At OEDIT, 2024 was a year filled with meaningful stories and announcements about how the state is helping all Coloradans thrive in our economy. From increasing workforce development opportunities, to creating more housing now, to strengthening local economies, OEDIT is proud to serve the entrepreneurs, small businesses, and innovative industries that choose to call Colorado home. In case you missed them, here are our top stories.
The Opportunity Now Colorado grant program supports the creation and expansion of programs that prepare Coloradans for in-demand, high-wage jobs and careers. In March 2024, we announced 43 grant recipients who are collectively projected to train thousands of Coloradans in new skills and place more than 6,500 in new, good-paying jobs. Visit our impact story on Opportunity Now to learn about a couple of the program recipients and the program’s overall impact.
Colorado is developing new and innovative ways to increase the housing supply across the state, which is one way to help bring down housing costs. The Innovative Housing Incentive Program (IHIP) and the Proposition 123 (Prop 123) Affordable Housing Financing Fund provided funding to eight off-site housing manufacturers across Colorado, supporting the recipients’ collective work to create 4,755 housing units per year.
Last May, our Global Business Development (GBD) division announced that the Advanced Industries Accelerator Program awarded Proof of Concept and Early-Stage Capital and Retention grants to 34 Colorado companies and 8 researchers. These grants promote the growth and sustainability of advanced industries in Colorado by driving innovation, commercialization, and public-private partnerships to advance this vital aspect of Colorado’s economy in communities across the state.
Leading global online sports betting company, bet365, selected Denver for expansion. The UK-based company has opened its new U.S. headquarters at One Platte, or 1701 Platte Street, and plans to hire nearly 1,000 employees. We look forward to the lasting impact this partnership will have on our community, driving both economic opportunity and vibrancy for Denver's downtown for years to come.
This announcement shares the 15 final recipients of the Colorado State Outdoor Recreation grant (COSORG). Since October 2022, these grants have funded regional projects across the state, advancing Colorado’s outdoor recreation industry and strengthening local economies. In our impact story on the program, earlier recipients share their stories about how COSORG helped support their organization’s missions.
The year started strong when Microchip, a leading producer of semiconductor devices, and the U.S. Department of Commerce, announced a historic preliminary memorandum of terms (PMT) to modernize and expand a Microchip fabrication facility in Colorado Springs, supporting the company's semiconductor supply chain with direct funding. The company employs nearly 1,000 Colorado workers and is the second semiconductor company to be identified for federal funding through the CHIPS and Science Act and the first in Colorado. Check out our story on Colorado’s Tech Industry to learn more about Colorado’s strong semiconductor ecosystem.
Our Business Support division announced the innovative Partner Outreach Program (POP) to connect Colorado entrepreneurs and small business owners to OEDIT programs. POP establishes a network of partners with expertise in serving rural, minority-owned, and immigrant-owned businesses to help them access capital to grow their businesses.
Did you know that many creatives are, in fact, solo entrepreneurs or “solopreneurs”? There are of course many perks working as a solopreneur but what kind of impact does the absence of a team have when you’re in need of support? In this impact story, we spoke with a few talented Greeley artists about the power of Creative Districts and community that support and grow the local creative industry and contribute to the state’s economy through the arts.
Quantum computing is changing the world—and Colorado and the Mountain West are leading the way. With a consortium of 120 organizations, Elevate Quantum developed a robust quantum ecosystem projected to grow its workforce to 30,000 over the next ten years, in which most positions will not require an advanced degree. This impact story explores the impressive work Elevate Quantum is accomplishing and their plans for the future.
The Rural Jump-Start (RJS) Program incentivizes new businesses to start in or move to rural, economically distressed counties in Colorado and hire new employees. This year, the program supported 29 rural businesses, facilitating 212 new hires. RJS encourages local business development and connects entrepreneurs to the benefits that can help them be successful. This story highlights some of the earliest adopters of the program and their success stories.
With an abundance of programs supporting Colorado businesses and entrepreneurs, we’re looking forward to sharing more stories with you in 2025. Check out our announcements and impact stories in our news section.