The Duquesne University Small Business Development Center is expanding its support for small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs through a new regional initiative focused on access, guidance and long-term business success.
In partnership with regional Small Business Development Centers, Duquesne’s SBDC has received a $1.6 million state grant to launch the Business Assistance Service Center (BASC). The BASC is designed to strengthen entrepreneurial success across the region by helping business owners who have faced longstanding challenges in accessing capital, networks and business resources.
Personalized Support
Entrepreneurs enrolled in the program will have access to one-on-one business consulting, training, workshops, facilities, networking and mentorship.
Experienced consultants will provide personalized guidance in business planning, financial management, marketing strategy, operational growth planning and other areas that help entrepreneurs move their ideas and businesses forward.
Because access to funding remains one of the greatest challenges facing small businesses, the BASC also will offer support with loan readiness, application preparation, grant identification and connections to lenders and financial institutions.
Educational programming will cover entrepreneurship fundamentals, financial literacy, cash flow management, digital marketing strategies and available business resources.
A Regional Network
Duquesne’s SBDC will coordinate the effort through a broad coalition of partners committed to entrepreneurship and economic development.
Partners include SBDCs based at other universities in Western Pennsylvania, along with the Metropolitan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the Asian Chamber of Commerce, Three Rivers Business Alliance and Colorful Voices.
Together, these organizations are creating a stronger ecosystem of support that provides entrepreneurs with practical, culturally relevant and accessible resources. Through the BASC, Duquesne and its partners are helping more business owners gain the tools, connections and opportunities needed to launch, grow and sustain successful enterprises.
A Year of Recognition
The BASC builds on a year of recognition for the Duquesne SBDC.
In 2026, the center received the Pennsylvania Small Business Development Centers’ Happy Client Award for the second consecutive year. The recognition reflects the highest client satisfaction score in Pennsylvania’s SBDC network and is based on direct client feedback and survey results.
The SBDC’s graduate assistant team also received the 2026 Pennsylvania Small Business Development Centers Student Project of the Year Award for developing an AI-powered client intake and consultant assignment system that improves efficiency while maintaining personalized service.
