Pasco Economic Development Council
Pasco Economic Development Council is a private nonprofit public-private partnership that helps businesses start, move, or grow in Pasco County, Florida, delivering startup incubation (SMARTstart), workforce development (WorkforceCONNECT), microloans, and business attraction services funded through tiered investor memberships.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1987
- HeadquartersLutz, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Pasco Economic Development Council does
Pasco Economic Development Council (Pasco EDC) is a private, nonprofit public-private partnership founded in 1987 and headquartered in Lutz, Florida. It functions as the county's primary economic development organization, helping businesses Start, Move, or Grow in Pasco County. Core services span the full business lifecycle: startup incubation and microloans through the SMARTstart program delivered at three physical entrepreneur centers (West Pasco in Holiday, East Pasco in Dade City, SMARTstart @ the Grove in Wesley Chapel); workforce development through WorkforceCONNECT, which provides labor market data, training grants, internship programs, and education partnerships with Pasco-Hernando State College, Saint Leo University, and Rasmussen University; business attraction via the Pasco Ready Sites Program covering multiple shovel-ready industrial parks; CEO and entrepreneur roundtables for peer networking; CO.STARTERS business model training; international trade and Foreign Trade Zone 193 administration; and disaster planning and recovery support.
Pasco EDC operates a tiered investor membership model with five publicly disclosed annual investment levels: Partners Council ($1,000), Ambassadors Council ($2,500), Leadership Council ($5,000), Corporate Council ($10,000), and Policy Council ($25,000+). Membership confers governance rights (Board seats, committee participation) alongside marketing and recognition benefits. The organization is governed by a Policy Council and Board of Directors, with Bill Cronin as President/CEO and Paul A. Manuel as 2026 Board Chair. Major investors include Duke Energy, TECO Energy, AdventHealth, HCA Florida Healthcare, Moffitt Cancer Center, Wells Fargo, Truist, Suncoast Credit Union, and major Pasco County real estate developers.
In the most recent annual reporting period, Pasco EDC assisted 21 project expansions representing $116.3 million in capital investment and 547 new jobs in Pasco County; the SMARTstart Microloan Program separately supported creation of 295 jobs. The organization employs roughly 12 staff across marketing, business development, entrepreneurship, and operations functions. In 2025 it received two Excellence in Economic Development Awards from the International Economic Development Council (IEDC), and it maintains a six-year-running annual GROW Pasco entrepreneur event. Pasco EDC targets seven verticals: Advanced Manufacturing; Aerospace, Aviation & Defense; Business & Professional Services; High Technology; Life Sciences & Medical Technology; Logistics & Distribution; and Entrepreneurs & Small Business.
Pasco Economic Development Council firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Pasco Economic Development Council
- Legal name
- Pasco Economic Development Council
- Website
- https://pascoedc.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1987
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Pasco Economic Development Council is a private nonprofit public-private partnership that helps businesses start, move, or grow in Pasco County, Florida, delivering startup incubation (SMARTstart), workforce development (WorkforceCONNECT), microloans, and business attraction services funded through tiered investor memberships.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Pasco Economic Development Council industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Economic Development Services
- NAICS
- Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Association & Society Conference Management (Nonprofit, Professional Bodies) (THAHACAA)
Keywords
Where Pasco Economic Development Council is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Lutz
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices4 records
Markets served
Pasco Economic Development Council business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Investor Membership Fees: Pasco EDC operates as a private, non-profit organization funded through corporate and public investments. Revenue is generated through tiered annual investor membership programs with five levels ranging from $1,000 to $25,000+ per year.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Policy Council - $25,000+ Annual Investment |
| Subscription | Annual | Corporate Council - $10,000 Annual Investment |
| Subscription | Annual | Leadership Council - $5,000 Annual Investment |
| Subscription | Annual | Ambassadors Council - $2,500 Annual Investment |
| Subscription | Annual | Partners Council - $1,000 Annual Investment |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels8 records
Pasco Economic Development Council product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Pasco Economic Development Council (Pasco EDC) is a private, non-profit public-private partnership founded in 1987 that fosters economic vitality in Pasco County, Florida. It delivers business incubation (SMARTstart), workforce development (WorkforceCONNECT), industrial site readiness programs (Pasco Ready Sites), CEO peer roundtables, microloans, and entrepreneur training (CO.STARTERS) to grow, attract, and retain businesses in the region.
Product overview
Pasco Economic Development Council is a public-private partnership that provides economic development services rather than technology products. The organization offers a portfolio of business support programs including SMARTstart (business incubator and startup resources), WorkforceCONNECT (workforce development), microloan funding, ready sites programs for business relocation, and CEO roundtables for peer networking. These services are designed to help businesses start, move, and grow in Pasco County, Florida.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- SMARTstart: Business incubator and startup support program offering resources for entrepreneurs starting their businesses in Pasco County, including microloan funding and business model training.
- WorkforceCONNECT
Products and services
- SMARTstart Business Incubator Program SMARTstart is Pasco EDC's flagship business incubator that provides entrepreneurs and early-stage companies with coaching, mentoring, workspace, and resources to launch and grow businesses in Pasco County.
- SMARTstart Microloan Program A microloan program that provides small-dollar capital to startups and small businesses that lack access to traditional bank financing, supporting entrepreneurs participating in Pasco EDC's programs.
- WorkforceCONNECT Program WorkforceCONNECT is Pasco EDC's workforce development program that connects employers with qualified talent, supports talent attraction, retention, and training initiatives to meet employer demand across Pasco County.
- Pasco Ready Sites Program A site readiness program that identifies, pre-vets, and showcases industrial and commercial sites in Pasco County that are available and ready for business location or expansion, helping site selection consultants and relocating companies accelerate decisions.
- CEO Roundtables Peer-learning and networking forums for C-suite executives of Pasco County businesses, providing facilitated discussion on leadership, growth, and operational challenges.
- CO.STARTERS Business Model Training A cohort-based entrepreneur training program built on the CO.STARTERS curriculum that guides aspiring and early-stage business owners through business model discovery, customer validation, and launch planning.
- Investor Membership Program A tiered annual membership program with investor levels ranging from $1,000 to $25,000+ per year that funds Pasco EDC's economic development activities and gives member companies visibility, recognition, and engagement opportunities in the Pasco County business community.
Quantifiable outcome
- 21 project expansions assisted in past year
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Pasco Economic Development Council
Customer profileNamed customers21 records
Segments7 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Pasco Economic Development Council technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Pasco Economic Development Council partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.
- CareerSource Pasco HernandocoreWorkforce development partner providing employment services, training grants, and internship programs. Listed as a major investor and strategic partner in workforce connectivity initiatives.
- SMARTstartcoreBusiness incubator program operated by Pasco EDC providing microloans, business model training (CO.STARTERS), and physical entrepreneur centers at multiple locations including West Pasco, East Pasco, and the Grove.
- WorkforceCONNECTcoreWorkforce development initiative providing labor market data, training solutions, internship programs, and career resources for Pasco County businesses.
- Pasco-Hernando State CollegemajorEducational institution partner and major investor providing workforce training and education programs.
- Saint Leo UniversitymajorEducational institution partner and major investor supporting workforce development initiatives.
- SCORE Pasco HernandocoreSCORE mentors facilitate entrepreneur roundtables at SMARTstart centers, providing free mentorship and guidance to small business owners.
- Pasco Ready Sites ProgramcorePartnership with multiple industrial parks including Pioneer Park, Hays Road Industrial Park, Softwind Industrial Park, Zephyrhills Airport Industrial Park, Eagle I & II Industrial Parks, and North Tampa Bay Industrial Park for business site location.
- Foreign Trade Zone 193majorInternational trade program providing foreign trade zone benefits for businesses engaged in international trade and exporting.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Pasco Economic Development Council competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- Charlotte Regional Business Alliance: Regional business alliance operating an EDC arm with comparable investor-funded model focused on business attraction, retention, and entrepreneurship support.
- Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber: Regional chamber combining economic development and business advocacy with a similar public-private partnership structure and investor membership model.
- Greater Orlando Economic Development Council: Public-private EDC covering Orange, Seminole, Osceola, and Lake Counties. Comparable model with investor membership tiers and target industry verticals (advanced manufacturing, aerospace, life sciences).
- Northeast Florida Economic Development ( JAX USA ): Regional EDC for the Jacksonville area with similar public-private partnership model, business attraction/expansion focus, and target industry verticals.
- Pinellas County Economic Development: Public-private EDC for neighboring Pinellas County. Comparable nonprofit, membership-funded structure and similar target industries in the same Tampa Bay region.
- Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce Economic Development Corporation: Florida-based economic development organization with parallel mission to foster business growth in its region through partnerships, programs, and member services.
- Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance: Public-private partnership EDC for Broward County, FL. Comparable structure and mission of business attraction and retention with investor-based funding.
- Tampa Bay Economic Development Council: Public-private EDC serving Hillsborough County within the same Tampa Bay metro. Directly comparable public-private partnership model targeting overlapping industries (advanced manufacturing, logistics, life sciences).
Others
- SCORE: Pasco EDC already partners with SCORE Pasco Hernando for mentor-facilitated entrepreneur roundtables. SCORE provides small-business mentorship that complements Pasco EDC's incubator programs at a national scale.
Broad incumbents
- Greater Houston Partnership: Large regional chamber/EDC hybrid with public-private partnership structure and tiered investor memberships. Broader scope than Pasco but operates on the same core economic development mandate.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Pasco Economic Development Council social profiles
Digital presencePasco Economic Development Council financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Pasco Economic Development Council leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles13 records
Pasco Economic Development Council funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Pasco Economic Development Council M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Pasco Economic Development Council
What does Pasco Economic Development Council do?
Pasco Economic Development Council (Pasco EDC) is a private, non-profit public-private partnership founded in 1987 that fosters economic vitality in Pasco County, Florida. It delivers business incubation (SMARTstart), workforce development (WorkforceCONNECT), industrial site readiness programs (Pasco Ready Sites), CEO peer roundtables, microloans, and entrepreneur training (CO.STARTERS) to grow, attract, and retain businesses in the region.
Is Pasco Economic Development Council a public or private company?
Pasco Economic Development Council is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Pasco Economic Development Council founded?
Pasco Economic Development Council was founded in 1987. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Pasco Economic Development Council based?
Pasco Economic Development Council is headquartered in Lutz, United States, in the North America region.
How does Pasco Economic Development Council make money?
One revenue line is on record: investor Membership Fees.
Who are Pasco Economic Development Council's main competitors?
Regional players on record are Charlotte Regional Business Alliance, Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber, Greater Orlando Economic Development Council, Northeast Florida Economic Development ( JAX USA ), Pinellas County Economic Development, Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce Economic Development Corporation, Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance and Tampa Bay Economic Development Council. SCORE is listed as an others. Greater Houston Partnership is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Pasco Economic Development Council have an API?
No public API is recorded for Pasco Economic Development Council.
What industry is Pasco Economic Development Council in?
Pasco Economic Development Council's product category is Economic Development Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAHACAA, Association & Society Conference Management (Nonprofit, Professional Bodies). Its NAICS code is 813 and its SIC code is 8600.