Florida SBDC at FIU

What Florida SBDC at FIU does

Florida SBDC at FIU (legal name: Florida Small Business Development Center at FIU) is a publicly funded, university-affiliated business development center established in 2014 and hosted by Florida International University's College of Business. It is one of multiple regional centers within the statewide Florida SBDC Network, which is headquartered at the University of West Florida, nationally accredited by the Association of America's SBDCs, and designated as Florida's Principal Provider of Business Assistance under § 288.001, Fla. Stat. The center delivers confidential, no-cost one-on-one consulting to entrepreneurs and small business owners in Miami-Dade County and Monroe County, with core service lines in Business Finance Advisory, Market Growth Advisory, Operations/Management Advisory, Access to Capital, Start-Up Services, and Government Contracting (delivered via a partnership with the Florida APEX Accelerator at FIU). Cumulative reported impact from inception through end of 2024 includes 8,947 businesses assisted, 28,037 jobs created/retained/saved, 581 businesses launched, $513,579,071 in client capital accessed, and $345,739,325 in government contracts obtained, with a reported 95.08% client satisfaction rate for 2023.

The center's underlying technology and delivery architecture is built around three layers: (1) a centralized statewide intake and routing system hosted at floridasbdc.org that funnels requests for consultation to the regional center; (2) an experienced team of business consultants drawn from FIU's College of Business; and (3) a differentiated AI-focused student consulting capability in which FIU student teams in AI, analytics, and business programs, under faculty supervision, deliver consulting projects aimed at improving operational efficiency and strategic decision-making for small businesses. The center does not charge clients and does not lend or invest capital; it instead guides clients in seeking loans and equity from third parties. Operating funding is provided by the U.S. Small Business Administration, U.S. Department of Defense, the State of Florida, and other public/private partners.

The go-to-market model is community-led and event-driven: the center relies on digital content (GrowBiz Blog on FIU's domain), active social media presence (Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube), scheduled events and trainings, a newsletter signup, and Florida SBDC Network referrals to attract clients. The website and network central intake act as the primary conversion point, supplemented by phone (305.779.9230) and email ([email protected]). Distribution is direct to SMBs and individual entrepreneurs; there is no enterprise sales motion. Pricing is "freemium" in the sense that all consulting is no-cost to clients, with the center's "revenue" effectively being programmatic appropriations rather than fees for service.

Name

Florida SBDC at FIU

Legal name

Florida Small Business Development Center at FIU

Website

https://sbdc.fiu.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Florida SBDC at FIU is a publicly funded, FIU College of Business–hosted small business development center providing no-cost one-on-one consulting to entrepreneurs and SMBs across Miami-Dade and Monroe Counties, Florida, covering finance, market growth, operations, government contracting, and capital access.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Small Business Consulting

NAICS

Management Consulting Services (54161)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Debt & Capital Advisory (Debt Raising, Refinancing, Private Credit) (BPAHAOAD)

Keywords

• Small business consulting
• Business advisory services
• Government contracting assistance
• Entrepreneurship support
• Small business development

Headquarters

HQ city

Miami

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Public/Government Funding: The Florida SBDC at FIU is a publicly funded business assistance center. It does not generate revenue from clients. Operations are supported by a consortium of public and private funders including the U.S. Small Business Administration, Department of Defense, State of Florida, and other private and public partners, with the University of West Florida serving as the statewide network headquarters.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Florida SBDC at FIU delivers confidential, no-cost one-on-one business consulting to entrepreneurs and small business owners in Miami-Dade and Monroe Counties. Core advisory offerings include Business Finance Advisory, Market Growth Advisory, and Operations/Management Advisory, with additional services in Government Contracting (via the Florida APEX Accelerator at FIU), Access to Capital, and Start-Up Services. The center also facilitates AI-focused consulting projects delivered by FIU faculty and student teams.

Product overview

Florida SBDC at FIU is a single, unified consulting service that provides no-cost one-on-one business advisory services to entrepreneurs and small business owners in Miami-Dade and Monroe Counties. The organization offers a portfolio of advisory services including Business Finance Advisory, Market Growth Advisory, and Operations/Management Advisory, which form the core consulting offerings. Additional specialized services include Government Contracting (via partnership with Florida APEX Accelerator), Access to Capital, and Start-Up Services. The center also runs a Student Programs initiative that partners with FIU student teams to deliver AI-focused consulting projects for small businesses. All services are delivered through confidential, no-cost one-on-one consulting engagements.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Named customers3 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Florida APEX Accelerator at FIUcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Florida SBDC at FIU partners with the Florida APEX Accelerator at FIU to help small businesses access federal, state, and local government contracting opportunities. The APEX Accelerator provides specialized expertise in government contracting that complements the SBDC's general business advisory services.
• Florida SBDC Network (University of West Florida)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Florida SBDC at FIU is a regional center within the Florida SBDC Network, a statewide partnership program. The University of West Florida serves as the network's headquarters and conducts annual client satisfaction surveys to measure outcomes. The network provides centralized administration, resources, and quality standards.
• FIU College of BusinesscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFIU's College of Business provides institutional support and academic resources to the SBDC at FIU. The partnership enables access to faculty expertise and student talent, including AI-focused consulting projects delivered by student teams in AI, analytics, and business programs.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• SCORE: National nonprofit providing free business mentoring and education to small business owners, funded in part by the SBA. Operates a directly comparable no-cost advisory model with overlapping target audience and funding relationships.
• Veterans Business Outreach Centers (VBOC): SBA-funded resource partners providing business training, counseling, and mentoring to veteran entrepreneurs. Operate under a similar model and funding structure to SBDCs, with a specialized target segment.
• Florida SBDC Network: Statewide SBDC network that includes Florida SBDC at FIU as a regional center. Operates the same no-cost consulting model, shares funding sources (SBA, DOD, State of Florida), and is headquartered at the University of West Florida.
• Accion: Nonprofit organization providing small business loans and advisory services to underserved entrepreneurs. Comparable in serving small businesses with limited access to capital and business expertise, with a mission-driven funding model.
• Women's Business Centers (WBC): SBA-funded resource partners providing business training, counseling, and mentoring to women entrepreneurs. Operate a similar free advisory model with shared SBA funding and overlapping target segments.
• Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses: Philanthropic program providing business education, mentoring, and access to capital for underserved small businesses. Comparable in targeting small business owners with free, high-touch advisory services and access-to-capital pathways.

Others

• Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation: Foundation focused on entrepreneurship and small business development through research, programs, and ecosystem funding. Operates adjacent to SBDCs as a funder and thought leader in the U.S. small business support ecosystem.

Broad incumbents

• Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA): Federal agency supporting the growth of minority-owned business enterprises through a network of business centers providing consulting and access to capital. Operates broadly in the small business development space with overlapping services.
• U.S. Small Business Administration: Federal agency that funds the SBDC network and offers a broader portfolio of small business lending, contracting, and advisory programs. A key funder and ecosystem incumbent for the Florida SBDC at FIU.

Regional players

• Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC): Canadian government-funded institution providing financing and advisory services to small and medium-sized businesses. Comparable in being a government-backed provider of small business advisory services, though operating in a different geography.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/FSBDCatFIU
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCYXxvXf2QuS0Dso-i3xqd1w
• Facebookfacebook.com/FloridaSBDCatFIU
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fsbdcatfiu

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Florida SBDC at FIU