership-driven funding.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Solano_EDC

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries2 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 Solano Economic Development Corporation