Business & Entrepreneur Development

Numerous business development and support organizations operate in Dane County. Please check out the following links to organizations that provide training programs, mentoring, and resource support.

Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corporation (WWBIC): WWBIC offers expertise in business planning, financing, and accessing resources that will assist entrepreneurs in making their business dreams a reality. As a statewide organization, WWBIC works with both women and men by offering relevant business classes, business loans up to $250,000, assistance with your personal financial management, and connections to people who can make things happen.

Wisconsin Small Business Development Center (SBDC): The SBDC offers educational programs to start, grow, manage, and lead in business. New and growing businesses have access to business consultants to develop strategies and ask questions.

Madison Black Chamber of Commerce: The Madison Black Chamber supports Black owned businesses in greater Madison through promotions, training, resource sharing, and business services. The MBCC incubator guides entrepreneurs through a structured process to start or grow a business, and provides coaching along the way.

Latino Chamber of Commerce: The Latino Chamber of Commerce builds and strengthens the Latino business community through advocacy and programs. The Chamber provides small loans to member organizations to address business growth needs.

Kiva Greater Madison: Kiva empowers minority-owned and women-owned small businesses through crowdfunded microloan campaigns. Madison is a Kiva City, and supports the growth of entrepreneurship through these loans. The greater Madison community has opportunity to finance emerging enterprises, thus providing means for economic mobility for entrepreneurs.

SCORE Madison: SCORE connects entrepreneurs with mentors to help build their business. SCORE operates throughout the U.S. through local chapters. The Madison chapter serves an 11 County region. Alongside providing business mentors, SCORE also hosts workshops and training programs.

Dane Buy Local: Dane Buy Local supports independent businesses in Madison by promoting local businesses, advocating for members, providing educational programs, and by running marketing campaigns and events. Dane Buy Local reaches the ‘consuming public’ with the message that buying local is good for the community.

Social Good Accelerator from Collaboration for Good: The annual Social Good Accelerator is a 3+ year commitment from Collaboration for Good to assist and support values-based entrepreneurs to grow their vision. The accelerator is open for-profit, non-profit, cooperative, hybrid, and fiscally sponsored organizations.

For more resources for entrepreneurs, check out the University of Wisconsin-Madison Office of Business Engagement.