What Arvada Economic Development Association does

Arvada Economic Development Association (AEDA) is a private nonprofit economic development organization headquartered at 5603 Yukon Street, Unit A, Arvada, Colorado. It serves as the recognized economic development body for the City of Arvada, holding International Economic Development Council (IEDC) re-accreditation as of 2024 and operating in alignment with Arvada City Council strategic growth priorities. AEDA's primary stakeholders are local small and medium-sized businesses, entrepreneurs, and companies considering relocation or expansion within Arvada; its secondary stakeholder is the City of Arvada as the principal funding source. Services are provided free of charge as a public good.

AEDA's product stack comprises three core offerings and five support services. Core offerings include an online searchable Business Directory organized by industry categories (dining, professional services, health & wellness, entertainment, industry, shopping), a Business Toolkit that connects businesses to a curated support network, and SizeUpArvada — a free business analytics tool offered in partnership with the Arvada Chamber of Commerce that provides demographic, financial, business, and consumer research for SMBs at various stages. Support services include Commercial Property Search, Financial Assistance Programs (leveraging Colorado Enterprise Fund loan pools), Economic Development Surveys, Maps and Data Resources, and Business Health Assessment tools. AEDA's distribution operates through direct business consultations (19+ business meetings per month on average via its Retention Committee), self-serve online channels, and a network of 30 strategic partners.

The revenue model is publicly funded: AEDA is sustained by appropriations and partnerships from the City of Arvada and public-private partners, with no transactional fees charged to beneficiaries. In 2024, AEDA supported 81 commercial development projects, maintained 30 strategic partnerships, and facilitated business retention and expansion outcomes across hospitality, food & beverage, manufacturing, and entertainment verticals. Governance is provided by a Board of Directors, with Paul Duncan (Pie Engineering) serving as 2024 Board President.

Name

Arvada Economic Development Association

Legal name

Arvada Economic Development Association

Website

https://arvadaeconomicdevelopment.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Arvada Economic Development Association (AEDA) is a Colorado nonprofit economic development organization that provides free business resources, market analytics (SizeUpArvada), and retention support to SMBs, startups, and expanding businesses in Arvada. It is publicly funded by the City of Arvada.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

NAICS

Administration of General Economic Programs (926110), Administration of Housing Programs, Urban Planning, and Community Development (925)

SIC

Services-Management Services (8741), Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

Economic Growth, Trade & Private Sector Development Programs (BPADABAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Local Entity Setup & Expansion Advisory (Market Entry, Subsidiary Formation) (BPACAHAM)

Keywords

• Economic development services
• Business retention support
• Small business resources
• Commercial property search
• Site selection assistance

Headquarters

HQ city

Arvada

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Revenue model

1. Public/Government Funding: As a nonprofit economic development organization, AEDA is primarily funded through public sources including the City of Arvada and public-private partnerships to support business development activities in the community.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

AEDA is a private nonprofit economic development organization that delivers free business resources, market intelligence, and growth support services to existing, expanding, and startup businesses in Arvada, Colorado. Its core offerings include an online Business Directory, a Business Toolkit, the SizeUpArvada business analytics tool, commercial property search, financial assistance program navigation, economic development surveys, mapping and demographic data resources, and a business health assessment.

Product overview

The Arvada Economic Development Association (AEDA) offers a suite of economic development services for the Arvada, Colorado business community. The core offerings include a Business Directory providing searchable listings of local businesses across six industry categories; a Business Toolkit connecting businesses to a network of support organizations; and SizeUpArvada, a free business analytics tool developed in partnership with the Arvada Chamber of Commerce. Additional services include Commercial Property Search, Financial Assistance Programs leveraging partnerships with lenders like Colorado Enterprise Fund, Economic Development Surveys, Maps and Data Resources providing demographic and market research, and Business Health Assessment tools. These services work together to support business retention, expansion, and recruitment for startups, existing businesses, and companies looking to relocate to Arvada.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• 81 commercial development projects facilitated in 2024
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments3 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• International Economic Development Council (IEDC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024AEDA received re-accreditation as a recognized Economic Development Organization by IEDC, demonstrating adherence to international standards for professional practice in economic development.
• Arvada Chamber of CommercecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Partnership with the Greater Arvada Chamber to offer SizeUpArvada, a sophisticated business analytics tool designed to support small and medium-sized businesses with demographic, financial, and market research data.
• City of ArvadacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAEDA works in collaboration with the City of Arvada on 81 development projects annually, aligned with City Council's strategic growth priorities for new business development.
• Jefferson County Economic Development Corporation (Jeffco EDC)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAEDA was recognized as a finalist for Community Partner of the Year at the Jeffco EDC Gateway Awards Ceremony, acknowledging contributions to economic development in Jefferson County.
• 30 Strategic PartnersmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAEDA maintains relationships with 30 strategic partners as part of enhancing the Arvada community as a desired place to work and live, including local organizations and government agencies.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Broomfield Economic Development: City-and-county hybrid EDO serving Broomfield, CO with similar business attraction, retention, and workforce development services. Comparable municipal economic development function in the Denver metro area.
• Jefferson County Economic Development Corporation (Jeffco EDC): County-level economic development organization that already partners with AEDA and runs Gateway Awards. Directly comparable as a neighboring EDO serving Jefferson County businesses with retention, attraction, and capital investment programs.
• Greater Arvada Chamber of Commerce: Local Chamber of Commerce for Arvada that co-powers SizeUpArvada and serves overlapping SMB and member-base. Most directly comparable partner peer given joint service delivery and shared customer segments.
• Aurora Economic Development Council: Municipal EDO serving Aurora, CO with similar business retention, expansion, and workforce development programs. Operates in the same Denver metro market with comparable SMB-focused services and city-government alignment.
• Westminster Economic Development Department: City-level economic development function for Westminster, CO directly bordering Arvada. Comparable in scale, mission, and SMB retention focus within the Denver metro north-suburban corridor.
• Lakewood Economic Development Division: Municipal economic development division of Lakewood, CO providing business assistance and retention services. Comparable in operating model, municipal alignment, and SMB outreach within the Jefferson County / Denver metro area.

Others

• Colorado Enterprise Fund: Community development financial institution (CDFI) providing small business loans in Colorado. AEDA partners with CEF to deliver financial assistance programs; CEF is a complementary financial capital provider rather than a direct EDO competitor.

Broad incumbents

• Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT): State-level economic development agency coordinating business incentives, workforce programs, and international trade. AEDA partners with Colorado Enterprise Fund (an OEDIT affiliate), making OEDIT a higher-level ecosystem peer.
• Denver Office of Economic Development & Opportunity (OEDO): Municipal economic development agency for Denver, CO, providing business retention, expansion, and attraction services at a larger metropolitan scale. Comparable in mission to AEDA but operates with broader budget and regional scope.

Regional players

• Boulder Economic Council: Regional economic development council for Boulder County, CO focused on attraction, retention, and expansion of target industries. Comparable in mission and program structure but operates in a different Denver-area submarket than Arvada.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/investinarvada/videos
• Facebookfacebook.com/ArvadaEconDev
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/arvada-economic-development-association
• Instagraminstagram.com/arvadaecondev

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Arvada Economic Development Association