BizConnect Industry

BizConnect Industry provides small businesses in specific industries with opportunities to help them grow and build capacity in subjects that are unique to their field. BizConnect Industry programs may also be geographically defined, focusing on particular regions or metropolitan areas. 

How It Works  

Accepted applicants enrolled in BizConnect Industry receive:  

• Access to mentorship from virtual and/or in-person business coaches and potentially fellow entrepreneurs in their region.  
• Small group business coaching on a variety of subjects related to specific needs of small businesses, tailored to the industry and the overall areas of interest expressed by the cohort.  
• One-on-one business coaching opportunities, tailored to address their uniquechallenges. 
• Network-building and connecting with industry funders, as well as other relevant stakeholders virtually or in specific regions.   
• Opportunities to meet with local leaders.  
• $5,000 in financial assistance. 

Eligible businesses must:  

• Be part of a designated industry, as defined by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation and the program supporter. 
• Be defined as a small business for the given industry in accordance with U.S. Small Business Administration guidelines. 
• Not be part of a franchise brand with more than twenty-five (25) corporate-owned stores, or more than two hundred and fifty (250) stores in total.   
• Be located in an economically distressed community (defined as any zip code not in the top 20% of zip codes in the current iteration of the Economic Innovation Group’s Distressed Communities Index).