Pasco Economic Development Council

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.

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

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

• Economic development services
• Business incubation programs
• Workforce development services
• Microloan funding programs
• Site selection assistance

Headquarters

HQ city

Lutz

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. 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

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels8 records

Core 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

Named customers21 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• CareerSource Pasco HernandocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorkforce development partner providing employment services, training grants, and internship programs. Listed as a major investor and strategic partner in workforce connectivity initiatives.
• SMARTstartcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBusiness 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.
• WorkforceCONNECTcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorkforce development initiative providing labor market data, training solutions, internship programs, and career resources for Pasco County businesses.
• Pasco-Hernando State CollegemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational institution partner and major investor providing workforce training and education programs.
• Saint Leo UniversitymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational institution partner and major investor supporting workforce development initiatives.
• SCORE Pasco HernandocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSCORE mentors facilitate entrepreneur roundtables at SMARTstart centers, providing free mentorship and guidance to small business owners.
• Pasco Ready Sites ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership 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 193majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational trade program providing foreign trade zone benefits for businesses engaged in international trade and exporting.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional 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

• Xx.com/pascoedc
• YouTubeyoutube.com/pascoedc
• Facebookfacebook.com/pascoedc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/2213276

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 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 Pasco Economic Development Council