What Regional Economic Development Partnership does

Regional Economic Development Partnership (RED) is a non-profit economic development organization operating as a division of the Ohio Valley Industrial and Business Development Corporation (OVIBDC). Founded in 1926 and incorporated in 1961, RED serves Ohio, Marshall, and Wetzel Counties in the Northern Panhandle of West Virginia, with its headquarters at 1100 Main Street, 3rd Floor, Wheeling, WV. The organization markets a 500-mile radius reach covering 67% of the U.S. population, with operational costs 10-15% below the national average, as core assets used to attract corporate investment.

RED's service portfolio spans business attraction (site selection, demographic insights, incentives guidance), business expansion (planning, market research, loan assistance), outsourcing and shared services consulting, workforce development program administration, RED Properties listings, and a Data Center & Research function providing regional economic data. A flagship product is CO.STARTERS, a 10-week entrepreneurship program launched in 2018 that has graduated over 100 entrepreneurs. The firm also administers leases and manages buildings, real estate, and land across its three-county territory.

Business model: RED provides most services at no direct cost to businesses, funded through its parent OVIBDC, state programs (WV Development Office, WVEDA, WV JIT), and grants (Truist CRA Grant, MPLX, Truist Charitable Fund, Women's Giving Circle). The CO.STARTERS program charges a flat $200 fee (reduced to $50 for Wetzel County residents via an MPLX scholarship). The firm has 1-10 employees, indicating a lean operating structure, and pursues a sales-led, enterprise field-sales GTM focused on corporate relocation and expansion decisions.

Name

Regional Economic Development Partnership

Legal name

Ohio Valley Industrial and Business Development Corporation

Website

https://redp.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1961

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Regional Economic Development Partnership (RED) is a non-profit economic development organization serving Ohio, Marshall, and Wetzel Counties in Northern West Virginia, providing site selection, business attraction, expansion support, workforce development, financing incentives, and the CO.STARTERS entrepreneurship program to relocating companies, expanding firms, and local entrepreneurs at no direct cost.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Economic Development Services

NAICS

Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139), Other Similar Organizations (except Business, Professional, Labor, and Political Organizations) (81399)

SIC

Services-Facilities Support Management Services (8744)

akta.pro primary industry

Economic Development & Business Licensing (Local) (BPAIACAN)

akta.pro secondary industries

Small Business & Entrepreneurship Community Education (EDAAAFAK), Public Workforce Development Programs (WIOA/One-Stop Career Centers) (EDAAAOAA)

Keywords

• Economic development services
• Business relocation assistance
• Site selection consulting
• Workforce development programs
• Entrepreneurship training programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Wheeling

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: RED operates as a non-profit organization dedicated to creating business opportunities in West Virginia by generating new jobs and stimulating the economy. They provide services including site selection, workforce development, financing assistance, and incentive programs at no direct cost to businesses.
2. Real Estate and Property Management: RED administers leases and manages buildings, real estate, and land in Ohio, Marshall, and Wetzel Counties, serving as a property manager for commercial and industrial properties available for businesses.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

RED is a non-profit economic development organization that recruits new business investment to Northern West Virginia and supports existing local businesses. It delivers site selection assistance, business attraction and relocation services, business expansion consulting, workforce development program access, and connections to state and local financial incentives (tax credits, SBA loans, WVEDA programs, WV JIT capital). It also administers the CO.STARTERS 10-week entrepreneurship program and lists commercial/industrial properties across Ohio, Marshall, and Wetzel Counties.

Product overview

Regional Economic Development Partnership (RED) offers a comprehensive suite of economic development services rather than a unified software product. The portfolio includes CO.STARTERS (a 10-week entrepreneurship program), Business Attraction Services (relocation support), Business Expansion Services, Outsourcing/Shared Services consulting, Incentives and Financing Programs, RED Properties listings, Data Center & Research resources, and Workforce Development Programs. These services work together to support businesses throughout their lifecycle—from startup through expansion—providing a one-stop resource for economic development in Northern West Virginia's Ohio, Marshall, and Wetzel counties.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CO.STARTERS A 10-week entrepreneurship program helping aspiring entrepreneurs bring business ideas to life through structured curriculum covering customer discovery, business modeling, financial fundamentals, and growth planning. Targeted at entrepreneurs and early-stage business owners in the Wheeling region; flat fee of $200 with scholarships available (e.g., $150 MPLX scholarship for Wetzel County participants reducing fee to $50).
• Business Attraction Services Comprehensive relocation support services designed to make business transitions to Northern West Virginia smooth and efficient. Includes site selection assistance, demographic insights, economic incentives guidance, and logistical support for companies relocating, expanding, or establishing operations in the region.
• Business Expansion Services Tailored solutions for local companies seeking to grow, including business planning and analysis, market research, business counseling, loan assistance, leadership introductions, and procurement counseling to foster growth and innovation. Targeted at existing businesses in Ohio, Marshall, and Wetzel Counties.
• Outsourcing, Shared Services, and Back Office Operations Cost-effective consulting solutions for businesses seeking to establish or expand shared services operations in Northern West Virginia, consolidating essential functions like finance, IT, HR, and customer support into a centralized model with access to a skilled workforce and affordable operational costs.
• Incentives and Financing Programs Access and facilitation for diverse local and state financial benefits including tax reductions, specialized financing programs, workforce training grants, SBA loans, West Virginia Economic Development Authority programs (direct/indirect lending and industrial revenue bonds), and the West Virginia Jobs Investment Trust venture capital fund.
• RED Properties Discovery platform for commercial and industrial properties for sale in Northern West Virginia, offering a range of property options suited for businesses of all sizes with access to key transportation routes and a skilled workforce.
• Data Center & Research Comprehensive insights on demographics, workforce, and economic trends providing in-depth local and state data to support business decisions, demographic and market trends analysis, and strategic economic insights to help businesses make informed relocation decisions.
• Workforce Development Programs Facilitation and access to workforce development programs including the Governor's Guaranteed Workforce Program, Competitive Improvement Program, Workforce Development Initiative Program, and Small Business Workforce Program, designed to enhance workforce skills and support business growth.

Quantifiable outcome

• Operational cost savings of 10-15% compared to national average
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments10 records

Ideal customer profiles2 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 minor.

• West Virginia Development OfficecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWest Virginia Development Office provides comprehensive support for businesses including site selection assistance, detailed project assessments, and strategic financial planning. They offer innovative financial incentive programs and connect businesses with state resources.
• West Virginia Economic Development Authority (WVEDA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWVEDA provides direct lending programs, indirect loan programs, and industrial revenue bonds. They can participate up to 45% in eligible fixed assets for qualifying manufacturing and technology projects.
• West Virginia Small Business Development CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides vital support to business owners by offering resources to achieve success, including business counseling, loan assistance, and procurement counseling.
• Wheeling HeritagecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in CO.STARTERS program providing continued collaboration and support of local entrepreneurship. Co-hosting CO.STARTERS sessions in Wheeling.
• Smith Outdoor Economic Development CollaborativecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in hosting webinars on growing the outdoor economy in WV. Collaborates with PCAP on 45-minute conversations for small businesses and entrepreneurs.
• Partner Community Capital (PCAP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPCAP celebrated 25 years of helping small businesses through lending and advisory services. New in 2026, unified all technical assistance programs into PCAP Business Services Program.
• Governor's Workforce Investment DivisioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdministers workforce development programs including Governor's Guaranteed Workforce Program, Competitive Improvement Program, and Workforce Development Initiative Program.
• Ohio Valley Industrial and Business Development Corporation (OVIBDC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRED is a division of OVIBDC, which was incorporated in 1961 and has been driving economic growth in Ohio County since 1926.
• WV Women Work, Inc.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides free construction training bootcamps including OSHA 10, First Aid/CPR, Forklift Certification, and hands-on trade exposure to help individuals enter the workforce.
• West Virginia Chamber of CommerceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-hosting the 2026 Women's Leadership Summit: Leading Without Limits at The Greenbrier Resort in White Sulphur Springs, WV.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Appalachian Regional Commission: Federal-state economic development partnership covering 13 states including West Virginia. Provides grants, planning, and technical assistance that complement RED's work in Northern WV and sets the broader funding context for regional EDOs like RED.
• Virginia Economic Development Partnership: State-level EDO that competes with RED for corporate relocation and expansion projects across the Appalachian region, with a much broader mandate and budget.
• JobsOhio: State-level private economic development corporation for Ohio that competes with RED for corporate site-selection projects in the Western Ohio / Ohio Valley corridor, with significantly larger staffing and incentive firepower than RED.
• Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development: State-level economic development agency that competes with RED for corporate relocation and expansion projects across the broader Appalachian and Eastern U.S. footprint, with a substantially larger budget and team.

Direct peers

• West Virginia Development Office: State-level agency partner that delivers site selection, project assessment, and financial incentive programs across West Virginia. Operates alongside RED on overlapping mandates and shared business-attraction targets.
• Greater Cleveland Partnership: Cleveland-based regional economic development and chamber organization that pursues business attraction, expansion, and workforce development across Northeast Ohio — directly comparable to RED's mandate of cross-county business attraction and expansion in the Northern Panhandle of West Virginia.
• Pittsburgh Regional Alliance: Regional economic development organization serving 11 counties around Pittsburgh. Operates the same triple-helix model (site selection, incentives navigation, workforce) that RED delivers, and directly competes with RED for shared-services and distribution investment in the tri-state region.
• Greater Wheeling Chamber of Commerce: Local chamber organization serving the Wheeling area with overlapping business-advocacy, networking, and small-business support functions, including potential overlap with RED's CO.STARTERS entrepreneurship programming.

Regional players

• Dayton Development Coalition: Regional economic development organization serving the Dayton, Ohio region. Comparable in mission (site selection, workforce, advocacy) but operates in a different Ohio geography, offering a useful comp for non-profit EDO scale and operating model.

Others

• Partner Community Capital (PCAP): Community development financial institution serving West Virginia and nearby regions with lending and small-business advisory services. RED partners with PCAP on webinars and joint programming, and PCAP is a direct peer in providing small-business technical assistance in the same geography.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/developwheeling
• Facebookfacebook.com/REDPWV
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/regional-economic-development-partnership

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 Regional Economic Development Partnership