Governor Hochul Announces More Than 27,000 Small Businesses and Entrepreneurs Supported by Small Business Development Centers Throughout New York State

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced annual results from the New York Small Business Development Centers (New York SBDC), highlighting the strong support provided to small businesses and entrepreneurs throughout New York State. The centers empower entrepreneurs through one-on-one no-cost business advice, training, and research that fuels New York State's economic growth. Last year, the New York SBDC served 27,414 businesses and entrepreneurs through one-on-one advisement and trainings, helped generate $218.8 million in new capital, supported the saving and retention of 31,282 jobs, and helped create 3,392 new jobs.

"Small Business Development Centers throughout New York State are helping New Yorkers turn good ideas into vibrant small businesses," Governor Hochul said. "From Long Island to Niagara Falls, and the North Country to the Southern Tier, these centers are empowering New York small businesses and entrepreneurs to step up, achieve upward mobility, and serve as job creators within their local communities. I will continue to use every tool at my disposal to help New York workers and job creators thrive and prosper."

The New York SBDC is administered by the State University of New York (SUNY) and hosted at 20 different institutions across New York State, helping to link learning institutions with an expansive statewide small business network. The SBDC provides comprehensive support across all industries - including technology, manufacturing, retail, agriculture, and artificial intelligence - guiding businesses through every stage of their lifecycle, from startup and expansion to succession planning. Throughout its over 40 years of service, Small Business Development Centers have served more than 550,000 entrepreneurs, helping generate nearly $9 billion in economic impact for New York State.

State University of New York Chancellor John B. King Jr. said, "Small Business Development Centers are engines of upward mobility for thousands of New Yorkers that provide vital support for budding entrepreneurs as they work to build the business of their dreams. Through the strong support of leaders like Governor Hochul, and federal and state partners, this program has had transformative impacts on entrepreneurs throughout the state. SUNY is committed to supporting economic development in communities across the state, and the Small Business Development Centers are a core part of our efforts to strengthen New York's economy."

The SUNY Board of Trustees said, "Across New York State, small businesses enrich their communities by providing economic development opportunities, career pathways, and services. At SUNY, we are committed to helping businesses thrive across our state, and commend our Small Business Development Centers for their work to support small businesses and entrepreneurs. We thank Governor Hochul for her leadership, and federal and state officials for continuing to invest in SUNY programs and initiatives, including Small Business Development Centers."

Empire State Development President, CEO and Commissioner Hope Knight said, "Empire State Development and SUNY share a commitment to helping New York's entrepreneurs and small businesses succeed. Under Governor Hochul's leadership, we are strengthening the ecosystem that gives business owners the tools, guidance, and capital they need to start, grow, and create jobs. Together, we are expanding economic opportunity in every region and helping ensure more New Yorkers can turn innovative ideas into thriving businesses."

State Director at New York SBDC Sonya Smith said, "SBDC clients have an 80% five-year survival rate, far above the national average. They grow faster, hire more, and outperform businesses that go it alone. For every $1 invested in the SBDC, the SBDC delivers $4 in measurable return. As a program funded in partnership with the U.S. Small Business Administration, we appreciate the SBA's continued investment in and commitment to the SBDC program and its mission of helping entrepreneurs start, grow, expand, and succeed. We also appreciate Governor Kathy Hochul's continued commitment to New York's small businesses and we value our partnership with Empire State Development. We look forward to expanding our collaboration to increase the capacity and reach of the NYSBDC program so we can serve even more entrepreneurs and small businesses across the state. Thank you to all organizations that we partner with across the small business ecosystem, as well as our incredible staff, advisors, and directors across New York State, and my central office team for their strength, patience, and fearless creativity in pushing us forward. "

State Senator April N.M. Baskin said, "Small businesses are the backbone of our local economies, and New York's Small Business Development Centers give entrepreneurs the tools, expertise, and individualized support they need to turn their ideas into successful businesses. I was proud to fight for $2.6 million in this year's State Budget to support the SBDC network, and I will remain a strong advocate for these centers because of the vital role they play in strengthening our local economies and creating pathways to economic mobility for entrepreneurs across New York State."

Assemblymember Marianne Buttenschon said, "As Chair of the Assembly's Small Business Committee, it has been both an honor and a privilege to represent and support the people and small businesses that fuel our communities and drive our local and state economy. Small businesses make up a significant percentage of all businesses in New York, employing over 40 percent of our workforce and generating nearly $1 trillion in annual economic activity. That success does not happen by accident, but is made possible through many resources including the New York Small Business Development Centers, as well as, the local center partnered with Mohawk Valley Community College, which provide entrepreneurs with the no-cost guidance and capital access they need to start, grow, and sustain their businesses, and the never-ending hard work, determination, and perseverance of our state's business owners. Impacting more than half a million entrepreneurs statewide and generating $218.8 million in capital investment this year is more than just a milestone - it is a testament to what this partnership between SUNY and our small business community can achieve and the growth that is to come when we continue to invest in the people building our economy from the ground up."

About the New York Small Business Development Center

The New York Small Business Development Centers (NYSBDC) are New York State's most expansive small business support network. The NYSBDC provides free, confidential 1-on-1 business advisement, training, and research to small business owners and entrepreneurs.

Primarily funded by the U.S. Small Business Administration and the State of New York and administered by the State University of New York (SUNY), the NYSBDC operates 20 regional small business centers across all of New York's ten economic development regions. These centers, hosted on the campuses of SUNY, CUNY, Pace University, and St. Thomas Aquinas College, link higher education with small businesses. The NYSBDC also has more than 70 satellite locations in partnership with community organizations, including chambers of commerce, economic development organizations, industrial development agencies, and incubators. Learn more at nysbdc.org.

About the State University of New York

The State University of New York is the largest comprehensive system of higher education in the United States, and more than 95 percent of all New Yorkers live within 30 miles of any one of SUNY's 64 colleges and universities. Across the system, SUNY has four academic health centers, five hospitals, four medical schools, two dental schools, a law school, the country's oldest school of maritime, the state's only college of optometry, 12 Educational Opportunity Centers, more than 30 ATTAIN digital literacy labs, and manages one US Department of Energy National Laboratory. In total, SUNY serves about 1.7 million students across its portfolio of credit- and non-credit-bearing courses and programs, continuing education, and community outreach programs. SUNY oversees nearly a quarter of academic research in New York. Research expenditures system-wide are nearly $1.5 billion in fiscal year 2025, including significant contributions from students and faculty. There are more than three million SUNY alumni worldwide, and annually one in three New Yorkers who earn a college degree is a SUNY alum. To learn more about how SUNY creates opportunities, visit suny.edu.