Florida SBDC at FGCU

Name

Florida SBDC at FGCU

Legal name

FGCU Small Business Development Center

Website

https://sbdc.fgcu.edu

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Small Business Development Consulting

NAICS

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

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Technical Cooperation, Capacity Building & Policy Advisory Programs (BPADABAO)

Keywords

• Small business consulting
• Government contracting assistance
• Export marketing services
• Entrepreneur training
• Business growth advisory

Headquarters

HQ city

Fort Myers

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Cooperative Agreement Funding: The FSBDC at FGCU is a publicly funded organization supported through cooperative agreements with the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), Department of Defense, State of Florida, and other private and public partners. Services are provided at no cost to small businesses.
2. Private Donations and Grants: The center receives donations and grants from private partners such as Bank OZK ($5,000 donation) and First Citizens Bank (grant) to support training services and small business opportunities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

The Florida SBDC at FGCU provides no-cost, confidential one-on-one business consulting and low-cost educational workshops to aspiring and existing small businesses in Southwest Florida. Its specialized programs include the Florida APEX Accelerator for government contracting assistance, CEO XChange executive peer roundtables, and Export Marketing Plans built by certified Global Business Professionals (CGBP). Services span business launch, growth, sustainment, financing preparation, disaster preparedness, and international expansion across Lee, Collier, Charlotte, Hendry, and Glades counties.

Product overview

The Florida SBDC at FGCU offers a unified suite of no-cost and low-cost business support services for small businesses in Lee, Collier, Charlotte, Hendry, and Glades counties. The core offerings include confidential one-on-one consulting and educational workshops. Specialized programs include the Florida APEX Accelerator for government contracting assistance, CEO XChange for executive peer collaboration, Export Marketing Plans for international expansion, the Student and Small Business Readiness Program, and the Distinguished Entrepreneur Awards. These programs work together to help businesses launch, grow, and thrive through every stage of their journey.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Florida APEX Accelerator at FGCU: A program specializing in government contracting assistance, helping Florida-based businesses identify, compete for, and win government contracts at federal, state, and local levels
• CEO XChange
• Distinguished Entrepreneur Awards
• CEO XChange

Products and services

• No-Cost Business Consulting Confidential, one-on-one consulting services at no cost, delivered by certified professional business consultants to help aspiring and existing small businesses make informed decisions, identify growth opportunities, and launch, grow, and thrive.
• Low-Cost Educational Workshops and Training Educational workshops and training programs available at low cost covering business skills, lender readiness, government contracting, disaster preparedness, and other topics for small business owners.
• Florida APEX Accelerator at FGCU (Government Contracting Program) High-value, confidential one-on-one consulting at no cost to help Florida businesses prepare, research, and bid on government contracts at federal, state, and local levels, including small business program certifications (SDVOSB, 8(a), HUBZone, SDB, EDWOSB, MBE), proposal development, and access to contracting intelligence tools such as FedMine, Gov$spend, TeamingPRO, and Bid-Match.
• CEO XChange Executive Roundtable An exclusive, invitation-only monthly breakfast meeting program for Owner/CEO/President/Top-Level Executives of companies with at least three years of operation, $1M+ annual revenue, and five or more employees, providing peer insights, collaborative problem-solving, personalized consulting, and access to exclusive FSBDC events. Non-refundable $600 annual fee covers breakfast and meeting expenses.
• Export Marketing Plans Tailored export marketing plans for new-to-export Florida manufacturers and professional service providers, developed by certified Global Business Professionals (CGBP). Plans include comprehensive market research, international expansion strategies, and navigation of legal, logistical, and financial challenges, priced at $7,500 with a $7,000 scholarship reducing the net cost to $500 for qualifying companies.
• Disaster Preparedness Program Resources and guidance to help Southwest Florida small businesses prepare for hurricane season and other disasters, including business continuity planning, hardening guidance, and survival kit preparation.
• Are You Lender Ready? Workshop Series A special SBA + SBDC workshop series designed to equip entrepreneurs with the knowledge, confidence, and connections needed to approach lenders successfully, featuring live Meet the Lenders panels for capital readiness and financing strategy.

Quantifiable outcome

• Assisted over 1,300 small businesses in 2023
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary federal funding partner through cooperative agreements. SBA provides core funding and recognition, including the 2024 SBDC of the Year Award and 2024 Excellence and Innovation Award.
• Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost institution for the Florida SBDC at FGCU. Provides campus facilities, academic integration through student projects, and administrative support.
• Florida SBDC Network / University of West FloridacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide service network with University of West Florida serving as network headquarters. Provides statewide coordination, accreditation support, and network awards programs.
• State of FloridacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState funding partner through cooperative agreements. Florida designated the Florida SBDC Network as the state's principal provider of business assistance per § 288.001, Fla. Stat.
• Department of DefensecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFunding partner through cooperative agreements supporting the Florida APEX Accelerator (formerly APEX Accelerators) program for government contracting.
• Association of America's SBDCscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational accreditation body for SBDCs. The Florida SBDC Network is nationally accredited by this association.
• Bank of AmericacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-facilitator of the CEO XChange executive roundtable program, providing support for this exclusive peer networking initiative for Southwest Florida CEOs.
• Greater Naples Chamber of CommercesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerNew partnership established to better serve Collier County entrepreneurs and small businesses.
• Fifth Third BanksupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerHallmark sponsor of the Women Excelle 2024 conference, supporting the premier event dedicated to empowering women in business.
• Select FloridasupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with U.S. Commercial Service to develop customized Export Marketing Plans for Florida businesses seeking international expansion.
• U.S. Commercial ServicesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Select Florida to provide Export Marketing Plans offering market recommendations, trade opportunities, and actionable strategies.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• America's SBDC: National accreditation and advocacy body for the SBDC network of which Florida SBDC at FGCU is a member. Sets standards, training, and reporting frameworks that directly shape this center's operations and eligibility for federal funding.
• Veteran Business Outreach Center (VBOC): SBA-funded VBOCs provide entrepreneurship training, consulting, and resource referrals to veteran-owned small businesses. Closely parallels the SBDC's APEX-style government contracting support and SBA cooperative-agreement funding structure.
• Enterprise Florida / Select Florida: State-level economic development organization partnering with Florida SBDC at FGCU on Export Marketing Plans and international expansion services. Operates adjacent public-private programs aimed at growing Florida small and mid-sized businesses.
• Women's Business Centers (SBA): Another SBA-funded resource partner delivering no-cost business consulting and training targeted at women entrepreneurs. Operates the same no-cost consulting model and is a programmatic peer within the same federal small-business development ecosystem.
• SCORE: SCORE is the SBA's other principal resource partner, providing free mentoring and workshops to U.S. small businesses. Like Florida SBDC at FGCU, SCORE delivers no-cost consulting, training, and local volunteer networks, making it the closest direct peer in mission, funding source, and delivery model.
• U.S. Commercial Service (U.S. Department of Commerce): Federal export-promotion agency co-developing Export Marketing Plans with Florida SBDC at FGCU. Provides complementary market research, trade missions, and export counseling through its own offices, making it a direct operational peer in export services.
• Florida SBDC at University of West Florida: The statewide headquarters of the Florida SBDC Network and a sister regional SBDC. Operates the same funding model, accreditation, and program suite (consulting, APEX, export) as Florida SBDC at FGCU, with overlapping federal/state partners and shared statewide awards.
• University of Florida SBDC / other Florida SBDC regional centers: Other regional Florida SBDC centers (e.g., at University of Florida, USF, FIU) deliver the same consulting/workshop/Export/APEX suite under the Florida SBDC Network. They compete for the same statewide funding pool and accreditation recognition while serving distinct Florida regions.

Broad incumbents

• Small Business Administration (SBA) Resource Partners: The SBA funds and coordinates the broader resource-partner ecosystem (SBDCs, SCORE, WBCs, VBOCs). As the parent funding and policy authority, it sets the strategic direction, cooperative-agreement terms, and recognition programs that frame Florida SBDC at FGCU's activities.

Regional players

• Greater Naples Chamber of Commerce: Local chamber that formally partnered with Florida SBDC at FGCU in 2022 to better serve Collier County entrepreneurs. Competes for attention in the same small-business support space but focuses on advocacy, networking, and member services rather than no-cost consulting.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks1 record

Key highlights1 record

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC_TstNR2lFPjXSIw8KtedRg
• Facebookfacebook.com/FGCUSBDC
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/florida-sbdc-at-florida-gulf-coast-university
• Instagraminstagram.com/sbdc_fgcu

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 Florida SBDC at FGCU