REX Development

What REX Development does

REX Development (legal name: South Central CT Regional Economic Development Corporation) is a non-profit regional economic development organization founded in 1996 and headquartered in New Haven, Connecticut. It is the federally designated Economic Development District (EDD) for South Central Connecticut, serving 15 municipalities — Bethany, Branford, East Haven, Guilford, Hamden, Madison, Meriden, Milford, New Haven, North Branford, North Haven, Orange, Wallingford, West Haven, and Woodbridge — and maintaining the region's Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS). The organization operates with a lean team of approximately 7 employees including an Executive Director, consultants, and administrative staff, and delivers no proprietary technology products.

The organization's service portfolio spans business assistance, workforce development (via four American Job Center locations), small business training, hospitality training, brownfields remediation financing (EPA Revolving Loan Fund and Petroleum Site Assessment Fund), the monthly Regional Economic Development Forum (REDFO), the CEDAS Best Practices Certification program, and the NHE3 small business grant program (up to $10,000 per recipient). It coordinates activity across six key sectors: healthcare, higher education, life sciences, manufacturing, arts/culture/tourism, and technology (including a quantum technology cluster through the QuantumCT partnership with Yale and UConn).

REX Development's business model is grant-funded rather than revenue-generating. Primary funding comes from U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) grants, supplemented by corporate sponsorships (notably Avangrid/United Illuminating/Southern Connecticut Gas) and in-kind partnerships with the Greater New Haven Chamber of Commerce, Workforce Alliance, Yale Ventures, Connecticut DECD, Connecticut Innovations, and industry associations such as BioCT and ManufactureCT. Services are provided free of charge to entrepreneurs, small businesses, and municipalities. Go-to-market is direct-engagement driven: monthly REDFO convenings, American Job Center physical presence, small business training videos, and downloadable CEDS planning documents, with no traditional distribution or pricing model.

Name

REX Development

Legal name

South Central CT Regional Economic Development Corporation

Website

https://rexdevelopment.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

REX Development is a federally designated non-profit Economic Development District serving 15 towns in South Central Connecticut, providing business assistance, workforce development, small business training, brownfields financing, and regional economic planning coordination.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Regional Economic Development Services

NAICS

Administration of Economic Programs (9261), Administration of Urban Planning and Community and Rural Development (92512), Administration of Education Programs (92311)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Donor Coordination, Monitoring & Evaluation (MEL) Programs (BPADABAN)

akta.pro secondary industry

Incumbent Worker Training & Upskilling (EDAAAOAE)

Keywords

• Regional economic development
• Business assistance services
• Workforce development
• Small business training
• Municipal economic planning

Headquarters

HQ city

New Haven, Connecticut

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Federal EDA Grant Funding: Primary funding from U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) grants supporting economic development initiatives, small business training programs, and regional planning activities.
2. Corporate Contributions: Avangrid (UI and Southern Connecticut Gas) demonstrated commitment to regional economic development through contributions to REX Development as a proud sponsor.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

REX Development is the federally designated Economic Development District (EDD) for South Central Connecticut, providing free economic development services to 15 municipalities, entrepreneurs, and businesses. Its portfolio includes business assistance, workforce development delivered through American Job Centers, small business and hospitality training, brownfields remediation financing via an EPA Revolving Loan Fund, sector-specific support for healthcare, life science, manufacturing, technology, higher education, and arts/culture/tourism, and maintenance of the federally overseen Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS).

Product overview

REX Development (South Central CT Regional Economic Development Corporation) is an economic development organization, not a technology product company. The organization provides a portfolio of economic development services, programs, and resources including business assistance, workforce development, small business training, brownfields remediation funding, and regional planning support. Key programs include Small Business Training sessions covering digital presence management (Google My Business, Apple Places, CVent), Hospitality Training, the Regional Economic Development Forum (REDFO), CEDAS Best Practices Certification, NHE3 small business grants (up to $10,000), and brownfields EPA Revolving Loan Fund programs. The organization also supports key industry sectors including life science, technology, healthcare, higher education, manufacturing, and entrepreneurship through sector-specific resources and partnerships.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Business Assistance
• Small Business Training
• Hospitality Training
• Workforce Development / American Job Centers
• Brownfields Program
• Regional Economic Development Forum (REDFO)
• CEDAS Best Practices Program
• NHE3 Small Business Grant Program
• CEDS Planning Documents

Quantifiable outcome

• 6,600+ new business registrations in Greater New Haven (2024)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles7 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and moderate.

• Workforce AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorkforce Alliance serves as South Central Connecticut's American Job Center, providing workforce services including job seeker orientation, healthcare career training, manufacturing skills programs, and business recruitment services in collaboration with REX Development.
• New Haven WorksmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProgram connecting New Haven residents to good jobs while providing employers with trained and qualified workforce, building middle class in urban center and improving economic stability.
• Yale VenturesmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerYale University's innovation arm driving advancements in science, medicine, and technology through faculty-led spinouts. Supports Greater New Haven's innovation ecosystem including Yale Innovation Summit and various startup programs.
• QuantumCTmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership between Yale University and University of Connecticut elevating Connecticut's importance in quantum technology. United businesses, academia, and innovation community to drive economic development and position Connecticut as national leader in quantum technology.
• South Central Regional Council of Governments (SCRCOG)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional planning body preparing Metropolitan Transportation Plan, Transportation Improvement Program, and Unified Planning Work Program. SCRCOG collaborates on transportation planning that facilitates movement of people and goods in the region.
• Greater New Haven Chamber of CommercemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUtilizing US EDA funding, the Chamber created videos focusing on launching brands, ConnCORP programs, contracting, and understanding entrepreneur DNA. Provides office space and chamber office services.
• reSET Social Enterprise TrustmoderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerSocial enterprise support organization that acquired Collab, Inc. to create unified approach to supporting entrepreneurs across Connecticut, connecting key entrepreneurial hubs of Hartford and New Haven.
• Collab (formerly Collab, Inc.)moderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization empowering individuals and families through entrepreneurship, prioritizing people of color and women. Provides programming combining business education with leadership development, mentorship networks, and community advocacy.
• BioCTmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConnecticut's bioscience industry association representing biotech companies and promoting the state's life science ecosystem.
• ManufactureCTmoderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerConnecticut manufacturing industry association supporting workforce development and manufacturing sector growth in the region.
• CT State Community College GatewaymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity college serving Greater New Haven, part of Connecticut State Colleges and Universities system, contributing to workforce development and talent pipeline.
• Hartford HealthCaremajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor healthcare system expanding regional presence across 12 of 15 towns. Established joint venture with Yale New Haven Health for proton therapy services at Connecticut Proton Therapy Center in Wallingford.
• Sustainable CTmoderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerVoluntary certification program recognizing thriving and resilient Connecticut municipalities through best practices in economic development and land use.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• AdvanceCT: Connecticut-focused economic development data and research organization that publishes town profiles and analytics referenced on REX's website. Comparable as a Connecticut economic development ecosystem player providing data infrastructure; complementary rather than directly competitive.
• National Association of Development Organizations (NADO): National trade association representing regional development organizations including EDDs like REX. REX participates in NADO's Annual Training Conference; comparable as the apex peer-network body whose members include direct analogs of REX in every U.S. region.
• BioCT: Connecticut's bioscience industry association representing biotech and life science companies in the region. Comparable as a sector-specific REX partner serving overlapping life science stakeholders; complementary not competitive, both feed the Greater New Haven bioscience cluster.
• International Economic Development Council (IEDC): Global nonprofit membership organization for economic developers, providing training, certification, and policy advocacy. Comparable as the professional peer-network body for economic development practitioners working in organizations like REX.

Regional players

• Buffalo Niagara Partnership: Buffalo, NY regional chamber and economic development organization serving the Buffalo-Niagara region. Comparable to REX in being a multi-municipal, nonprofit regional EDO with workforce development and small business support mandates.
• MassEcon: Massachusetts-based nonprofit regional economic development organization that markets the state to employers and supports site selection, workforce, and growth initiatives. Comparable to REX in being a sub-state, nonprofit EDO focused on convening stakeholders and providing economic development services across multiple municipalities.
• Greater Rochester Enterprise: Rochester, NY-area nonprofit economic development organization that leads regional business attraction and retention efforts. Comparable to REX in being a regional nonprofit EDO with a small core team coordinating multi-municipal economic development strategy and serving as a single point of contact for companies exploring the region.
• Pittsburgh Regional Alliance: Pittsburgh-region economic development arm of the Allegheny Conference, focused on regional business growth and site selection. Comparable to REX as a regional EDO coordinating multi-county economic development across an established post-industrial region.
• Greater Cleveland Partnership: Cleveland, OH regional chamber and economic development organization serving multiple municipalities in Northeast Ohio. Comparable to REX in serving as a multi-jurisdictional economic development convener with focus on industry cluster development and small business support.

Broad incumbents

• Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD): State-level agency administering Connecticut economic development programs including the $100M Innovation Cluster Program that funds bioscience growth in REX's region. Comparable as a senior-tier economic development administrator; broader in scope than REX but operationally intertwined via joint funding and planning.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rex-development

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 REX Development