Duquesne University Small Business Development Center
The Duquesne University Small Business Development Center is a non-profit, university-based consulting program that provides no-cost advisory services, training workshops, and an annual entrepreneurship competition to entrepreneurs and small businesses in southwestern Pennsylvania, funded by the SBA, PA DCED, and Duquesne University.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2019
- HeadquartersPittsburgh, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Duquesne University Small Business Development Center does
The Duquesne University Small Business Development Center (DUQ SBDC) is a non-profit consulting organization housed within Duquesne University's Palumbo Donahue School of Business in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It delivers no-cost, confidential one-on-one consulting services and training workshops to entrepreneurs and small business owners across southwestern Pennsylvania, with service lines spanning starting a business, funding, technology commercialization and SBIR/STTR grants, buying a business, and international trade through the Global Business Program. The organization supplements advisory work with the Duquesne New Venture Challenge (DNVC) — a multi-stage entrepreneurship competition offering over $41,000 in cash prizes plus in-kind legal services from the Thomas R. Kline School of Law — and the Bridges to Business Podcast featuring client success stories. The SBDC is staffed by approximately 12 employees and consultants, and is led by Director Rich Longo.
The SBDC does not generate revenue from clients. Its operating budget is funded through cooperative agreements with the U.S. Small Business Administration and the Pennsylvania Department of Community & Economic Development, with additional support from Duquesne University as the host institution and other state and federal funding sources. It is a member of the America's SBDC network, which unites nearly 1,000 SBDC centers nationally. The SBDC's go-to-market is community-led: clients are acquired through website-driven inquiries, referrals from partner chambers of commerce, schools, and government agencies, plus targeted outreach to demographic-specific entrepreneur communities (immigrant entrepreneurs, student entrepreneurs). The marketing channel mix includes the website (sbdc.duq.edu), a blog, in-person and live-stream workshops, a Constant Contact email newsletter, the podcast, and the annual DNVC competition.
The technology profile is non-existent as a product — the SBDC is not a software company and has no API, proprietary platform, or app. Its 'core technology' is the human advisory process itself, delivered by certified consultants (including technology commercialization-certified staff) and backed by academic resources from Duquesne University. Documented client outcomes include facilitating access to capital (e.g., $750K loan for Strategy Milling, $244K facility expansion loan for E-Z Pet Care, $121K PPP loan for Pierogies Plus during COVID-19), supporting $10M in export contracts (Conco Services in Peru), and accelerating early-stage ventures (HeadStrait Labs raising ~$700K after winning DNVC).
Duquesne University Small Business Development Center firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Duquesne University Small Business Development Center
- Legal name
- Duquesne University Small Business Development Center
- Website
- https://sbdc.duq.edu
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2019
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- The Duquesne University Small Business Development Center is a non-profit, university-based consulting program that provides no-cost advisory services, training workshops, and an annual entrepreneurship competition to entrepreneurs and small businesses in southwestern Pennsylvania, funded by the SBA, PA DCED, and Duquesne University.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Duquesne University Small Business Development Center industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Small Business Consulting and Development Services
- NAICS
- Other Management Consulting Services (541618), Professional and Management Development Training (611430)
- SIC
- Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Small Business & Entrepreneurship Community Education (EDAAAFAK)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Learning, Training & Corporate Education Consulting (BPAHAGAE)
Keywords
Where Duquesne University Small Business Development Center is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Pittsburgh
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Duquesne University Small Business Development Center business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Small Business Consulting Services: The SBDC provides free, no-cost consulting services to small businesses and entrepreneurs. As a nonprofit university-based SBDC, it is funded through cooperative agreements with the U.S. Small Business Administration, the Pennsylvania Department of Community & Economic Development, and Duquesne University's Palumbo Donahue School of Business. No direct revenue is generated from clients.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Other | No-cost consulting and training services |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels7 records
Duquesne University Small Business Development Center product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Duquesne University SBDC delivers no-cost, confidential one-on-one consulting and educational training workshops to entrepreneurs and small business owners in southwestern Pennsylvania. Consulting engagements cover business formation, business plan development, funding and SBA loan access, technology and life sciences commercialization including SBIR/STTR grants, business acquisition support, and international trade through the Global Business Program. The center supplements consulting with workshops, the Duquesne New Venture Challenge entrepreneurship competition, and the Bridges to Business Podcast, all funded through cooperative agreements with the U.S. SBA, the Pennsylvania DCED, and Duquesne University.
Product overview
Duquesne University Small Business Development Center is a university-based consulting and support organization that offers no-cost, confidential consulting services and training workshops to entrepreneurs and small business owners in southwestern Pennsylvania. The core offering consists of one-on-one consulting services supplemented by educational workshops and seminars. Consulting services span key business areas including starting a business, funding and financing, technology commercialization, buying a business, international trade, and SBIR/STTR government grants. The organization also runs the Duquesne New Venture Challenge entrepreneurship competition, produces the Bridges to Business Podcast featuring client success stories, and maintains a library of resources and success stories. The SBDC is funded by the U.S. Small Business Administration, Pennsylvania Department of Community & Economic Development, and Duquesne University.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Duquesne New Venture Challenge (DNVC): A prestigious multi-stage entrepreneurship competition hosted by Duquesne University's Palumbo Donahue School of Business, offering cash prizes and professional services including legal support through Thomas R. Kline School of Law and SBDC consulting. Over $41,000 in cash prizes offered for top performers.
- Bridges to Business Podcast
Products and services
- No-Cost Consulting Services
Quantifiable outcome
- One client (Pierogies Plus) received $121,633 PPP loan during COVID-19
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Duquesne University Small Business Development Center
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Duquesne University Small Business Development Center technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Duquesne University Small Business Development Center partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA)coreFunded in part through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration. The SBA provides federal funding and programmatic guidance to the SBDC network, enabling free services to small businesses across the country.
- Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED)coreFunded in part by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania through the Department of Community & Economic Development. Provides state-level funding and support for economic development initiatives.
- Duquesne University Palumbo Donahue School of BusinesscoreHost institution providing administrative support, faculty expertise, and connection to academic resources. The SBDC is part of the School of Business and the Duquesne New Venture Challenge is administered through this school.
- Thomas R. Kline School of LawminorProvides legal support services as part of the Duquesne New Venture Challenge competition prizes. Winners receive legal consultation services through the law school.
- America's SBDCminorAccredited member of America's SBDC, a national organization uniting nearly 1,000 SBDC centers across the country. Provides networking, best practices, and collective advocacy for the SBDC network.
- U.S. Department of Commerce Bureau of Industry and SecurityminorAssisted clients with proper steps and procedures for pursuing foreign deals, particularly for global expansion of small businesses.
- Pennsylvania Office of International DevelopmentminorState agency providing support and resources for international business development, collaborated with on market research for foreign markets.
Scale indicators1 record
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Duquesne University Small Business Development Center competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- SCORE: National nonprofit providing free business mentoring, workshops, and educational resources to entrepreneurs and small businesses. SCORE is the closest functional peer, sharing the no-cost consulting and education model that defines the Duquesne SBDC.
- Innovation Works (Pittsburgh): Pittsburgh-based startup support organization providing mentorship, capital, and incubation to early-stage technology ventures in the same southwestern Pennsylvania ecosystem the Duquesne SBDC serves.
- Start Small Think Big: Nonprofit providing free business advisory, legal, and marketing services to under-resourced small business owners; highly comparable no-cost, education-driven consulting model for SMB founders.
- Penn State Small Business Development Center: Sibling Pennsylvania SBDC operating under the same SBA-funded model, serving a different region of the state with identical service lines (consulting, training, funding assistance, tech commercialization).
- Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses: Free, cohort-based business education and support program for small business owners, delivered in partnership with community colleges. Highly comparable no-cost education-and-consulting model targeting similar SMB segments.
- Temple University Small Business Development Center: Another Pennsylvania university-based SBDC operating under the same SBA funding model, offering no-cost consulting, training, and SBIR/STTR support to entrepreneurs in the Philadelphia region.
Regional players
- Bunker Labs: National nonprofit supporting veteran and military-spouse entrepreneurs with education, mentorship, and access to capital — overlapping segment (aspiring/early-stage founders) but with a distinct veteran-focused mission.
Others
- U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA): Federal funding source and programmatic steward of the SBDC network; not a direct competitor but the principal partner that defines the Duquesne SBDC's mandate, funding, and operating scope.
Broad incumbents
- America's SBDC: The national association that accredits the Duquesne SBDC and unites nearly 1,000 SBDC centers across the U.S. Functions as the umbrella body and collective advocacy channel for SBDCs like Duquesne.
- Pennsylvania SBDC Network (PASBDC): Statewide coordinating body for Pennsylvania's SBDC centers; sets program standards, hosts the Growth Summit (where Duquesne won Happy Client Awards), and allocates statewide funding across individual centers.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Duquesne University Small Business Development Center social profiles
Digital presenceDuquesne University Small Business Development Center financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Duquesne University Small Business Development Center leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Duquesne University Small Business Development Center funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Duquesne University Small Business Development Center M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Duquesne University Small Business Development Center
What does Duquesne University Small Business Development Center do?
Duquesne University SBDC delivers no-cost, confidential one-on-one consulting and educational training workshops to entrepreneurs and small business owners in southwestern Pennsylvania. Consulting engagements cover business formation, business plan development, funding and SBA loan access, technology and life sciences commercialization including SBIR/STTR grants, business acquisition support, and international trade through the Global Business Program. The center supplements consulting with workshops, the Duquesne New Venture Challenge entrepreneurship competition, and the Bridges to Business Podcast, all funded through cooperative agreements with the U.S. SBA, the Pennsylvania DCED, and Duquesne University.
Is Duquesne University Small Business Development Center a public or private company?
Duquesne University Small Business Development Center is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Duquesne University Small Business Development Center founded?
Duquesne University Small Business Development Center was founded in 2019. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Duquesne University Small Business Development Center based?
Duquesne University Small Business Development Center is headquartered in Pittsburgh, United States, in the North America region.
How does Duquesne University Small Business Development Center make money?
One revenue line is on record: small Business Consulting Services.
Who are Duquesne University Small Business Development Center's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are SCORE, Innovation Works (Pittsburgh), Start Small Think Big, Penn State Small Business Development Center, Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses and Temple University Small Business Development Center. Bunker Labs is listed as a regional player. U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is listed as an others. Broad incumbents are America's SBDC and Pennsylvania SBDC Network (PASBDC).
Does Duquesne University Small Business Development Center have an API?
No public API is recorded for Duquesne University Small Business Development Center.
What industry is Duquesne University Small Business Development Center in?
Duquesne University Small Business Development Center's product category is Small Business Consulting and Development Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAAAFAK, Small Business & Entrepreneurship Community Education, with a secondary code of BPAHAGAE, Learning, Training & Corporate Education Consulting. Its NAICS code is 541618 and its SIC code is 8742.