Visionary leaders in six Northeast Ohio counties collaborated in late 1995 to establish the Northeast Ohio Joint Office of Economic Development (JOED), and in early 1996 formed NEOTEC to carry out the JOED’s regional economic development agenda to elevate Northeast Ohio’s position in the global marketplace.

Since its inception, NEOTEC has grown dramatically through expansion of membership and programs, and has assumed a leadership role in connecting the Northeast Ohio region to the world. NEOTEC—a private, nonprofit 501(c)3 organization—is now 10 counties strong, including Ashtabula, Columbiana, Mahoning, Medina, Portage, Richland, Stark, Summit, Trumbull and Wayne counties. Major cities in the NEOTEC region include Akron, Canton, Cleveland, East Liverpool, Kent, Mansfield, Medina, Warren, Wooster and Youngstown.

NEOTEC’s domestic and global strategies include the administration of the following programs:

Foreign-Trade Zone (FTZ) 181 – The U.S. Foreign-Trade Zone program is a unique global supply chain management tool that assists companies engaged in international trade by offering significant, ongoing cost savings to help them compete in the global marketplace. NEOTEC is grantee of Foreign-Trade Zone 181 in Northeast Ohio, one of the largest and most successful zones of more than 270 zones in the U.S. FTZ 181 covers more than 6,000 acres and includes 35 sites throughout the region.

International Trade Assistance Center of Northeast Ohio (ITAC) – NEOTEC serves as host site of the International Trade Assistance Center (ITAC), which provides export assistance services at no cost to small- and medium-sized businesses in Northeast Ohio in order to promote growth through exports. Companies interested in developing international markets and existing exporters wanting to expand markets can contact ITAC for a variety of export counseling and international trade services.

Northeast Ohio Logistics Network – An organization of more than 280 logistics and management professionals administered by NEOTEC, the Northeast Ohio Logistics Network serves as an educational, legislative and educational forum for the regional logistics industry and works to improve market access in Northeast Ohio.

Global Business Development Initiative (GBDI) – This initiative creates international awareness of Northeast Ohio and facilitates the region’s integration into the global economy. NEOTEC is implementing the GBDI through the deployment of comprehensive communications and target marketing strategies worldwide.