Ames Regional Economic Alliance

Name

Ames Regional Economic Alliance

Legal name

Ames Regional Economic Alliance

Website

https://amesalliance.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1939

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Economic Development Services

NAICS

Business Associations (813910), Professional Organizations (81392)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Workforce Development Programs (WIOA/One-Stop Career Centers) (EDAAAOAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Accelerators & Incubators (Investor-Operated) (FSANAAAM)

Keywords

• Regional economic development
• Chamber of commerce
• Workforce development
• Seed capital investing
• Business advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

Ames

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. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees from 750+ member companies ranging from entrepreneurs and small businesses to large corporations and organizations. Provides networking, visibility, leadership opportunities, and access to Alliance programs.
2. Event Revenue: Revenue from 200+ annual events including networking events, professional development workshops, speaker programs, policy forums, and annual membership events.
3. Business Development Services: Services including business retention and expansion visits, site location assistance, financial incentive packaging, and workforce development program coordination.
4. Ames Seed Capital Management: Equity-based investment fund (currently Fund VII) with $4.235M investment commitment from 101 investors. Returns flow to fund members; organization provides operational support.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Ames Regional Economic Alliance (AREA) is a nonprofit regional economic development organization serving Boone, Greene, Hamilton, and Story counties in Central Iowa. It delivers its offering through 750+ member companies, 200+ annual events, business development services (site location, incentive packaging, retention/expansion visits), workforce solutions (internships, retraining, K-12 programs, talent attraction), and operates the Ames Seed Capital early-stage venture fund investing $50,000-$400,000 in Central Iowa startups.

Product overview

The Ames Regional Economic Alliance (AREA) is an economic development organization offering a portfolio of programs and services rather than a unified technology product. The organization's main offerings include: Traction Magazine (quarterly publication) and AREA Podcast (media content) for communications; Ames Seed Capital (equity investment fund) for startup funding; workforce attraction and development programs including Live Work Play in Ames, AREA Interns, and the Retraining Program; K-12 youth programs including Rising Leaders Academy, Central Iowa Middle School Expo, CropQuest Challenge, Pitch Tank, and National Civics Bee; the Ambassador Program for member engagement; Business Advocacy for policy engagement; Leadership Ames for professional development; and 1 Million Cups Ames for entrepreneurship support. These programs work together to drive economic growth, workforce development, and community vitality across Boone, Greene, Hamilton, and Story counties in Central Iowa.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Traction Magazine: Quarterly publication from the Ames Regional Economic Alliance telling stories about the organization and the Ames region
• Live Work Play in Ames
• AREA Interns
• Rising Leaders Academy
• AREA Podcast
• AREA YP
• Ames Seed Capital
• Central Iowa Middle School Expo
• Crop Quest Challenge
• Pitch Tank
• National Civics Bee
• Teaching for the Workforce

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered core, key and supporting.

• Iowa State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary strategic partner providing technology transfer, talent pipeline, and research collaboration. Iowa State University is a student-centric leading research university with 30,000+ students and 6,000+ faculty/staff, central to the region's innovation ecosystem.
• Iowa State University Research ParkcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner500+ acre technology community and incubator with 100+ tenant companies and 800,000+ sq ft of building space. Home to world headquarters of two publicly traded companies and major R&D facilities.
• Boone County Economic Growth CorporationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffiliate economic development organization serving Boone County's nearly 26,000 residents with workforce population of 684,890. Supports large and small business development.
• Greene County Development CorporationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffiliate organization encouraging proactive business environment and diversified growth in Greene County with strong foundation in agriculture, manufacturing, and small business.
• Hamilton County Growth PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership formed in May 2024 between Hamilton County, City of Webster City, and the Alliance to organize and promote economic growth throughout the county.
• Nevada Economic Development CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffiliate organization working with businesses in Nevada, Iowa with population of nearly 7,000 and Regional Workforce Population of 684,890.
• Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC)keyStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorkforce solutions partner hosting Retraining Program classes at Ames and Boone campuses. Serves Story and Boone County residents for free job retraining.
• America's SBDC IowakeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerIowa State University SBDC center in Ames serves four counties providing business assistance in planning, management, capital, marketing, and international trade.
• Center for Industrial Research and Service (CIRAS)keyStrategic or Co-development PartnerIowa State University affiliate helping businesses and communities prosper through tailored solutions. Over 5 years helped 4,600+ businesses with $3.1B economic impact.
• ISU Pappajohn Center for EntrepreneurshipkeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupports entrepreneurship across Iowa since 1996 including ISU students, faculty, alumni, and Iowa innovators through CYstarters, pitch competitions, and ISU Startup Factory incubator.
• Alliant EnergysupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerWorkforce sponsor supporting Live Work Play in Ames programs and workforce pipeline initiatives.
• American Packaging CorporationsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerWorkforce sponsor supporting workforce solutions and talent attraction programs.
• BarillasupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerWorkforce sponsor supporting Live Work Play in Ames workforce initiatives.
• DanfosssupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerWorkforce sponsor and host of Everbrook Academy childcare facility on its Ames campus.
• McFarland ClinicsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerWorkforce sponsor supporting workforce solutions and talent attraction programs.
• Ames Main StreetcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAffiliate organization serving Downtown Ames as a hub for art, culture, retail, and entertainment. Operates the Downtown Ames guiding vision plan.
• AREA Young ProfessionalscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAffiliate organization founded in 2002 providing forum for networking, professional development, and community partnerships for young professionals.
• The Ames FoundationcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAffiliate organization serving as catalyst for projects enhancing quality of life for 30+ years, including Ames Miracle League Park and Dog Park.
• Ames Economic Development CommissioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffiliate organization providing site location assistance, financial incentive packaging, and workforce demonstration for Ames and Story County businesses.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Greater Des Moines Partnership: Regional economic development and chamber organization serving the Des Moines metro and surrounding counties. Comparable as a membership-based, multi-county economic alliance pursuing business attraction, workforce development, and policy advocacy in central Iowa.
• Greater Omaha Chamber: Regional chamber and economic development organization serving the Omaha metro area. Comparable structure combining chamber activities with economic development, talent attraction, and policy engagement.
• Quad Cities Chamber: Regional chamber of commerce serving the Quad Cities area across Iowa and Illinois. Comparable regional alliance with membership, business attraction, workforce programs, and policy advocacy functions.
• Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance: Regional chamber and economic development organization serving the Cedar Rapids metro in Iowa. Comparable multi-county operating model, membership structure, and focus on business growth, workforce, and community development.

Others

• U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation: National foundation affiliated with the U.S. Chamber that partners with local chambers on programs such as the National Civics Bee that AREA runs. Comparable as a chamber ecosystem partner rather than direct competitor.
• Iowa State University Research Park: University-affiliated research park and incubator where AREA is a strategic partner. Comparable as an ecosystem enabler supporting tenant companies, but functions as an asset rather than a competing economic development body.
• Mid-America Chamber Executives (MACE): Regional professional association for chamber executives across the Midwest. Comparable as the body that recognized AREA's leadership with the Executive of the Year award; serves as a peer network rather than a direct competitor.

Regional players

• Greater Fargo Moorhead Economic Development Corporation: Regional economic development corporation serving the Fargo-Moorhead metro. Comparable multi-county economic development model focused on business attraction, retention, and workforce development in a Midwestern university-anchored metro.
• Iowa Association of Business and Industry: Statewide Iowa business association. Comparable as an Iowa-based business membership organization providing advocacy and member services, but operating at the state level rather than a specific region.
• Brookings Economic Development Corporation: Regional economic development organization serving Brookings, South Dakota. Comparable small-city economic development entity anchored by a regional university ecosystem with workforce and business attraction programs.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/AmesAlliance
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@AmesRegionalEconomicAlliance
• Facebookfacebook.com/AmesRegionalEconomicAlliance
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ames-regional-economic-alliance
• Instagraminstagram.com/amesalliance

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Subsidiaries11 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 Ames Regional Economic Alliance