Economic Innovation International

What Economic Innovation International does

Economic Innovation International, Inc. is a Boston-based, privately held development finance consulting firm founded in 1970 by Belden Hull Daniels. The firm designs and builds new classes of financial intermediaries that channel large-scale private capital toward civic and public purposes. Its core practice is the creation of "alpha and beta" financial industry models — including state and regional private-public partnerships, triple bottom line (TBL) community private equity funds, TBL venture capital funds, technology commercialization funds, small firm expansion (mezzanine) funds, resource-based public trust sovereign funds, and development finance authorities — that are then adopted and expanded by the broader market. Over approximately 50 years, the firm has created more than $150 billion of TBL funds, with flagship engagements including the Massachusetts Development Finance Authority ($15 billion), the Alaska Permanent Fund ($28 billion), the Massachusetts Capital Resource Corporation (MCRC, $100 million mezzanine fund), the Bay Area Family of Funds ($180 million leveraging $1 billion), and a network of TBL venture capital and growth funds with $4 billion+ under management.

The firm serves three primary customer segments: large institutional investors (public pensions, insurance companies, foundations, endowments) seeking risk-adjusted market-rate returns alongside measurable social impact; state and regional governments seeking to mobilize private capital for public development needs; and community stakeholders (not-for-profits, civic organizations) seeking measurable job creation, wealth building, and revitalization in low-income markets. Notable counterparties include CalPERS, CalSTRS, Ford Foundation, Bank of America, Citibank, JPMorgan, Bay Area Council, Nehemiah Corporation, and the St. Louis RCGA. Geographic reach spans 39 US states and 21 countries across North America, Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Africa, and the Caribbean.

The business model is professional services: engagement-based advisory and consulting fees negotiated per project, with services including strategic design, legal and regulatory reform, fund manager selection, and capitalization strategy. The firm markets primarily through reputation, professional referrals, and industry forums, and operates from a single Boston headquarters with a headcount band of 11–50. No public revenue is disclosed and there is no evidence of external institutional investment, M&A activity, or current fundraising. The firm maintains a partnership with Strategic Development Solutions (SDS Group of Los Angeles) on certain initiative-building engagements.

Name

Economic Innovation International

Legal name

Economic Innovation International, Inc.

Website

https://economic-innovation.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1970

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Economic Innovation International is a Boston-based private development finance consulting firm that designs and builds new classes of financial intermediaries — TBL community equity funds, venture funds, mezzanine funds, and development finance authorities — for large institutional investors, state governments, and community stakeholders across 39 US states and 21 countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Development Finance Consulting

NAICS

Miscellaneous Intermediation (52391)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282)

akta.pro primary industry

Economic Research, Statistics & Policy Advisory (BPADAMAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

SME & Entrepreneurship Development (Trade-Linked) (BPADAMAE)

Keywords

• Development finance consulting
• Triple bottom line funds
• Public-private partnerships
• Venture capital funds
• Economic development advisory

Headquarters

HQ city

Boston

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. Advisory and Consulting Services: The firm provides advisory services to governments, institutions, and organizations to design and implement new financial intermediaries, funds, and development finance structures. Services include strategic design, legal/regulatory reform, fund manager selection, and capitalization strategies.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Economic Innovation International is a development finance consulting firm that designs and builds new classes of financial intermediaries and mission-driven Triple Bottom Line (TBL) funds for governments, institutional investors, and community stakeholders. The firm creates State and Regional Public-Private Partnerships, Community Private Equity Funds, Venture Capital Funds, Technology Commercialization Funds, Small Firm Expansion (mezzanine) Funds, Resource-Based Public Trust Sovereign Funds, Development Finance Authorities, and provides regulatory and tax reform advisory services.

Product overview

Economic Innovation International is a financial services and consulting firm (not a software/technology product company) that designs and builds innovative financial intermediaries, funds, and institutions for economic development. The firm's portfolio includes State Private-Public Partnerships, Regional Private-Public Partnerships, Triple Bottom Line Community Private Equity Funds, Triple Bottom Line Venture Capital Funds, Technology Commercialization Funds, Small Firm Expansion Funds (Mezzanine Capital), Resource Based Public Trust Funds, Development Finance Authorities, and Regulatory and Tax Reform Services. Key flagship models include the Massachusetts Development Finance Authority ($15 billion), Alaska Permanent Fund ($28 billion), and Kansas Technology Enterprise Corporation. The firm has created more than $150 billion of funds across various categories including real estate, venture capital, and development finance.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• State Private-Public Partnerships Design and structuring of state-level private-public partnership institutions that mobilize large-scale private resources to accomplish measurable public purposes, working with private, public, and academic sectors to execute strategic economic development visions for state governments.
• Regional Private-Public Partnerships Design and structuring of regional public-private partnership initiatives that improve regional governance and create private capital income flows for increased self-sufficiency, having attracted more than $2.5 billion of capital to date across multiple regions.
• Triple Bottom Line Community Private Equity Funds Design and structuring of market-rate community equity funds that attract large-scale capital managed by proven fund managers into low-income neighborhoods, providing investors with market returns and community stakeholders with measurable job and wealth creation. These funds invest in smart growth, mixed-income housing, and inner-city revitalization.
• Triple Bottom Line Venture Capital Funds Design and structuring of seed and early-stage venture capital funds that use private capital markets to create public value by underwriting new economic and technological innovation in underserved markets.
• Technology Commercialization Funds Design and structuring of institutions that bring private sector, universities, and state governments into partnerships to focus resources on commercializable innovation, creating competitive products for global markets.
• Small Firm Expansion Funds (Mezzanine Capital) Design and structuring of expansion capital funds (commonly known as mezzanine capital funds) for small and medium-sized businesses, with more than $1 billion under management across the firm's portfolio of these funds.
• Resource Based Public Trust Sovereign Funds Design of public mineral and energy trust funds that convert non-renewable resources into ongoing renewable uses by locking up resources in constitutionally protected funds, with more than $50 billion developed across the firm's portfolio.
• Public Pension Fund Investment Restructuring Advisory services to restructure public pension fund asset management with fiduciary responsibility standards, modern portfolio management practices, and alternative investment vehicles including targeted venture capital and mezzanine capital.
• Development Finance Authorities and Corporations Design and structuring of state and municipal development banks that mobilize private capital from global bond markets to solve public infrastructure and development needs, undertaking large-scale neighborhood, city, and regional development.
• Regulatory and Tax Reform Services Advisory services for fundamental restructuring of commercial bank securities law and tax law affecting private and public equity capital markets, including economically targeted investment and mission-related investment frameworks.
• Massachusetts Development Finance Authority Alpha paradigm flagship fund model — a preeminent $15 billion state development finance authority undertaking more than $1 billion of new financing annually, including building new towns, redevelopment of military bases, university research centers, and mixed-income housing.
• Alaska Permanent Fund Alpha paradigm public trust fund — a $28 billion constitutionally protected mineral trust fund that invests at least 25% of Prudhoe Bay oil revenues, adopting aggressive strategies for equities, alternative assets, and overseas markets.
• Kansas Technology Enterprise Corporation (KTEC) Leading publicly-initiated technology commercialization corporation, responsible for developing investment-grade technology in Kansas universities and commercializing it in the private sector, investing from pre-competitive basic research through to seed capital.
• Massachusetts Capital Resource Corporation (MCRC) A $100 million mezzanine capital fund capitalized by the Massachusetts Life Insurance Industry in 1977, having produced a substantial low teens-to-high 20s IRR, financed more than $500 million in 275 firms, and generated over 15,000 new jobs.
• National New Markets Fund National-scale new markets fund structures designed to attract large-scale private capital into low-income and emerging markets as part of the firm's portfolio of market-rate Triple Bottom Line financial intermediaries.

Quantifiable outcome

• $150 billion of TBL Funds created in 40 years
• +3 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

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

• Bay Area CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2002CEO-led regional public policy organization that sponsors the Bay Area Family of Funds ($160 million equity to leverage $1 billion). Lead initiative builder and community stakeholder.
• Nehemiah CorporationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2002Sponsor of Nehemiah Sacramento Valley Fund and Maryland Family of Funds. Includes nation's largest down payment assistance program. Investor and sponsor of other funds across the country.
• Strategic Development Solutions (SDS Group of Los Angeles)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1999Partner firm with Economic Innovation that has built more than $2 billion of pioneer models. Lead Initiative Builder for the Bay Area Family of Funds.
• St. Louis Regional Chamber and Growth Association (RCGA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSponsor of the $55 million St. Louis Revitalization Fund and organizer of the St. Louis Plant and Life Sciences Coalition for the Vectis Life Sciences Fund.
• Massachusetts Development Finance AuthoritycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlpha paradigm fund - $15 billion preeminent state development finance authority created by Economic Innovation in 1977. Undertakes more than $1 billion of new financing each year.
• Alaska Permanent FundcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlpha paradigm public trust fund - $28 billion inviolate public trust enshrined in the State Constitution, designed by Economic Innovation in 1977. Invests at least 25% of Prudhoe Bay oil revenues.
• San Diego Capital CollaborativemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSponsor of the $60 million San Diego Smart Growth Fund and developer of gap-financing facilities for the San Diego market.
• FNMA (Fannie Mae)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner with Portland Family of Funds for the $50 million Portland Communities Fund to wholesale affordable housing development.
• Council of Development Finance AgenciessupportingOthersProfessional organization representing professionals essential to the success of development finance funds created by Economic Innovation.
• National Association of Seed and Venture Capital FundssupportingOthersProfessional organization representing professionals essential to the success of small firm expansion and venture capital funds.
• ACCRA (American Chamber of Commerce Researchers Association)supportingOthersProfessional organization representing professionals essential to the success of regional private-public partnerships.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Milken Institute: Economic development think tank and policy organization with active work on impact investing, capital mobilization for underserved markets, and inclusive economic growth — adjacent to the firm's triple bottom line mandate.
• Council of Development Finance Agencies (CDFA): National industry association representing the professionals essential to the success of development finance funds created by Economic Innovation. Direct overlap on the development finance ecosystem and policy advocacy.
• Brookings Institution - Metropolitan Policy Program: Major economic policy think tank with deep work on urban and metropolitan economic development, public-private capital mobilization, and inclusive growth strategies — adjacent policy/advisory work to Economic Innovation's mandate.
• Bain & Company - Public Sector and Social Impact Practice: Global management consulting firm with established public sector and impact investing advisory practices serving governments, foundations, and institutional investors — a scaled alternative for the firm's target customer segments.
• McKinsey Global Institute / McKinsey Public Sector Practice: Large management consulting firm with active economic development and public sector practices advising state/regional governments on capital mobilization and economic strategy — a scaled, broader-scope peer in the same advisory category.
• National Community Capital Association (now Inclusiv): Trade association for community development finance institutions (CDFIs) referenced in the firm's own papers. Represents 800+ CDFIs managing a multi-billion-dollar lending pool — directly comparable ecosystem participant.

Direct peers

• Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC): One of the largest US CDFIs deploying private capital into low-income communities for jobs, housing, and economic development — directly comparable mission and capital-mobilization model to Economic Innovation's TBL community equity funds.
• Enterprise Community Partners: Major national CDFI focused on affordable housing and community development financing — operates fund vehicles and deploys institutional capital into inner-city and low-income neighborhoods, paralleling the firm's triple bottom line PE strategy.
• Strategic Development Solutions (SDS Group): SDS Group of Los Angeles is the firm's most direct peer and partner — an 'Initiative Building' consulting firm that 'has built more than $2 billion of pioneer models.' Operates in the same niche of designing development finance and triple bottom line fund structures alongside Economic Innovation International.

Others

• National Association of Seed and Venture Capital Funds (NASVF): Industry association referenced by Economic Innovation as supporting the venture capital fund industry the firm helped create. Represents the professional ecosystem in which Economic Innovation's TBL VC funds operate.

Market position

Strengths3 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/economic-innovation-international-inc.

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Economic Innovation International