What Lee County Economic Development Office does

The Lee County Economic Development Office (EDO) is a county-government agency headquartered at 2201 Second Street, Suite 500, Fort Myers, Florida, that provides free business assistance to retain existing businesses, encourage entrepreneurship, and attract new investment to Lee County and the broader Southwest Florida region. Its service portfolio spans business start-up support, incentive program coordination (Industrial Development Revenue Bonds, Gold Key Grant Program, Opportunity Zones, Capital Investment Tax Credit, Space Florida partnership, and Foreign Trade Zone #213 at RSW Airport), workforce development through CareerSource Southwest Florida, demographic and cost-of-living research, and site-selection tools. The office is led by Director John Talmage and an 8-person leadership team, and is advised by the Horizon Council — a public-private board of up to 90 members incorporated in 1991 — with operational partnership from the Horizon Foundation, Lee County Industrial Development Authority, chambers of commerce, the City of Cape Coral and Fort Myers EDOs, SCORE, Florida SBDC at FGCU, Junior Achievement, and state/federal entities (Enterprise Florida, Florida Commerce, U.S. EDA).

The EDO's underlying technology is a portfolio of GIS-based tools published on the ArcGIS platform, including the Development Activity Story Map, Investment/Opportunity Zones Map, Incentive Areas Map, Find My Zoning app, Land Use & Infrastructure Tool, and the Lee County Property Appraiser GIS Database, supplemented by an A-to-Z business database and the FGCU Regional Economic Research Institute's Regional Economic Indicators Dashboard and Executive Business Climate Survey. Distribution is hybrid: direct enterprise business consultations, event-driven engagement (monthly Horizon Council meetings and the annual Industry Appreciation Awards, now in its 33rd year), and reseller-style channels through chambers, CareerSource career centers, and partner EDOs.

The business model is government-funded: the EDO is supported by Lee County budget allocations and provides services at no cost to businesses. There is no commercial pricing or revenue stream. The office is governed under the Lee County Board of Commissioners and staffed by county employees; it was founded in 1975 as the Industrial Development Authority and rebranded to the Lee County Economic Development Office. It targets nine industry verticals — healthcare, manufacturing, technology, hospitality and tourism, life sciences, sports, education, transportation, and construction — and serves Southwest Florida's ~1.5 million regional population (840,698 in Lee County alone), which grew 9.5% since 2020 and is projected to grow another 7.4% by 2029.

Name

Lee County Economic Development Office

Legal name

Lee County Economic Development Office

Website

https://leecountybusiness.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1975

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Lee County Economic Development Office is a Fort Myers, Florida county-government agency that provides free business assistance — retention, expansion, entrepreneurship, and relocation support — to businesses across Southwest Florida's nine target industries, leveraging GIS-based mapping tools and a public-private partnership network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Economic Development Services

NAICS

Administration of General Economic Programs (92611)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Economic Development & Business Licensing (Local) (BPAIACAN)

akta.pro secondary industry

Public Workforce Development Programs (WIOA/One-Stop Career Centers) (EDAAAOAA)

Keywords

• Economic development services
• Business assistance programs
• Workforce development coordination
• Business incentive programs
• Site selection support

Headquarters

HQ city

Fort Myers

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: As a county government office, the EDO is funded through Lee County government budget allocations. The office provides free services to businesses including business assistance, incentives coordination, and workforce development support.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Lee County Economic Development Office (EDO) is a county government agency that provides free business assistance to retain existing businesses, encourage entrepreneurship, and attract new business to Lee County, Florida. Core services include business start-up support, incentive program coordination (Industrial Development Revenue Bonds, Opportunity Zones, Capital Investment Tax Credit), workforce development via CareerSource Southwest Florida, site selection, demographic and economic research, and Foreign Trade Zone #213 administration. The EDO also maintains GIS-based interactive mapping tools (Development Activity Story Map, Investment Map, Zoning Maps) for public access to development and investment data.

Product overview

The Lee County Economic Development Office (EDO) is a government economic development agency, not a traditional software product company. It does not offer a unified software platform but provides a broad portfolio of economic development services and tools including: business start-up support, incentive programs, workforce development services, demographic/economic data resources, a resource directory, an A-to-Z business database, Transfer of Development Rights program, Foreign Trade Zone services, and various GIS-based mapping tools (Development Activity Story Map, Zoning Information Tools, Investment/Opportunity Zones Map, Incentive Areas Map). These services function as separate programs and informational resources rather than an integrated software product architecture.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Business Start-Up Support Services

Quantifiable outcome

• Southwest Florida population: 1.5 million with 7.4% expected growth 2024-2029
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

24 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Horizon CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1991A public-private advisory board established in 1991 to advise the Lee County Board of Commissioners on economic development issues. The Council has up to 90 members representing municipalities, chambers of commerce, economic development organizations, community, business, and education organizations.
• Horizon FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1991Nonprofit foundation supporting economic development initiatives in Lee County, closely affiliated with the Horizon Council.
• Lee County Industrial Development AuthoritycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerA seven-member board appointed by Lee County Commissioners and staffed by the EDO. Tasked with fostering industrial and business development, and encouraging companies to use Industrial Development Revenue Bonds to finance projects.
• CareerSource Southwest FloridacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdministers state and federal funding for employment and training services, including assisting new and expanding businesses. Operates five full-service Career Centers in Southwest Florida.
• Florida Small Business Development Center at FGCUcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHelps businesses in Southwest Florida develop strategic vision, map out goals, strategies and tactics to grow their business. Provides free consulting services.
• Regional Economic Research Institute (RERI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConducts on-demand economic research including economic development and forecasting, economic impact studies, and surveys. Publishes the Executive Business Climate Survey and maintains a Regional Economic Indicators Dashboard.
• Lee County Visitor & Convention BureaumajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMarkets Lee County globally as Fort Myers – Islands, Beaches and Neighborhoods. Works to increase domestic and international visitation through integrated programs targeting key markets.
• Enterprise FloridamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerState-level economic development organization providing resources for business growth and relocation in Florida.
• SCORE Southwest FloridamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides mentoring, workshops, and resources to empower entrepreneurs. Mentors have experience across broad business sectors and assist with business plans, marketing, financing, and operations.
• Southwest Regional Manufacturers AssociationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConnects manufacturers in Southwest Florida with educational and informational support, CEO roundtables, networking events, grants, and awards.
• FutureMakers CoalitionmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInitiative working to increase post-secondary credentials, certifications, and degrees in Southwest Florida. Goal is 55% of working-age adults with education beyond high school by 2025.
• Florida SouthWestern State CollegemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate Training Department provides educational training services to businesses and has assisted businesses obtain over $13M in Quick Response Training grants to train new hires.
• Junior Achievement of Southwest FloridaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit youth organization inspiring and preparing young people to succeed in a global economy through financial literacy and entrepreneurship education.
• Cape Coral Economic Development OfficemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCity department promoting business prosperity and growth. Services include site searches, incentives for new/expanding/relocating businesses.
• Fort Myers Economic Development OfficemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCity department providing resources, promoting partnerships, and offering incentives for growth of the business community in the city's six wards.
• Southwest Florida Regional Technology PartnershipmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit membership organization promoting development, growth and attraction of technology companies. Members include technology companies, economic development groups, and higher education institutions.
• Florida Gulf Coast UniversitymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerState university serving 15,000 students with 63 undergraduate, 25 masters, and 3 doctoral degrees. Home to Emergent Technologies Institute bringing 1,000+ technology jobs to the region.
• Southwest Florida Enterprise CentermajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLearning laboratory providing assistance, support, and office space to entrepreneurs to help them realize their business potential.
• Southwest Florida MicroEnterprise InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOperated by Goodwill Industries of Southwest Florida, provides aspiring small business owners with skills to succeed, focusing on individuals with low to moderate income.
• TWO39minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSocial entrepreneurship organization providing technology, collaboration, mentorship, funding, and creative services for entrepreneurs through its Work, Labs, Ventures, and Media brands.
• SecondMuseminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational innovation and collaboration agency focusing on strengthening networks and community to build economies and solve complex problems.
• Lee County Sports DevelopmentmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPromotes Southwest Florida as a world-class destination for sporting events and assists with finding event facilities, accommodations, and meeting space.
• Florida CommercemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerState-level commerce and economic development resources for Florida businesses.
• U.S. Economic Development AdministrationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal agency providing economic development assistance and resources to communities.

Scale indicators20 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Greater Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce: Local chamber partner that delivers overlapping business assistance, networking, and advocacy services within Lee County. Comparable as a business-support intermediary in the same service area but more SMB-focused than enterprise-attraction oriented.
• Florida SBDC at FGCU: Small Business Development Center hosted at Florida Gulf Coast University, providing free consulting to Southwest Florida businesses. Comparable as a free business advisory service in the same market with overlapping entrepreneur/startup customer segments.
• SCORE Southwest Florida: National nonprofit mentoring organization with a Southwest Florida chapter that the EDO partners with to deliver entrepreneur mentoring, workshops, and business planning resources. Comparable as a free business advisory service targeting the same startup/SMB segment.

Broad incumbents

• Enterprise Florida: Florida's statewide public-private economic development organization that partners with county EDOs including Lee County to attract and grow businesses. Directly comparable as a peer-level economic development entity operating in the same geographic market with overlapping target industries.
• Orlando Economic Partnership: Regional public-private economic development organization serving the Orlando metro with programs analogous to Lee County EDO's portfolio — business attraction, retention, workforce, and incentive coordination. Comparable as a larger-scale, more institutionalized regional EDO peer in the same Florida market.

Direct peers

• CareerSource Southwest Florida: Regional workforce development board that operates the Career Centers and training programs the Lee County EDO connects employers to. Directly comparable as an economic development-adjacent service provider in the same Southwest Florida geography with shared employer customers.
• Pinellas County Economic Development: Florida county EDO with comparable scope of services — incentive coordination, GIS-based site selection tools, workforce partnerships, and target industries spanning life sciences, manufacturing, and tech. Directly comparable as a Florida county-level EDO peer.
• Hillsborough County Economic Development: Florida county EDO comparable in scope and program offerings (incentive coordination, workforce development, GIS site selection tools), serving the Tampa metro with a similar mix of healthcare, manufacturing, and tech target industries.
• Collier County Economic Development Office: Adjacent Florida county EDO with an overlapping Southwest Florida service territory, comparable population scale, similar business retention/expansion programs, and shared Horizon Council regional partners. Most directly comparable county-level EDO peer.

Regional players

• Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce: Larger Florida chamber offering economic development programming in a different metro (Tampa Bay) but with comparable business retention, attraction, and workforce programs targeting similar industry verticals (healthcare, manufacturing, tech).

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/leecoedo?lang=en
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCoqD2PtOhMTADmLWD6GauBw
• Facebookfacebook.com/LeeCoEDO
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/lee-county-economic-development-office

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 Lee County Economic Development Office