Thurston Economic Development Council
Thurston Economic Development Council is a nonprofit founded in 1982 that supports business growth in Thurston County, Washington, through the Center for Business & Innovation, delivering no-cost and low-cost training, advising, and government contracting assistance to local entrepreneurs.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1982
- HeadquartersLacey, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Thurston Economic Development Council does
Thurston Economic Development Council (Thurston EDC) is a nonprofit economic development organization founded in 1982 and headquartered at 4220 6th Avenue SE, Lacey, Washington, on the South Puget Sound Community College (SPSCC) Lacey Campus. It supports regional economic growth in Thurston County through business advising, training programs, government contracting assistance, and sector development initiatives. The organization operates the Center for Business & Innovation (CB&I), a co-located hub that houses multiple programs including the Lacey/Olympia Small Business Development Center (SBDC), Washington APEX Accelerator, Washington Center for Women in Business (WCWB), Lacey MakerSpace, and the South Thurston Economic Development Initiative (STEDI).
The portfolio spans the full small-business lifecycle. Startup-stage offerings include the Intro to Business Startup course (available in Vietnamese, Korean, Spanish, and Hindi), the Business Enterprise Startup Training (BEST) five-module online course ($399 with scholarships), Green Business Startup Training, and the Quick Startup Program (a $2,500 WMarketplace Accelerator scholarship for women-owned businesses). Growth and established-business offerings include Growth Enterprise Training (QuickBooks, Webflow, SEO), ScaleUp Business Training (funded by Washington State Department of Commerce), free one-on-one SBDC advising and WCWB coaching, APEX Accelerator government-contracting assistance, market research, GIS property/site selection via ZoomProspector, and event franchises Alliance Northwest (40th annual) and INSPIRE Women's Business Conference.
The revenue model is grant-funded with ancillary fee and event income. Primary funding flows from Washington State Department of Commerce (Entrepreneur Ecosystem, ScaleUp), the SBA (SBDC with matching grants from SPSCC and served communities), and municipal partners City of Olympia, City of Lacey, City of Tumwater, and Port of Olympia. Event revenue derives from Alliance Northwest ($150), INSPIRE ($100), and EDC Business Awards. Course and membership revenue comes from BEST ($399), Lacey MakerSpace monthly subscriptions, and the Business Resource Hotline. Most programs are free or scholarship-supported, reflecting the organization's inclusive mission and nonprofit charter.
Thurston Economic Development Council firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Thurston Economic Development Council
- Legal name
- Thurston Economic Development Council
- Website
- https://thurstonedc.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1982
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Thurston Economic Development Council is a nonprofit founded in 1982 that supports business growth in Thurston County, Washington, through the Center for Business & Innovation, delivering no-cost and low-cost training, advising, and government contracting assistance to local entrepreneurs.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Thurston Economic Development Council industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Economic Development Services
- NAICS
- Business Associations (813910), Civic and Social Organizations (813410), Professional Organizations (81392), Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Economic Development & Business Licensing (Local) (BPAIACAN)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Small Business & Entrepreneurship Community Education (EDAAAFAK)
Keywords
Where Thurston Economic Development Council is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Lacey
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
Thurston Economic Development Council business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Government Grants and Funding: Primary funding from Washington State Department of Commerce as part of the Entrepreneur Ecosystem. Also receives SBA funding with matching grants from communities served. Funding supports free and low-cost program delivery.
- Municipal Partnerships: Funding and sponsorship from local governments including City of Olympia, City of Lacey, City of Tumwater, and Port of Olympia. These partnerships support scholarship programs and specific initiatives.
- Event Revenue: Revenue from events such as Alliance Northwest ($150 registration fee), INSPIRE Women's Business Conference ($100), and other programs.
- Training Course Fees: Some programs charge fees such as Business Enterprise Startup Training (BEST) at $399 with scholarships available, and Lacey MakerSpace membership fees.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Business Enterprise Startup Training (BEST) |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | INSPIRE Women's Business Conference |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Alliance Northwest Conference |
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Intro to Business Startup |
| Freemium | Monthly | WCWB Business Coaching |
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Washington APEX Accelerator |
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | SBDC Business Advising |
| Subscription | Monthly | Lacey MakerSpace |
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | City of Olympia Business Support |
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | City of Lacey Business Startup Training |
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | City of Tumwater Business Startup Training |
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Green Business Startup Training |
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Quick Startup Program |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels7 records
Marketing channels10 records
Thurston Economic Development Council product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Thurston Economic Development Council is a nonprofit economic development organization that delivers free and low-cost business development resources through its Center for Business & Innovation (CB&I) hub. It offers startup and growth training programs, one-on-one business coaching, government contracting assistance via the Washington APEX Accelerator, women-entrepreneur support through the Washington Center for Women in Business, prototyping access at the Lacey MakerSpace, and rural economic development via STEDI. Services are funded primarily through state and federal grants, municipal partnerships, and event revenue.
Product overview
Thurston Economic Development Council operates as an economic development organization providing a comprehensive suite of business support programs and services through its Center for Business & Innovation (CB&I) hub. The organization offers training programs including Business Enterprise Startup Training (BEST), Intro to Business Startup, Green Business Startup Training, and Growth Enterprise Training (GET); government contracting assistance via Washington APEX Accelerator; women-focused resources through Washington Center for Women in Business (WCWB); advanced manufacturing access through Lacey MakerSpace; small business advising via Lacey/Olympia SBDC; rural development through STEDI; and events including Alliance Northwest conference and INSPIRE Women's Business Conference. Programs are structured across business lifecycle stages from startup to established businesses, with many offerings available at no cost or with scholarship support.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Center for Business & Innovation (CB&I)
- Business Enterprise Startup Training (BEST)
- Washington APEX Accelerator
- Washington Center for Women in Business (WCWB)
- ScaleUp Business Training
- Lacey MakerSpace
- Lacey/Olympia Small Business Development Center (SBDC)
- STEDI (South Thurston Economic Development Initiative)
- Intro to Business Startup
- Growth Enterprise Training (GET)
- Green Business Startup Training
- WCWB Business Coaching
- Quick Startup Program
- INSPIRE Women's Business Conference
- Let's Talk Business
- Market Research
- Business Resource Hotline
- Property Search and Site Selection
- Alliance Northwest Conference
Quantifiable outcome
- 40th Annual Alliance Northwest conference - largest business-to-government event in Pacific Northwest
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Thurston Economic Development Council
Customer profileNamed customers9 records
Segments8 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Thurston Economic Development Council technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Thurston Economic Development Council partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- South Puget Sound Community College (SPSCC)coreSPSCC provides matching funds for the Lacey/Olympia Small Business Development Center. Their Lacey Campus houses the Center for Business & Innovation where multiple EDC programs are co-located.
- St. Martin's UniversitycoreSt. Martin's University campus in Lacey hosts the Lacey MakerSpace in Zaverl Hall, providing makers and inventors with access to advanced design and fabrication tools.
- Port of OlympiaminorStrategic partnership with Lacey MakerSpace to fuel innovation, workforce development, and regional growth.
- TheWMarketplace / WMarketplace AcceleratorminorPartnership for Quick Startup e-commerce training program. WMarketplace Accelerator provides six dynamic instructor-led sessions; graduates gain access to WMarketplace platform.
- Washington APEX Accelerator (formerly WA State PTAC)coreCo-located program assisting businesses through government-contracting marketplace. Provides no-cost technical assistance in all aspects of selling to federal, state, and local governments.
- Washington Center for Women in Business (WCWB)coreCo-located program offering services to women entrepreneurs including free one-hour Intro to Business Startup course, Let's Talk Business webinars, INSPIRE conference, and one-on-one coaching.
- Lacey/Olympia Small Business Development CentercoreCo-located center providing no-cost business advising through a network of expert advisors. Funded by SBA with matching funds from SPSCC.
- South Thurston Economic Development Initiative (STEDI)coreSTEDI is a consortium connecting rural South Thurston communities (Bucoda, Grand Mound, Rainier, Rochester, Tenino, Yelm) with economic development resources and strategic partners.
- Innovation Partnership Zone / Agriculture Innovation ParkminorRegional agricultural development initiative including the Tenino Agriculture Innovation Park, supporting rural economic development through agriculture innovation.
- Business Impact NWminorReferral partner for microloans in the Pacific Northwest. Specializes in startup microloans for entrepreneurs who cannot access traditional financing.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Thurston Economic Development Council competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Thurston Economic Development Council social profiles
Digital presenceThurston Economic Development Council financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Thurston Economic Development Council leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles11 records
Thurston Economic Development Council subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries6 records
Thurston Economic Development Council funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Thurston Economic Development Council M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Thurston Economic Development Council
What does Thurston Economic Development Council do?
Thurston Economic Development Council is a nonprofit economic development organization that delivers free and low-cost business development resources through its Center for Business & Innovation (CB&I) hub. It offers startup and growth training programs, one-on-one business coaching, government contracting assistance via the Washington APEX Accelerator, women-entrepreneur support through the Washington Center for Women in Business, prototyping access at the Lacey MakerSpace, and rural economic development via STEDI. Services are funded primarily through state and federal grants, municipal partnerships, and event revenue.
Is Thurston Economic Development Council a public or private company?
Thurston Economic Development Council is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Thurston Economic Development Council founded?
Thurston Economic Development Council was founded in 1982. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Thurston Economic Development Council based?
Thurston Economic Development Council is headquartered in Lacey, United States, in the North America region.
How does Thurston Economic Development Council make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Government Grants and Funding is the primary driver. The others are municipal Partnerships, event Revenue and training Course Fees.
Does Thurston Economic Development Council have an API?
No public API is recorded for Thurston Economic Development Council.
What industry is Thurston Economic Development Council in?
Thurston Economic Development Council's product category is Economic Development Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAIACAN, Economic Development & Business Licensing (Local), with a secondary code of EDAAAFAK, Small Business & Entrepreneurship Community Education. Its NAICS code is 813910 and its SIC code is 8600.