Minority Business Development Institute

What Minority Business Development Institute does

MBDI (Minority Business Development Institute, legal entity MBDI Inc.) is a U.S. nonprofit organization headquartered in Princeton Junction, New Jersey, with additional offices in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and New York City. Founded circa 2010, MBDI provides education, training, technical assistance, and strategic business development programs targeted at MWBE (Minority, Women, and Veteran-owned Business Enterprise) contractors — primarily in the construction vertical across New York City's five boroughs and the broader Northeast region.

The organization's core delivery is built around MBDI University & E-Learning, a platform of online and in-person programs including GoSurety (a free surety bonding e-learning program powered by a $100,000 Flagstar Bank grant launched in April 2025) and SuretyReady (a surety bonding preparation and readiness course). Adjacent offerings include Education Advisory Services and Bonding Advisory Services (one-on-one and classroom instruction on financial presentation, back-office operations, and Project Labor Agreement contracting), Advantage OneSource Solutions (a suite of Marketing, Procurement/RFP Research, Bookkeeping, and Web Development services), MBDI Scholars (a capital-deployment scholarship program whose 2nd cohort disbursed over $600,000 in November 2025), and CEO Bootcamp. Programs are delivered via direct service (classroom and advisory), self-serve e-learning, and event-driven channels (Annual Gala, Casino Night, Bootcamp).

MBDI is funded primarily by grants and donations rather than fee-based revenue; the GoSurety program is explicitly free, and pricing for other services is not publicly disclosed. The organization operates with 1–10 employees led by CEO David R. Cayemitte and General Counsel Liz Duncan, Esq., and its strategic positioning is built on partnerships with regional institutional counterparts — most notably Flagstar Bank (financial partner) and the New York Power Authority (capacity-building partner), which jointly anchored the July 2025 graduation of 64 participants from the NYPA Capacity Building Program and Bonding Program.

Name

Minority Business Development Institute

Legal name

MBDI Inc.

Website

https://minoritybdi.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

MBDI is a U.S. nonprofit that delivers education, advisory, and capacity-building programs — including surety bonding e-learning — to MWBE contractors and small businesses, primarily in New York City and the Northeast.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Princeton Junction

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Grant Funding: MBDI receives grant funding from financial institutions and organizations to support programs for diverse construction contractors and small businesses.
2. Donations: The organization accepts donations to support educational programs that prepare MWBE business owners and contractors to qualify for loans and bonding.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Minority Business Development Institute (MBDI) is a nonprofit that delivers education, training, technical assistance, and strategic business development programs to minority, women, veteran, and MWBE contractors and small businesses. Its core offerings include surety bonding readiness education (GoSurety, SuretyReady), one-on-one education and bonding advisory services, capacity-building programs, and back-office support services (marketing, procurement research, bookkeeping, web development) packaged under brands such as MBDI University and Advantage OneSource Solutions.

Product overview

MBDI is a non-profit organization offering a comprehensive platform of business development programs for minority, veteran, and women contractors. The portfolio consists of MBDI University & E-Learning (including GoSurety and SuretyReady for surety bonding education), Advantage OneSource Solutions (providing Marketing, Procurement Research, Bookkeeping Services, and Web Development), Surety Bonding Services, and Education Advisory Services. These programs work together to help MWBE businesses build capacity, access opportunities, and achieve sustainable growth through education, training, technical assistance, and strategic business development. MBDI also runs scholarship programs through MBDI Scholars and leadership training via CEO Bootcamp.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• MBDI University: Educational platform providing business training and technical assistance for MWBE contractors.
• GoSurety
• SuretyReady
• Advantage OneSource Solutions
• MBDI Scholars

Products and services

• MBDI University & E-Learning Comprehensive education and training platform offering e-learning programs for minority, veteran, and women contractors, including classroom instruction and one-on-one advisory services to improve field operations, back office operations, financial presentation, and knowledge of Project Labor Agreement contracts.
• GoSurety E-Learning Program Free surety bonding e-learning program designed to empower small contractors across New York City's five boroughs, launched in partnership with Flagstar Bank.
• SuretyReady E-learning program focused on surety bonding preparation and certification readiness for small business contractors.
• Advantage OneSource Solutions Suite of business support services including Marketing, Procurement Research (RFP research), Bookkeeping Services, and Web Development to help MWBE contractors compete and grow.
• Surety Bonding Services Programs designed to create MWBE Prime Contractors by strengthening their financial presentation, back office operations, and project management teams. Includes contract surety bonding, getting started guidance, broker referral network, and bonding advisory services.
• Education Advisory Services Road map for the growth and success of minority, veteran and women contractors via classroom instruction and one-on-one advisory services. Improves field and back office operations, financial presentation, and knowledge of working on Project Labor Agreement (PLA) driven contracts.
• Bonding Advisory Services Advisory services helping business owners understand and obtain surety bonding to become project-ready contractors.
• MBDI Scholars Program Scholarship program for emerging businesses, with the 2nd cohort awarding more than $600,000 in scholarships to support minority business development.
• CEO Bootcamp Intensive training program for CEOs of minority-owned businesses to build leadership capacity and business acumen.

Quantifiable outcome

• 64 participants graduated from NYPA Capacity Building Program and Bonding Program

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• NYPA (New York Power Authority)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMBDI partners with NYPA on capacity building and bonding programs. In July 2025, 64 participants graduated from the NYPA Capacity Building Program and Bonding Program at MBDI's NYC office.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC): National nonprofit dedicated to certifying and developing MBE suppliers and connecting them with corporate members. Directly comparable as an MWBE capacity-building and business development organization, though operating at a national certification scale rather than a regional training scale like MBDI.
• Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA): U.S. federal agency that promotes the growth and competitiveness of minority-owned businesses through advisory centers and capital access. Closely aligned mission of building MWBE capacity, and overlaps with MBDI on advisory services and access to contracting opportunities.
• Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC): National nonprofit certifying women-owned businesses and providing education, networking, and access to corporate and government buyers. Comparable in providing certification, education, and growth services for an underrepresented business-owner segment.
• SCORE: U.S. nonprofit providing free small business mentoring, education, and resources, supported by the SBA. Comparable mission of free/affordable business education and one-on-one advisory for small businesses, though SCORE serves all small businesses rather than MWBE-focused.
• U.S. Black Chambers, Inc. National nonprofit advocating for Black-owned businesses through education, access to capital, and contracting opportunities. Directly comparable MWBE development and capacity-building orientation, with a national footprint versus MBDI's NYC/Northeast focus.
• Accion: Nonprofit small business lender and advisor providing capital, coaching, and education to underserved entrepreneurs. Comparable nonprofit model serving underserved small business owners with blended education and capital access, similar to MBDI's bonding/loan-readiness focus.
• National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO): Nonprofit membership organization supporting women business owners through education, advocacy, and networking. Comparable mission of advancing underrepresented business owners with a programmatic mix of education and growth support, though operating at a national advocacy scale.

Broad incumbents

• National Urban League: Large historic civil rights and economic empowerment nonprofit with programs in workforce development, entrepreneurship, and small business support for communities of color. Comparable target population and economic empowerment mission, but much broader portfolio beyond business development.
• U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA): Federal agency providing small business education, resources, and loan guarantees including through SCORE, SBDCs, and Women's Business Centers. Comparable as a provider of free small business training and advisory, with far broader geographic and topical reach than MBDI.

Emerging players

• Grameen America: Nonprofit microfinance organization providing small-dollar loans, financial education, and peer support to women entrepreneurs in the U.S. Comparable in serving minority/women business owners with education plus capital readiness, though focused on microlending rather than contracting/bonding.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/minoritybdi
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/MinorityBDI
• Facebookfacebook.com/MBDI.org
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/minority-business-development-institute
• Instagraminstagram.com/minoritybdi

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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 Minority Business Development Institute