KOSBE

What KOSBE does

KOSBE (legally the Kingsport Office of Small Business Development and Entrepreneurship) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit economic development organization founded in 2004 through a joint initiative of the Kingsport Chamber and City of Kingsport in Tennessee. The organization provides free technical assistance, counseling, and education to small business owners and entrepreneurs across East Tennessee, covering business formation, business plan development, capital acquisition, government contracting, financial analysis, and succession planning. Since February 2011, KOSBE has operated as the Tennessee Small Business Development Center (TSBDC) at ETSU Kingsport Affiliate Office, expanding its service area to five counties (Grainger, Hamblen, Hancock, Hawkins, and Sullivan).

Its core offerings include one-on-one small business advising, business training programs (delivered in-person and via TSBDC online webinars), the annual KOSBE Awards recognition program (with categories such as New Business Excellence, Staying Power, Gazelle, Ernie Rumsby Veteran-Owned Business, Innovation, and Community Impact), and the "She Does" Women's Entrepreneurship Day event. Services are largely free as a public good, with limited direct revenue from a $52 award application fee and $49 She Does event tickets. The organization is funded through cooperative agreements with the U.S. Small Business Administration, Tennessee Board of Regents, the State of Tennessee, and partnerships with East Tennessee State University, the City of Kingsport, and the Kingsport Chamber of Commerce. With a small staff of 1-10 employees (including Chief Business Development Officer Aundrea Salyer), KOSBE serves hundreds of entrepreneurs annually through its counseling, training, and community engagement programs, and has no disclosed technology, AI, or proprietary product components.

Name

KOSBE

Legal name

Kingsport Office of Small Business Development and Entrepreneurship

Website

https://kosbe.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

KOSBE is a 501(c)(3) non-profit economic development organization in Kingsport, Tennessee, founded in 2004 jointly by the Kingsport Chamber and City of Kingsport. It provides free small business advising, training, and an annual awards program to entrepreneurs across five East Tennessee counties as the TSBDC at ETSU Kingsport Affiliate Office.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Small Business Development Services

NAICS

Professional and Management Development Training (611430), Management Consulting Services (54161), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Small Business & Entrepreneurship Community Education (EDAAAFAK)

Keywords

• Small business advising
• Business development services
• Entrepreneurship training
• Small business counseling
• Non-profit economic development

Headquarters

HQ city

Kingsport

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Grant Funding & Public Partnerships: As a 501(c)(3) non-profit, KOSBE is funded through cooperative agreements with the U.S. Small Business Administration, the Tennessee Board of Regents, the State of Tennessee, and partnerships with East Tennessee State University, the City of Kingsport, and the Kingsport Chamber.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

KOSBE delivers free one-on-one technical assistance and counseling to small business owners on business formation, business plan development, capital acquisition, government contracting, financial analysis, and succession planning. It supplements advising with group business training programs delivered through the TSBDC network, an annual KOSBE Awards recognition program celebrating small business excellence, and the She Does women's entrepreneurship event. All services are offered primarily at no cost as a public good.

Product overview

KOSBE is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit economic development organization offering a portfolio of small business support services rather than a unified software product. Its core offerings include one-on-one advising and counseling, business training programs through the Tennessee Small Business Development Center (TSBDC) affiliation, The KOSBE Awards recognition program, and the She Does women's entrepreneurship event. The organization functions as a technical assistance provider rather than a product company.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Small Business Advising and Counseling Free one-on-one technical assistance for small business owners covering business formation, business plan development, capital acquisition, government contracts, financial and management performance analysis, and succession planning. Delivered through the TSBDC at ETSU Kingsport Affiliate Office and in-person at the Kingsport Chamber office.

Quantifiable outcome

• Hundreds of entrepreneurs served annually through counseling, education, and resources

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Tennessee Small Business Development Center (TSBDC) at ETSUcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 February 2011On February 15, 2011, KOSBE became the TSBDC at ETSU Kingsport Affiliate Office. Through this affiliation, KOSBE expanded service area to include Grainger, Hamblen, Hancock, Hawkins, and Sullivan counties. Partially funded by U.S. Small Business Administration cooperative agreement.
• City of KingsportcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2004Joint founding partner of KOSBE alongside the Kingsport Chamber. The City of Kingsport co-created KOSBE to specifically nurture, counsel and encourage small business growth and development in the region.
• Kingsport ChambercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2004Joint founding partner with City of Kingsport. Hosts KOSBE office at its location (400 Clinchfield Street, Suite 100) and provides business networking resources and support.
• East Tennessee State University (ETSU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerETSBCO operating agreement partially funded by U.S. Small Business Administration. ETSU provides academic resources and institutional support for the TSBDC Kingsport Affiliate Office.
• EastmanminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional corporate partner providing industry leadership and support for small business development initiatives in the Kingsport/Tri-Cities region.
• Kingsport Economic Development Board (KEDB)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEconomic development partner supporting regional business growth and development initiatives alongside KOSBE.
• Tailored Venue & EventsminorOthersVenue partner hosting the 2025 KOSBE Awards ceremony at 115 Shelby St, Kingsport, TN 37660.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• SCORE: National nonprofit providing free mentoring, workshops, and education for small business owners. Directly comparable business model (free advising/counseling, volunteer mentors, educational programming) and overlapping target audience of early-stage entrepreneurs.
• Tennessee Small Business Development Center (TSBDC) Lead Office: The statewide TSBDC network of which KOSBE is an affiliate; provides the same suite of free business advising, training, and capital readiness services across Tennessee. KOSBE operates as one affiliate within this broader state network.
• East Tennessee State University (ETSU) Office of Small Business Development: Host institution for the TSBDC affiliate network that KOSBE belongs to. Provides academic resources and is the institutional anchor for the cooperative agreement with SBA; comparable in mission though operating at the university level rather than affiliate office level.

Broad incumbents

• America's SBDC: National association representing the nationwide SBDC network. Operates broadly across all 50 states with the same SBA-funded small business development mission, providing the parent accreditation framework under which KOSBE and TSBDC affiliates operate.

Others

• Kingsport Chamber of Commerce: Joint founding partner of KOSBE and host of its office. Offers overlapping small business support (networking, referrals, advocacy) from the same Kingsport location, but functions primarily as a membership/advocacy body rather than direct technical assistance provider.

Emerging players

• Women's Business Centers (SBA): SBA-funded centers providing training, counseling, and mentoring specifically for women entrepreneurs. Overlaps with KOSBE's She Does program and women entrepreneur segment but with a narrower demographic focus and federal funding structure.
• Veterans Business Outreach Centers (VBOCs): SBA-funded resource partners providing business training, counseling, and resource referrals to veteran entrepreneurs. Directly comparable to KOSBE's Ernie Rumsby Award and veteran segment focus, with similar mission and public funding model.
• Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses: National small business growth program offering education, capital access support, and networking for growth-oriented entrepreneurs. Comparable educational/Cohort-based approach but with selective admission and corporate funding model rather than open-access SBA-funded counseling.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/KOSBEConnection
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/KOSBEConnection
• Facebookfacebook.com/KOSBEConnection
• Instagraminstagram.com/kosbeconnection

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 KOSBE