Pittsburgh, PA – November 6, 2025 – Through an awarded grant from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED), The University of Pittsburgh Small Business Development Center (SBDC) will provide technical training and assistance for small business owners and entrepreneurs across the region as part of the Historically Disadvantaged Business Assistance Program.
The project will be a collaboration between the Southwestern Pennsylvania SBDC network, including the SBDC’s of Duquesne University (Lead), St. Vincent College, PennWest University, St. Francis University, the University of Pittsburgh, and community partners.
“The Pitt SBDC is on a mission to grow the economy of Western Pennsylvania by providing entrepreneurs with one-on-one consulting, world-class training, and the tools necessary to build successful businesses. By working collaboratively with other SBDC partners in our region, this grant will enable us to continue substantial support to expand access to economic opportunities and services to all entrepreneurs, especially those in underserved areas of Southwestern PA,” said Annia Aleman, Associate Director of the University of Pittsburgh IEE and Director of the Pitt SBDC.
The Pitt SBDC will leverage its two Pennsylvania SBDC-designated Centers of Excellence in Digital Services and Supply Chain, as well as the resources of the IEE’s Urban & Community Entrepreneurship Program (UCEP) and Entrepreneurial Fellows Class (EFC), to provide best-in-class business assistance to small business owners across the Pitt SBDC’s regional footprint. The program will also launch a “Ignite Your Entrepreneurial Growth” pilot program that will support the professional growth of 10-12 entrepreneurs and business owners with group and individual professional coaching sessions.
Additionally, the grant will provide support to partner with the University of Pittsburgh’s Community Engagement Center (CEC) in Homewood for expanded entrepreneurial support and access to local, community-based space for programming and connections.
“We are grateful to the PA Department of Community and Economic Development for supporting this initiative across the Southwestern PA region,” said Bob Stein, Associate Vice Chancellor for Innovation & Entrepreneurship at the University of Pittsburgh and Executive Director of Pitt’s Institute for Entrepreneurial Excellence. “It will provide vital resources and training for local entrepreneurs, promote business growth, and further develop our region’s businesses technical skills.”
In FY2025, the award-winning Pitt SBDC helped start 48 new businesses, assisted businesses with accessing over $16 million in capital, delivered more than 8,000 hours of business consulting, conducted more than 60 training seminars, and reached more than 1,100 local businesses. In May of 2025, the Pitt SBDC was honored by the Pennsylvania SBDC with its “Center Performance Award” for exceeding metrics and expectations, as well as the “Team Spirit Award” for collaboration in helping the network achieve strategic initiatives. Two individual Pitt SBDC consultants were also honored with awards recognizing excellence in their careers.
More information on the Pitt SBDC, IEE centers, and upcoming efforts and programming developed as part of the Historically Disadvantaged Business Assistance Program can be found at https://entrepreneur.pitt.edu.
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About the University of Pittsburgh Institute for Entrepreneurial Excellence (IEE).
The Institute for Entrepreneurial Excellence, part of the University of Pittsburgh’s Office of Innovation & Entrepreneurship, has served businesses throughout western Pennsylvania for more than 30 years with personalized support and education at every step of the business lifecycle. The IEE achieves its mission to be an innovative leader of economic development through five main centers: Pitt Small Business Development Center (SBDC), Urban & Community Entrepreneurship Program (UCEP), Pantherlabworks (PLW), Entrepreneurial Fellows Class (EFC), and IEE Membership.
About the University of Pittsburgh Small Business Development Center (SBDC).
The Pitt Small Business Development Center, part of the Pennsylvania SBDC network, provides educational seminars and confidential, no-cost consulting to existing businesses and prospective entrepreneurs. The Pitt SBDC footprint covers seven counties, including Allegheny, Beaver, Butler, Greene, Indiana, Lawrence, and Washington. The SBDC provides guidance in all aspects of starting and operating a successful business.
Pennsylvania Small Business Development Centers are funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration, by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania through the Department of Community & Economic Development, through support from Service Center host institutions, and by other sources of state and federal funding. Full disclosures available at https://www.pasbdc.org/funding-sources/.