Start a New Business in Alabama

The business division of the Alabama Secretary of State’s Office helps women business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs organize and register their business. Services include business forms, business entity and name searches, document copies, certificate of existence, name reservation menu, domestic formation, foreign registration, business filing amendments, domestic dissolutions, certificate of withdrawal, trademark application, and other services.

770 Washington Avenue
Suite 580
Montgomery, Alabama 36104

Phone: 334-242-5324

Alabama Secretary of State website

The Governor’s Office of Minority Affairs (GOMA) is focused on issues directly affecting women and minorities in the State of Alabama. Its mission is to ensure the inclusion of women and minorities in the success and prosperity of the state.

In addition to critical issues affecting women and minorities like healthcare, education, criminal justice, and employment, economic development helps improve the quality of life and economic well-being of people in rural areas across the state. This includes access to the opportunities and tools necessary to start and grow businesses.

100 North Union Street
Suite 360
Montgomery, Alabama 36104
Phone: (334) 353-2113

Alabama Governor’s Office of Minority Affairs website

The SBA’s Alabama district 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 Birmingham serves Autauga, Bibb, Blount, Bullock, Calhoun, Chambers, Cherokee, Chilton, Choctaw, Clay, Cleburne, Colbert, Coosa, Cullman, Dallas, DeKalb, Elmore, Etowah, Fayette, Franklin, Greene, Hale, Jackson, Jefferson, Lamar, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Lee, Limestone, Lowndes, Macon, Madison, Marengo, Marion, Marshall, Montgomery, Morgan, Perry, Pickens, Randolph, Russell, Shelby, St. Clair, Sumter, Talladega, Tallapoosa, Tuscaloosa, Walker, Wilcox, and Winston counties.

The SBA office in Mobile serves Baldwin, Barbour, Butler, Clarke, Coffee, Conecuh, Covington, Crenshaw, Dale, Escambia, Geneva, Henry, Houston, Mobile, Monroe, Pike, and Washington counties.

Main office:
2 N. 20th Street
Suite 325
Birmingham, Alabama 35203
Phone: 205-290-7101

Additional location:
1141 Montlimar Drive
Suite 400
Mobile, Alabama 36609
Phone: 251-544-7401

Alabama Small Business Administration website

Whether your business is just an idea or a well-oiled machine, you can find guidance on topics that effect where you are on your entrepreneurial journey - from planning and launching to managing and growing your business.

Resources include starting a business, developing a business plan, determining startup costs, choosing a location, selecting a name, taxes, licenses and permits, insurance, best practices, closing a business, opening new locations, funding for expansion, hiring new employees, and mergers and acquisitions.

7550 Halcyon Summit Drive
Suite 115
Montgomery, Alabama 36117
Phone: 334-264-2261

Atlas Alabama Small Business Commission website

The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) seed funding programs encourage US small businesses to engage in Federal Research/Research and Development (R/R&D) with the potential for commercialization.

Through a competitive awards-based program, SBIR and STTR enable small businesses to explore their technological potential and provide the incentive to profit from its commercialization.

Phone: 571-306-5201

Small Business Innovation Research SBIR and Small Business Technology Transfer STTR Seed Funding website

The WR Bennett Alabama International Trade Center at the University of Alabama is a specialty program of the Alabama Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Network, and is funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the US Small Business Administration.

Services include one-on-one trade advising including export readiness, training programs, and an event calendar and workshop schedule.

Customized market research includes export research and import/supply chain optimization.

Trade training includes export financing, website internationalization, and startup assistance.

621 Greensboro Avenue
Tuscaloosa, Alabama 35401
Phone: 205-348-7621

Alabama International Trade Center website

The mission of the REACH Women’s Business Center is to help women start and grow small businesses in Central Alabama. In so doing, the organization aims to empower women in all stages of business and to provide as many opportunities as possible.

The REACH Women’s Business Center is in-tune with the needs of small business, both in the start-up and existing business phases. Its suite of services and resources help Central and South Alabama women start a business, grow or strengthen a business, finance a business, do business with the government, and accelerate an existing business.

620 2nd Avenue North
Clanton, Alabama 35045
Phone: 256-428-8190

REACH Women’s Business Center website

This Women’s Business Center helps women start and grow small businesses in Alabama. Its goal is to enable and empower women in all business stages by providing the support and resources to succeed. The Women’s Business Center serves North Alabama.

The REACH (Regional Economic Assistance Communicating Hope) Women’s Business Center is located in Clanton, AL. It empowers, trains, and equips entrepreneurs and encourage small business, to strengthen communities and stimulate business growth throughout Alabama. The REACH Women’s Business Center serves Central and South Alabama.

515 Sparkman Drive NW
Huntsville, Alabama 35816
Phone: 256-428-8190

Catalyst Center for Business and Entrepreneurship website

The Alabama Small Business Development Center network is a statewide, inter-institutional program to enhance economic growth in Alabama by providing management and technical assistance to small businesses. Professional business advisors support 10 Small Business Development Centers (SBDC) located at member university partners across the state.

The Alabama SBDC supports all counties with additional locations in Florence, Huntsville, Jacksonville, Birmingham, Tuscaloosa, Livingston, Montgomery, Auburn, Troy, and Mobile.

1500 1st Ave North
Birmingham, Alabama 34203
Phone: 877-825-7232

Alabama Small business Development Center ASBDC website

The Alabama APEX Accelerator helps women business owners identify, compete for, and win government contracts. Formerly known as the Alabama Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC), the organization provides professional advising and bid matching services. BidMatch monitors hundreds of bid websites from city, county, state, and federal governments - and even includes international opportunities.

Specialty business advisors are located at six locations across Alabama. APEX Alabama primarily works with small businesses, but does work with larger businesses that need assistance fulfilling their small business award obligations.

Phone: 205-348-1687

Alabama APEX Accelerator website

While the National Association of Women Business Owners is a national organization, NAWBO Alabama delivers local networking, education, inspiration, advocacy, partner resources and more to the women entrepreneurs of our state. The organization represents everything from start-ups to multi-million-dollar companies and even franchises. Growing a business can be tough, but it's a lot easier when there's a support system in place.

National Association of Women Business Owners NAWBO Alabama website

Small Business Administration (SBA) funding programs provide financial assistance to start or grow your business, or to help you recover after a declared disaster.

Start or expand your business with loans guaranteed by the SBA. Find an investor for your business. Get help after a disaster with low-interest disaster loans from the SBA. Protect your work and your client with an SBA-guaranteed surety bond. Look for government grants that help businesses do scientific research and development.

Alabama District Office
2 North 20th Street
Suite 325
Birmingham, Alabama
Phone: 205-290-7101

Small Business Administration SBA website

Alabama Launchpad is an early-stage seed fund investor, driving innovation and job growth through startup competitions and ongoing mentoring for Alabama entrepreneurs. Since 2006, Alabama Launchpad has funded 110 startups with a current valuation of $1+Billion.

Phone: 205-943-4700

Alabama Launchpad website

Managed by the US Department of Health and Human Services, Grants.gov is an e-government initiative operating under the governance of the US Office of Management and Budget.

The office provides a centralized location for grant seekers to find and apply for federal funding opportunities. Today, the Grants.gov system houses information on over 1,000 grant programs and vets grant applications for federal grant-making agencies.

Its mission is to provide a common website for federal agencies to post discretionary funding opportunities and for grantees to find and apply to them. Using the Grants.gov system makes it faster, easier and more cost effective for grant applicants to electronically interact with federal grant-making agencies.

Grants website

The Culverhouse College of Business at the University of Alabama provides undergraduate advising, business leadership/professional development, and a career center.

In addition, the Alabama Entrepreneurship Institute (AEI) promotes and supports entrepreneurship in the Culverhouse College of Business and across The University of Alabama.

The Institute’s goal is to grow businesses, create jobs, and provide students an opportunity to engage in real-world experiences.

361 Stadium Drive
Tuscaloosa, Alabama 35487
Phone: 205-348-4537

Culver College of Business at University of Alabama website

The Harbert College of Business is dedicated to supporting entrepreneurship across Auburn University and beyond. The college's goal is to inspire statewide, national and global innovation.

The role of entrepreneurship includes:

• an outreach program that supports the University's entrepreneurship education initiative by combining outreach programming with academic studies

• articipation in pitch competitions and recognition events

• startup growth at the New Venture Accelerator, a co-working space jointly managed by the Auburn University Harbert College of Business and The Auburn Research and Technology Foundation.

Harbert College of Business
405 West Magnolia Avenue
Auburn, Alabama 36849
Phone: 334-844-4030

Harbert College of Business at Auburn University website

Business Alabama covers business, large and small, in all sectors of the Alabama economy. From emerging technologies to vital manufacturing clusters, Business Alabama has been tracking the growth of the Alabama economy for more than three decades.

3324 Independence Drive
Birmingham, Alabama 35209
Phone: 205-802-6363

Business Alabama website

In the Birmingham Business Journal, you'll find the latest breaking business news, updated throughout the day, this week's top stories from the Birmingham Business Journal print edition, and other popular features.

At the Birmingham Business Journal, we recognize that success is powered by information and inspiration. As a unique editorial voice for the business community, they write for and about the companies that drive your local economy.

2140 11th Avenue South
Suite 205
Birmingham, Alabama 35205
Phone: 205-443-5600

Birmingham Business Journal website

Keeping you informed and inspired, the Huntsville Business Journal helps you keep your finger on the pulse of the community.

600 Boulevard South #104
Huntsville, Alabama 35802
Phone: 256-533-8078

Huntsville Business Journal website