UWF Haas Center

What UWF Haas Center does

The UWF Haas Center is a non-profit university-based economic research and workforce development center at the University of West Florida, established in 1994 and serving the 13-county Northwest Florida region from Pensacola. It partners with UWF students, faculty, and external experts to deliver workforce and survey research, economic impact modeling, and industrial innovation services to regional businesses, government entities, and educational institutions. The center operates through three organizational units: the Office of Workforce Development (linking students with employers through strategic workforce partnerships), the Office of Industrial Innovation (established via a 2025 NSF EPIIC Grant to connect external partners with university expertise through applied research, consulting, and R&D), and the Sea3D Additive Manufacturing Lab (providing CAD and 3D printing prototyping services to entrepreneurs and veterans).

The center's product surface spans a portfolio of regional economic data products (Tourism, Employment, Manufacturing Indicators, Northwest Florida Scorecard, Labor Force Data, Real Estate Transactions, Sales and Tax Collections, Pockets of Poverty, Household Metrics, and Population Analysis) and periodic research reports including the annual City of Pensacola Resident Satisfaction Survey (1,504 respondents in 2024), the Santa Rosa Island Authority Visitor Survey, the UWF Athletics Economic Impact Assessment, the High Demand Occupations in NWFL Report, and the triennial Community Health Needs Assessment for Escambia and Santa Rosa counties. The Sea3D Additive Manufacturing Lab constitutes the center's most visible proprietary technology asset, offering cost-efficient prototyping for both domestic and export markets.

The business model is grant- and contract-funded rather than commercial. Revenue is generated through funded research grants (notably the $400K NSF EPIIC Grant and the EDA University Center designation), contracts with regional government and nonprofit entities (City of Pensacola, Santa Rosa Island Authority, Achieve Escambia, UWF Athletics), and donations channeled through the UWF Foundation. The center is recognized by the U.S. Economic Development Administration as one of only two EDA University Centers in Florida, with mandated focus on supporting under-resourced businesses in Manufacturing, Financial Services, Professional/Scientific/Technical Services, and Transportation/Warehousing sectors.

Name

UWF Haas Center

Legal name

Haas Center at the University of West Florida

Website

https://haas.uwf.edu

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The UWF Haas Center is a university-based economic research and workforce development center at the University of West Florida, providing survey research, economic impact modeling, applied R&D, and 3D printing prototyping to regional businesses, government entities, and entrepreneurs across the 13-county Northwest Florida region.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Economic Development Research Services

NAICS

Scientific Research and Development Services (5417), Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (54171), Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services (5416)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Services-Engineering Services (8711), Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

Technical Universities with Strong Industry Partnerships (EDAHAEAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Research Universities with Engineering/Polytechnic Emphasis (EDAHAAAD), Technical Universities with Specialized Engineering Domains (EDAHAEAI), Research Administration & Compliance (Sponsored Programs, IRB/REB) (EDADAKAH)

Keywords

• Economic research services
• Workforce development
• Economic impact analysis
• Additive manufacturing prototyping
• Regional economic data

Headquarters

HQ city

Pensacola

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Funded Research and Grants: The center relies on funded research from government grants and contracts to cover the cost of custom research products and operations. Major grants include the $400K NSF EPIIC Grant and EDA University Center designation.
2. Donations: Accepts donations through the UWF Foundation account designated for the Haas Center to support community research initiatives.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The UWF Haas Center is a university-based research center at the University of West Florida that delivers workforce and survey research, economic impact modeling, and industrial innovation services to regional businesses, government entities, and educational institutions in Northwest Florida. Its offerings include applied research and consulting through the Office of Industrial Innovation, talent and employer linking through the Office of Workforce Development, and 3D printing/CAD-based prototyping services through the Sea3D Additive Manufacturing Lab, all funded primarily via government grants and contracts.

Product overview

The UWF Haas Center is a university-based research center offering economic research, workforce development, and industrial innovation services. The core offering consists of the Haas Center itself, which provides workforce and survey research, economic impact modeling, and economic data products (Tourism, Employment, Manufacturing Indicators, Northwest Florida Scorecard, Labor Force, Population). Two specialized offices extend its capabilities: the Office of Workforce Development (student-employer linking and talent development) and the Office of Industrial Innovation (applied research and R&D partnerships). The Sea3D Additive Manufacturing Lab provides 3D printing and prototyping services. The center also produces periodic research reports including UWF Athletics Economic Impact assessments, Resident Satisfaction Surveys, Santa Rosa Island Authority Visitor Surveys, High Demand Occupations reports, and Community Health Needs Assessments. Services are delivered through funded research, grants, contracts, and partnerships with regional businesses, government, and educational partners.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Haas Center Research Services
• Office of Workforce Development

Quantifiable outcome

• 70% of Pensacola residents believe the city is moving in the right direction (2024 survey)

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

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Santa Rosa Island AuthorityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner project conducting visitor surveys and analyzing tourism economic impact for Pensacola Beach.
• UWF AthleticsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEconomic impact assessment partnership estimating total impact of UWF Athletics on Escambia County, including projections for the $85M multi-use outdoor facility.
• Achieve Escambia/Achieve Healthy EscaRosaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) partnership for Escambia and Santa Rosa counties, now in its seventh iteration over 30 years.
• The Mariners' Museum and Park and NOAAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner project collaboration with the Mariners' Museum and Park and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
• NW FL ForwardminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional economic development initiative partnership supporting Northwest Florida Forward program.
• City of PensacolaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConducts annual resident satisfaction surveys for the city, with 1,504 city residents participating in the 2024 survey.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Battelle Memorial Institute: A major nonprofit applied science and technology development organization that operates multiple FFRDCs. Comparable to Haas Center in mission (translating research into economic and societal impact) and revenue model (government/contract funded R&D), but at vastly greater scale with national and global reach.
• SRI International: A leading nonprofit scientific research institute that performs contract research for government and industry. Comparable in its nonprofit research institution model, applied R&D focus, and government-grant funding orientation, though operating at much larger scale and across more technology domains.
• RTI International: A large nonprofit research institute that provides contract research and consulting services to government and commercial clients across multiple disciplines. Comparable to Haas Center's applied research, economic impact modeling, and survey research service lines, though at substantially greater scale and with a national/international footprint.
• Georgia Tech Enterprise Innovation Institute: Georgia Tech's economic development and industrial innovation arm; comparable to Haas Center in providing industry-partner applied research, prototyping, and workforce development services, but operates within a larger technical university ecosystem with broader national visibility and significantly greater scale.
• University of Florida Bureau of Economic and Business Research: A larger, well-established university-based economic research bureau within a flagship public research university in Florida. Directly comparable to Haas Center in conducting regional economic forecasting, demographic analyses, and impact studies, but operates at significantly greater scale and scope across the entire state of Florida.
• Carnegie Mellon University's Manufacturing Futures Institute: A university-based advanced manufacturing research initiative that combines applied research, prototyping, and industry partnerships. Comparable to Haas Center's Sea3D Lab and industrial innovation mission but at much greater scale, with national R&D leadership and industry consortium funding.

Others

• Manufacture Alabama: A state-level industry association that provides workforce development, policy advocacy, and economic data services to the manufacturing sector - thematically adjacent to Haas Center's Manufacturing Indicators data product and workforce development focus, though operating as a trade association rather than research center.

Regional players

• University of South Florida Muma College of Business Outreach: USF operates business research and economic development programs serving the Tampa Bay region, providing regional economic data, business surveys, and applied research services. Comparable to Haas Center's regional economic research and workforce development functions but serving a different Florida geography.

Emerging players

• Florida SBDC Network: Florida's statewide Small Business Development Center network provides consulting, market research, and innovation support to small businesses - overlapping with Haas Center's mission of supporting under-resourced businesses and entrepreneurs, but delivered through a broader decentralized network rather than a single university center.

Direct peers

• University of Central Florida Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship: Like Haas Center, UCF hosts one of the two EDA University Centers in Florida (the other designated center), making it the most direct peer in terms of federal designation, mission focus on under-resourced businesses, and applied research services. Direct competition for EDA-aligned federal funding and recognition.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/UWF
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/uwf
• Facebookfacebook.com/WestFL
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/haas-center-uwf
• Instagraminstagram.com/uwf

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about UWF Haas Center