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Governor Kathy Hochul today celebrated National Small Business Month, which occurs each May, by highlighting New York State's ongoing commitment to supporting its small business community. The Governor underscored major milestones in access to capital - including more than $1 billion deployed to small businesses since 2023 - and spotlighted the suite of programs available through Empire State Development to help entrepreneurs across every region of the state launch, grow and succeed. From capital access and innovation grants to technical assistance and workforce support, New York continues to expand the resources available to the small businesses that drive the state's economy. Find a full array of programs to support New York's small businesses on the Division of Small Business & Technology Development page.

"Small businesses are the lifeblood of New York, and my administration has made historic investments to make sure they have everything they need to succeed," Governor Hochul said. "More than $1 billion in capital deployed, a record MWBE utilization rate and new rounds of innovation grants opening doors for entrepreneurs across every region of the state. This is what our small businesses deserve, and we will keep delivering."

Empire State Development President, CEO and Commissioner Hope Knight said, "New York's small businesses are the engines of our communities, and we are proud to celebrate the innovation, creativity and resilience of our entrepreneurs this month and every month. Under Governor Hochul's leadership, we have deployed over $1 billion in capital, expanded access to financing in underserved markets and opened new doors for minority- and women-owned businesses. We are building on that momentum with programs like the Innovation Matching Grants and LINC to make New York the best state in the nation to start and grow a business."

Read the full press release here.