Virginia Tech Center for Economic and Community Engagement

What Virginia Tech Center for Economic and Community Engagement does

Virginia Tech Center for Economic and Community Engagement (CECE) is a university-based applied research and outreach center operating within Virginia Tech and headquartered in Blacksburg, Virginia. CECE conducts economic impact analysis, regional strategic planning, workforce development research, and community engagement services for state agencies, regional councils, workforce boards, and educational institutions across Virginia. Its analytical core is built around Input-Output economic modeling using IMPLAN and REMI platforms, supplemented by survey research, GIS mapping, and applied demographic and labor-market analytics. CECE also serves as the support organization for GO Virginia Region 2 and operates branded programs including Vibrant Virginia and the AM2 Advanced Manufacturing Initiative.

Name

Virginia Tech Center for Economic and Community Engagement

Legal name

Virginia Tech Center for Economic and Community Engagement

Website

https://cece.vt.edu

Company type

Public

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

CECE is Virginia Tech's applied research center providing economic impact analysis, regional planning, and workforce development services to state agencies, regional councils, and educational institutions across Virginia, anchored in IMPLAN and REMI Input-Output modeling.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Blacksburg

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Grant Funding: CECE operates primarily through grant funding from state initiatives like GO Virginia, federal agencies including U.S. Economic Development Administration and Appalachian Regional Commission, and private foundations such as the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and Wellspring Foundation.
2. University Sponsorship: Funded by Virginia Tech's Outreach and International Affairs and Virginia Cooperative Extension as part of the university's public engagement mission.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

CECE is a university-based research and outreach center that provides economic impact analysis, regional strategic planning, workforce development program design, grant development assistance, feasibility studies, and community engagement facilitation to governments, workforce boards, nonprofits, educational institutions, and small businesses across Virginia. It serves as the support organization for GO Virginia Region 2 and operates the Vibrant Virginia place-based initiative, drawing on Virginia Tech faculty and graduate students to deliver data-driven insights and applied research.

Product overview

The Virginia Tech Center for Economic and Community Engagement (CECE) is a university research and engagement center, not a product company. It provides research services, economic impact analysis, strategic planning consultation, workforce development programs, and community engagement initiatives to organizations and communities across Virginia. The center's offerings are service-based programs rather than packaged software products, including economic impact studies, regional strategic planning, GO Virginia Region 2 support, Vibrant Virginia place-based initiatives, and various workforce and entrepreneurship development projects.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• GO Virginia Region 2: CECE serves as the support organization for GO Virginia Region 2, a statewide initiative to encourage Virginia's economic growth through high-wage jobs.
• Vibrant Virginia

Products and services

• GO Virginia Region 2 Support Organization Services Project management, council staff support, and technical assistance for the GO Virginia Region 2 economic development council, which covers the cities of Covington, Lynchburg, Radford, Roanoke, and Salem and the counties of Alleghany, Amherst, Appomattox, Bedford, Botetourt, Campbell, Craig, Floyd, Franklin, Giles, Montgomery, Pulaski, and Roanoke.
• Vibrant Virginia Place-Based Community Engagement Initiative Place-based community engagement initiative engaging Virginia Tech faculty and students in collaborative problem solving with Virginia communities across the state.
• AM2 Initiative (Additive Manufacturing and Advanced Materials) Multi-partner advanced manufacturing workforce and technology initiative implementing additive manufacturing and advanced materials strategies across GO Virginia Regions 2 and 3, including the development of the industry-certified AM2 credential.
• Economic Impact Analysis and Input-Output Modeling Economic impact studies measuring direct, indirect, and induced economic effects using IMPLAN and REMI Input-Output models for clients including state agencies, regional commissions, tourism organizations, agricultural organizations, and foundations.
• Regional Strategic Planning and Feasibility Studies Strategic planning consultations, feasibility studies, and market assessments for Virginia localities, economic development authorities, and community organizations.
• Workforce Development Program Design and Evaluation Workforce training program development, career pathway design, internship and work-based learning toolkit creation, and program evaluation for regional workforce development boards.
• Economic Development Administration Tech Hub Planning U.S. EDA Tech Hub planning and application support coordinated through the New River Valley Regional Commission to secure federal designation and funding for the additive manufacturing and advanced materials tech hub.
• Small Business Resilience and Disaster Recovery Support Small business continuity, disaster recovery, and entrepreneurship support programs delivered in partnership with the Greater Roanoke and New River Valley Small Business Development Center, including workshops and peer learning groups.

Quantifiable outcome

• 56 projects and 961 jobs created through GO Virginia Region 2 initiatives
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Virginia Tech Outreach and International AffairscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Parent division within Virginia Tech that houses CECE and provides institutional support, oversight, and funding alignment for the center's operations and mission.
• Virginia Cooperative ExtensioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-sponsor of Vibrant Virginia initiative and collaborator on community-based research projects including food systems and farmworker wellness programs.
• New River Valley Regional CommissioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLead organization for AM2 Initiative implementing advanced manufacturing strategies across Regions 2 and 3, with CECE providing technical support and coordination.
• Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (IALR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in AM2 Initiative providing production-scale testing facilities for additive manufacturing and advanced materials technologies in Danville.
• Onward NRVcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional economic development organization collaborating on New River Valley site advancement, business attraction, and AM2 Initiative activities.
• Roanoke Blacksburg Innovation AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInnovation ecosystem partner leading AM2 Innovation Fellows program to connect companies with commercialization support in robotics and AI.
• Virginia Tech MADE: Center for Advanced ManufacturingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVirginia Tech's advanced manufacturing center contributing expertise and resources to the AM2 Initiative workforce and technology development.
• Virginia Manufacturers AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDeveloping the first industry-certified AM2 credential in collaboration with Manufacturing Skills Institute and community colleges.
• Virginia Department of Housing and Community DevelopmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState agency administering GO Virginia funding and approving regional projects for economic development initiatives.
• Virginia Tobacco Region Revitalization CommissioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCECE provides strategic planning and consultation services for Tobacco Region initiatives across Southwest and Southern Virginia.
• Greater Roanoke & New River Valley Small Business Development CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCECE partners with SBDC on business resilience programs including the Helene Business Recovery Initiative providing workshops and peer groups for small businesses.
• GO Virginia Region 2 CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCECE serves as the support organization for GO Virginia Region 2, managing projects and providing staff support for the regional economic development council.
• Accomack County Economic Development AuthoritymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCECE faculty providing analysis and strategic guidance for the Eastern Shore Hub seafood and agriculture facility development.
• Appalachian Regional CommissionmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFunding partner for ARISE Planning Grant addressing workforce adaptation in the changing construction landscape across Appalachian Virginia.
• Blue Ridge Innovation Corridor (BRIC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition of 50+ CEOs and institutional leaders developing Vision 2050 playbook to position the BRIC region as a national hub in advanced manufacturing, life sciences, and IT.
• Virginia Space Grant ConsortiummajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCECE conducted economic impact study of small satellites research and industry in Virginia.
• Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCECE collaborates with VTTI on workforce pathways planning for electric and automated vehicle technologies through the Dock to Door Coalition.
• Virginia Association of CountiesmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCECE partners on learning assessment projects and economic development initiatives for Virginia counties.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond - Research Department: The Richmond Fed's research arm conducts regional economic analysis covering Virginia, Maryland, the Carolinas, and D.C. Overlaps with CECE's economic impact analysis and community development research but operates at a larger institutional scale and broader geographic scope.

Direct peers

• TIP Strategies: Private economic development consulting firm providing strategic planning, cluster analysis, and feasibility studies to municipalities and regions. Comparable in offering economic impact analysis and strategic planning to government clients, though privately held rather than university-anchored.
• Rural Policy Research Institute (RUPRI): University of Iowa-hosted research institute conducting policy analysis on rural economic and community development. Comparable as a university-anchored research center producing economic analysis for state and federal policy audiences.
• University of Minnesota Extension Center for Community Vitality: University of Minnesota Extension center providing community development, economic analysis, and tourism research to Minnesota communities. Comparable public university outreach structure with similar economic impact analysis capabilities.
• University of Missouri Extension - Community Development: Land-grant extension program offering community and economic development research, strategic planning, and grant support to Missouri localities. Mirrors CECE's land-grant university outreach model and grant-driven consulting approach.
• Camoin Associates: Economic development consulting firm specializing in workforce analysis, labor shed studies, and economic impact analysis for state and local agencies. Comparable in delivering economic impact studies using I/O modeling tools (IMPLAN, REMI) to government and nonprofit clients.
• Penn State Center for Economic and Community Development: Another land-grant university-based economic and community development center providing applied research, strategic planning, and workforce development to Pennsylvania communities. Directly comparable in mission, structure, and consulting model to Virginia Tech CECE.
• Iowa State University CIRAS: Iowa State University's Center for Industrial Research and Service delivers economic development, manufacturing support, and applied research to Iowa businesses and communities. Comparable as a public university center serving state-level economic development needs.
• University of Illinois Center for Urban and Regional Development: University of Illinois applied research center providing economic and community development analysis, GIS, and planning support to Illinois municipalities. Comparable in providing place-based economic research from a public university platform.

Others

• Ohio State University Extension - Community Development:

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/VirginiaTechCECE
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/vtcece
• Instagraminstagram.com/vtcece

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles23 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 Virginia Tech Center for Economic and Community Engagement