One Okaloosa EDC

What One Okaloosa EDC does

One Okaloosa Economic Development Council (One Okaloosa EDC) is a non-profit, public-private economic development organization headquartered at 1170 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Fort Walton Beach, Florida, that serves as Okaloosa County's lead agency for business attraction, retention, and expansion. Founded in conjunction with the Technology Coast Manufacturing and Engineering Network (TeCMEN) in 1989, the organization operates four core programs: Startup Okaloosa (entrepreneur resources), TeCMEN (manufacturing and engineering collaboration network), Defense Support Initiatives (DSI, established 1996, military installation advocacy), and the Tri-County Community Partnership Initiative (TCPI, established 2013, P4 partnership facilitator for Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, and Walton Counties). The organization does not sell a product in the traditional sense; its "platform" is the regional economic development ecosystem anchored around Eglin Air Force Base — the largest Air Force installation in the world — and a network of defense and manufacturing tenants.

One Okaloosa EDC's service model is to match businesses (entrepreneurs, relocating companies, expanding employers, and defense/manufacturing firms) with workers, sites, incentives, and infrastructure. Direct enterprise services include site selection, facility search assistance, incentive navigation, and workforce development coordination. Self-service resources are delivered through a website portal and the Startup Okaloosa hub. The organization is funded through an investor/membership program comprising local businesses, contractors, educational institutions, and government entities (examples include SA-Tech Services, CPC Office Technologies, Torch Technologies, Okaloosa School District, and Synovus), supplemented by public-private partnership arrangements. Services to businesses are provided at no direct cost.

The customer base is concentrated in defense/aerospace and advanced manufacturing, with named engagements including Boeing, BAE Systems, Lockheed Martin, Williams International (a 1,000,000 sq ft gas turbine engine manufacturing plant at Shoal River Industrial Park), and Sims-Lohman (a 65,000 sq ft facility acquisition in Crestview). In May 2026, One Okaloosa EDC received the Florida Economic Development Council's "Deal of the Year" award for the Williams International project, providing third-party validation of deal-making capability. Headcount is small (1-10 employees), consistent with a lean public-private partnership model where most workforce development and infrastructure delivery is executed via partner agencies and member organizations.

Name

One Okaloosa EDC

Legal name

One Okaloosa Economic Development Council

Website

https://florida-edc.org/

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

One Okaloosa EDC is a non-profit, public-private economic development organization that matches workers, sites, incentives, and infrastructure with businesses starting, relocating, or expanding in Okaloosa County, Florida, anchored around Eglin Air Force Base and a defense and advanced manufacturing ecosystem.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Economic Development Services

NAICS

Business Associations (813910), Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Economic Development & Business Licensing (Local) (BPAIACAN)

Keywords

• Economic development services
• Business site selection
• Workforce development
• Military installation support
• Business relocation assistance

Headquarters

HQ city

Fort Walton Beach

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. Investor/Membership Program: The organization operates with investor support from local businesses and organizations listed on their website. These investors (SA-Tech Services, CPC Office Technologies, Torch Technologies, and others) provide funding to support economic development initiatives in Okaloosa County.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

One Okaloosa EDC serves as the community's lead economic development organization for Okaloosa County, Florida, delivering free services that match workers, sites, incentives, and infrastructure with businesses seeking to start, relocate, or expand in the region. Its core offerings are delivered through four programs: Startup Okaloosa (entrepreneur resources), TeCMEN (manufacturing/engineering collaboration network), Defense Support Initiatives/DSI (military advocacy), and the Tri-County Community Partnership Initiative/TCPI (P4 public-private partnership facilitation for military installations).

Product overview

One Okaloosa EDC is an economic development organization rather than a software product company. It offers a portfolio of economic development programs and initiatives including Startup Okaloosa (entrepreneur resources), TeCMEN (manufacturing and engineering network founded 1989), Defense Support Initiatives (military advocacy established 1996), and the Tri-County Community Partnership Initiative (P4 partnership facilitator established 2013). These programs work together to foster economic diversification by matching workers, sites, incentives, and infrastructure with businesses in Okaloosa County.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• TeCMEN: Technology Coast Manufacturing and Engineering Network - provides opportunities for innovative collaboration and advanced technical expertise locally, regionally, and in the global marketplace
• Startup Okaloosa
• DSI
• TCPI

Quantifiable outcome

• Awarded 2026 'Deal of the Year' by Florida Economic Development Council for Williams International project

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• Williams InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Williams International is building a 1,000,000 square-foot gas turbine engine manufacturing plant at the Shoal River Industrial Park near Crestview. This project earned One Okaloosa EDC the 2026 'Deal of the Year' award from the Florida Economic Development Council. The project represents a major economic development win for the region.
• Sims-LohmancoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Sims-Lohman, the nation's largest provider of kitchen cabinets, granite, and quartz countertops to building professionals, acquired a 65,000 square foot facility in Crestview, Florida. One Okaloosa EDC assisted with the initial facility search, leading to successful property acquisition.
• TeCMEN (Technology Coast Manufacturing and Engineering Network)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounded in 1989, TeCMEN provides opportunities for innovative collaboration and advanced technical expertise locally, regionally, and in the competitive global marketplace. One Okaloosa EDC supports this initiative as a core economic development program.
• Tri-County Community Partnership Initiative (TCPI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEstablished by One Okaloosa EDC in 2013 as a public-public, public-private (P4) partnership facilitator to support local military installations. The framework enables military installation, civic, and business leaders to collaborate on shared services and cost reduction across Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, and Walton Counties.
• DSI (Defense Support Initiatives)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEstablished in 1996 as an ongoing military issues advocacy group to support and promote local military installations, missions, and their positive economic contributions to the tri-county area of Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, and Walton Counties.
• BoeingflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor defense contractor located in Okaloosa County near Eglin Air Force Base, benefiting from proximity to the installation and the regional defense ecosystem.
• BAE SystemsflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor defense contractor located in Okaloosa County near Eglin Air Force Base, contributing to the regional defense and technology ecosystem.
• Lockheed MartinflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor defense contractor located in Okaloosa County near Eglin Air Force Base, part of the established defense contractor community in the region.
• Startup OkaloosacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerA resource portal for entrepreneurs ready to start their business in Okaloosa County, providing collected resources needed to start strong and scale up fast.
• Eglin Air Force BaseflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorld's largest Air Force installation hosting headquarters of Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC), 96th Test Wing, and 33rd Fighter Wing (F-35 graduate flying and maintenance training wing). Primary economic engine for Okaloosa County and key partner in regional economic development.

Scale indicators6 records

Direct peers

• Florida's Great Northwest: Regional economic development organization covering the Florida Panhandle, including Okaloosa County. Directly comparable as a multi-county EDO focused on defense, manufacturing, and workforce development in Northwest Florida.
• Tampa Bay Economic Development Council: Regional EDO serving the Tampa Bay area with similar business attraction, retention, and workforce programs. Comparable in structure (public-private partnership, investor-funded) and in focus on defense/aviation (MacDill AFB, defense contractors).
• JAXUSA Partnership: Jacksonville-area private economic development arm driving business attraction and expansion in Northeast Florida. Comparable as a privately funded EDO pursuing defense, logistics, and manufacturing wins for a single metro region.
• Orlando Economic Partnership: Public-private EDO for the Orlando region. Comparable structure and mission of business attraction, workforce alignment, and pro-business advocacy; differs in targeting tourism, simulation, and aerospace clusters rather than defense primes.
• Greater Phoenix Economic Council: Privately funded regional EDO comparable in structure and operating model (membership/investor funded, enterprise-targeted business attraction). Useful external benchmark for peer EDOs in markets with significant defense/aerospace presence.

Broad incumbents

• Enterprise Florida: State-level public-private economic development organization for Florida. Operates as a broader incumbent partner and potential funding conduit for county-level EDOs like One Okaloosa EDC.
• JobsOhio: State-level private economic development corporation for Ohio. Comparable as a privately funded state-level EDO with business attraction, workforce, and capital programs — an aspirational structural benchmark for One Okaloosa EDC's enterprise-targeting model.

Emerging players

• Space Florida: Florida's aerospace economic development agency. Comparable mission of attracting and expanding aerospace/aviation industry with strong overlap in defense and manufacturing — a potential co-investor and program partner for Okaloosa's TeCMEN initiatives.

Regional players

• Greater Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce: Local chamber of commerce co-located in Fort Walton Beach with overlapping investor base and business-support mandate. Adjacent rather than competing; both organizations refer members to each other for site selection and advocacy.
• Emerald Coast Regional Council: Regional planning council serving the same Florida Panhandle counties. Complementary rather than competing — handles regional planning, transportation, and grant programs that One Okaloosa EDC's clients also depend on.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/OneOkaloosa
• Facebookfacebook.com/OneOkaloosa

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries4 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 One Okaloosa EDC