Start a New Business in Minnesota

The Central Certification (CERT) Program is a small business certification program recognized by Hennepin County, Ramsey County, the City of Minneapolis and the City of Saint Paul. The CERT Program certifies small businesses, including small Minority-Owned Business Enterprises (MBE) and small Women-Owned Business Enterprises (WBE). The CERT Program also certifies Emerging Small Business Enterprises (ESBE), which are a subset of the small business marketplace.

The CERT Program seeks to promote market growth, increase competitiveness, and create jobs among participating businesses, as well as to improve the quality of life for area residents.

15 West Kellogg Boulevard
280 City Hall
Saint Paul, Minnesota 55102
Phone: 651-266-8904

Saint Paul, Minnesota Central Certification Program website

The Small Business Assistance Office places a special emphasis on providing the in-depth information that is so crucial to business success yet too costly for many business owners to obtain on their own.

The office helps reduce the money, time, expertise, and lost opportunity for startups and established businesses alike by offering individual consultation services along with a comprehensive series of business guidebooks and notes as well as Minnesota eLicensing, government contracting, and frequently asked questions.

180 East 5th Street
Suite 1200
Saint Paul, Minnesota 55101
Phone: 651-556-8425 or 800-310-8323

Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development Small Business Assistance Office website

The Small Business Administration’s Minnesota office provides services including funding programs, counseling, federal contracting, certifications, and disaster recovery. They can also connect you to partner organizations, lenders, and other community groups that help small businesses succeed.

The main office in Minneapolis serves all 87 counties across Minnesota.

A sample of educational events includes Five Ways to Amplify a Mission that Matters and Where’s the Money?: Sourcing Capital for Your Business.

330 2nd Avenue South
Suite 430
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55401
Phone: 612-370-2324

Minnesota Small Business Administration website

TeamWomen is a professional women’s non-profit organization committed to developing future generations of women in leadership. Membership includes women from the C-suite to young professionals who work in a variety of industries including business, corporate, sports, and civic organizations.

We value relationships, community, lifelong learning, mentoring, and an atmosphere of shared empowerment.

1633 West End Boulevard
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55416

TeamWomen website

The WBDC Minnesota office in St. Paul supports and accelerates business development and growth, targeting women and serving all diverse business owners.

Coaching and education services include:

• strategic one-on-one and group business advising, specialized cohort-based curricula and workshops, and digital learning.

• contract assistance for private sector procurement opportunities, public sector contracting assistance, and WBE (Women's Business Enterprise) certification.

• capital-related services including financial education, debt and equity placement, direct lending, and Kiva microlending.

165 Western Avenue North
Suite 8
St. Paul, Minnesota 55102
Phone: 312-853-3477 x 300

Minnesota Women’s Business Development Center

Get advice you can trust from your nearest Small Business Development Center on topics including developing a business plan, marketing and research, accounting, access to capital, and more. All advice is available at no cost to you.

Nine main regional SBDC offices are located in: Bemidji for the Northwest region, Duluth for the Northeast region, Moorhead for the West Central region, Brainerd for the North Central region, St. Cloud for the Central region, Marshall for the Southwest region, Mankato for the South Central region, Rochester for the Southeast region, and Minneapolis for the Twin Cities Metro area.

State Office: Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development
180 East 5th Street
Suite 1200
St. Paul, Minnesota 55101

This state office is administrative only. This location does not provide direct client services.

Minnesota Small Business Development Centers website

The Minnesota Chamber offers business services – solutions to your business challenges – at competitive costs and with very simple steps.

• One-on-one business assistance, assessing challenges and offering solutions for your business.

• Sustainability consulting to reduce your energy usage and company’s waste and cost.

• Professional association management services, including organizational, communications, advocacy and economic development.

• Economic insights from real businesses and economists.

• One-stop-shop for HR tools.

380 St. Peter Street
Suite 1050
St. Paul, Minnesota 55102
Phone: 651-292-4650

Minnesota Chamber of Commerce website

The National Association of Women Business Owners’ Minnesota Chapter (NAWBO-MN) provides a local avenue for women entrepreneurs to connect with their peers. Women business owners, large and small, join together for regular networking, educational programs, mentorship and support.

NAWBO was founded to open doors for women entrepreneurs by transforming public policy and leveling the playing field. Representing the issues and concerns of women-owned businesses at the national, state and local levels, NAWBO is in the forefront of advocating on behalf of women business owners and the issues that impact their companies.

16526 West 78th Street
#168
Eden Prairie, Minnesota 55346

National Association of Women Business Owners NAWBO Minnesota website

WomenVenture provides women of all ages, cultures, races, and income levels with the tools and resources to achieve economic success through small business ownership.

• Training: WomenVenture offers training and support for entrepreneurs at every stage of their journey to help them create profitable, sustainable small businesses.

• Lending: WomenVenture’s lending program is designed to support you on your entrepreneurial journey. They focus on your business’s ability to be profitable and sustainable.

• Child Care Business Services: WomenVenture provides training programs for every stage of your child care business for families and centers.

• Volunteer: WomenVenture volunteers are key to the success of the organization’s clients and provide a community of support throughout their entrepreneurial journey.

165 Western Avenue North
Suite 8, Office #100
St Paul, Minnesota 55102
Phone: 612-224-9540

WomenVenture website

Women Entrepreneurs of Minnesota - WeMN - is a nonprofit organization created exclusively to provide personal and professional growth opportunities for entrepreneurial women leaders in the Twin Cities through education, mentoring, peer advisory, and collaborative networking.

Its goals include:

• Provide access to a year-long professional mentorship program comprised of interactive sessions that assist members in building their businesses.

• Encourage the efforts of women entrepreneurs and professionals by providing a fun and relaxed environment to meet and network with like-minded women.

• Support the professional growth of members through monthly educational meetings that showcase the talents of WeMN members and industry professionals.

Women Entrepreneurs of Minnesota website

The Women’s Business Alliance (WBA) is a program of the Entrepreneur Fund, and certified Women’s Business Center of the SBA, that provides specialized advising, training, networking and access to capital for women entrepreneurs across 17 counties in Minnesota and Wisconsin. The WBA is dedicated to supporting women at every stage of their small business journey, as well as providing opportunities for professional growth.

• Custom Roadmap: A unique plan for your unique business; you craft a roadmap focused on action and moving your small business forward. 

• Connections: Opportunities for women entrepreneurs to connect with experts, mentors, and peers to build their network, support team and knowledge.  

• Tools and Knowledge: Entrepreneurs are equipped with simple, functional tools to help you at every stage of business. 

• Money: The organization walks you through every step to access small business loans that will help you move towards your goals.

Women’s Business Alliance website

Whether you are in the planning stages or are ready to go to the next level, SCORE helps with free mentoring and low-cost training. Volunteers can meet with clients at convenient locations in Southeast Minnesota.

Mentors are available to participate in remote mentoring sessions via phone, email, and video. Register for no-or low-cost business training on a variety of business topics, including marketing, finance, and accounting, management, and others. Live webinars, on-demand interactive courses, and recorded webinars are also available online.

Browse the resource library to get the latest in small business strategies and trends and use the information you find in the library to grow your business knowledge.

SCORE Southeast Minnesota
c/o Rochester Area Chamber of Commerce
220 South Broadway, Suite 100
Rochester, Minnesota 55904
Phone: 507-200-0760

SCORE Southeast Minnesota

SCORE Central Minnesota
2021 E Hennepin Avenue
Suite 220
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55413
Phone: 952-938-4570

SCORE Central Minnesota

The U.S. Small Business Administration helps small businesses get the funding you need. Funding resources include:

• Loans: Start or expand your business with loans guaranteed by the SBA.

• Investment capital: Find an investor for your business. Investors make both debt and equity investments.

• Disaster assistance: Get help after a disaster with low-interest disaster loans.

• Surety bonds: Protect your work and your client with an SBA-guaranteed surety bond.

• Grants: Look for government grants that help businesses do scientific research and development.

U.S. Small Business Administration website

WomenVenture is a U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI), and Minnesota Department of Employment & Economic Development (DEED) lender serving Anoka, Carver, Chisago, Dakota, Hennepin, Isanti, Le Sueur, Mille Lacs, Ramsey, Scott, Sherburne, Sibley, Washington, and Wright Counties in Minnesota and Pierce and St. Croix Counties in Wisconsin.

Loans from WomenVenture can be used to help start or grow your business. Eligible uses of loan funds include (but are not limited to):

• Leasehold improvements

• Additions, alterations, remodeling, or renovations to your rented space

• Inventory and supplies

• Machinery or equipment purchases

• Working capital

• Debt refinancing

• Payroll

• Small Business Loans

165 Western Avenue North
Suite 8, Office #100
St Paul, Minnesota 55102
Phone: 612-224-9540

WomenVenture Lending website

Entrepreneur Fund is a nonprofit lender that will work to find the best loan to meet your needs and goals.

Loans are prepared and structured in partnership with you.to help you determine what loan works best for your business. As part of your lending experience, you will also have a business advisor as your ongoing partner to help you reach your business goals.

Loan types include SBA Microloan, SBA 7a, and small business loans.

Duluth Office (Headquarters)
202 W. Superior Street
Suite 311
Duluth, Minnesota 55802
Phone: 218-623-5747

Entrepreneur Fund website

Additional Entrepreneur Fund locations can be found in Eveleth, Grand Rapids, Hibbing, and Little Falls.

The Holmes Center is the hub of entrepreneurship and innovation at the University of Minnesota that inspires, educates and connects the next generation of Minnesota's entrepreneurs. It mobilizes the community and provide support for emerging entrepreneurs, both within and outside the University, through experiential courses and engaging outreach programs.

Carlson School of Management
321 Nineteenth Avenue South
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455
Phone: 612-625-9225

University of Minnesota Carlson School of Management Holmes Center for Entrepreneurship website

Schulze School of Entrepreneurship is a hub of innovative thinking that engages students, seasoned entrepreneurs, small businesses, change makers and leaders. Innovators from all disciplines come to explore new opportunities, make connections and turn their ideas into reality.

• Family Business Center: The Family Business Center is a vibrant community of business families, students, researchers and advisers that offers practical tools and strategies to help individuals, families and businesses function at their best.

• Schulze Innovation Fund: The Schulze Innovation Fund invests in St. Thomas entrepreneurial students and alumni to help them launch and develop their businesses.

• Community Entrepreneurship Program: The Community Entrepreneurship Program is a 10-month, hands-on program for community members facing economic hardship who have a dream of starting and growing a business. Entrepreneurs are supported through a six-week business training bootcamp, one-on-one mentorship, connections to community resources, and more.

Opus College of Business
1000 LaSalle Avenue
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55403
Phone: 651-962-4200

University of St. Thomas Opus College of Business Schulze School of Entrepreneurship website

The Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship's mission is to facilitate the launch of the next generation of entrepreneurs, innovators and dynamic organizations through education, outreach and research.

• Student Start-Up and Resources: Information to help launch and support students’ big ideas through mentoring and training.

• Consulting Services: Offered to southern MN organizations. Work with an expert supervised team of students to find solutions to real-world business problems.

• Events: Events focus on entrepreneurship, social media for business, and design thinking.

120 Morris Hall
Mankato, Minnesota 56001
Phone: 1-800-722-0544

Minnesota State University College of Business Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship websites

Twin Cities Business is Minnesota’s leading provider of business news, insight, and analysis through a monthly magazine, twice-weekly e-newsletter, daily online news stories, events, and an annual business information guide.

You get to know the personalities of the region’s most influential leaders, exploring the “how” behind their success, strategies, and solutions. The magazine discusses today’s most pressing issues, examines trends and outlooks, and provides the context, perspective, and information leaders have come to depend upon.

953 Westgate Drive
Suite 107
St. Paul, Minnesota 55114

Twin Cities Business website

The Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal connects the business community with breaking news and features.

Areas of focus include the Latest News, Lists & Leads, Commercial Real Estate, Banking, Technology, Healthcare, Residential Real Estate, and Minnesota Innovation.

100 South 5th Street
Suite 1800
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55402
Phone: 612-288-2100

Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal