Illinois Small Business Development Center at SIU

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Illinois Small Business Development Center at SIU Providing professional guidance for business growth. 1740 Innovation Drive, Carbondale, IL 62903 (618) 536-2424 https://sbdc.siu.edu/ Need help financing?
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Do you have a business idea? Want to go global? We can help! Attend one of our workshops to get all the basic information necessary to starting and operating your small business. You may purchase a Start-Up Kit at any time for only $15 to help get you started on your business plan, file state and federal forms, setup your legal structure, and more! After that, schedule an appointment with one of our small business advisers to get additional information and ask specific questions about your unique business. All counseling services are confidential and free of charge.

Don't miss your opportunity to enter your business idea, new concept, or expansion plan in the ๐’๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ๐ก๐ž๐ซ๐ง ๐ˆ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ข๐ง๐จ๐ข๐ฌ ๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ข๐ง๐ž๐ฌ...
09/22/2026

Don't miss your opportunity to enter your business idea, new concept, or expansion plan in the ๐’๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ๐ก๐ž๐ซ๐ง ๐ˆ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ข๐ง๐จ๐ข๐ฌ ๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ข๐ง๐ž๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐๐ฅ๐š๐ง ๐‚๐จ๐ฆ๐ฉ๐ž๐ญ๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐๐จ๐ฐ๐ž๐ซ๐ž๐ ๐›๐ฒ ๐‘๐ž๐ ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ฌ ๐๐š๐ง๐ค.

๐‘๐ž๐ ๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐ซ๐š๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐œ๐ฅ๐จ๐ฌ๐ž๐ฌ ๐’๐ž๐ฉ๐ญ ๐Ÿ๐Ÿ“. Visit the event website for competition information and registration.
https://sbdc.siu.edu/workshops/business-plan-competition.php

๐‡๐จ๐ฐ ๐ข๐ญ ๐ฐ๐จ๐ซ๐ค๐ฌ
Participants must attend three workshops at their chosen competition location. The workshops will help participants prepare a business plan, business financials, and a pitch. Competitors then submit a full business plan and deliver a compelling 90-second pitch for a chance to win.

Competition locations include Benton, Carbondale, Harrisburg, Metropolis, and Red Bud.

The competition is open to start-ups, existing for-profit small businesses, and pre-venture entrepreneurs. There is no cost to participate, but you must register.

Read about the winner of the 2025 Business Plan Competition Powered by Regions Bank, Florine Swim. https://sbdc.siu.edu/sbdc-success-stories/florine-swim-co.php

09/22/2026

๐Ÿ—๏ธ DONโ€™T MISS THIS if youโ€™re in a construction-based business!

Illinois Capital Development Board (CDB) projects need much more than general contractors. Opportunities can involve businesses such as:

๐Ÿ”จ Carpentry, framing & drywall
โšก Electrical & low-voltage
๐Ÿ”ง Plumbing, HVAC & mechanical
๐Ÿ—๏ธ Concrete, masonry & structural work
๐Ÿšช Doors, windows, glass & hardware
๐ŸŽจ Painting, flooring & finishes
๐Ÿ  Roofing & sheet metal
๐Ÿšœ Excavation, site work & demolition
๐ŸŒณ Landscaping & grounds work
๐Ÿ”ฅ Fire protection & life-safety systems
๐Ÿ”’ Security, access control & communications
๐Ÿ›— Elevators & specialty equipment
๐Ÿ“ Architecture, engineering & construction-related professional services
๐Ÿ“ฆ Construction materials & suppliers

If your business could play a role in building, renovating, repairing or maintaining State of Illinois facilities, this training is worth your time. Please share this info if you know of someone who may have interest.

Join the Chief Procurement Office (CPO) for Illinois Capital Development Board (CDB) and Illinois APEX Accelerator at SIU for two practical sessions covering how to find and bid CDB work AND successfully manage the project after you win it.

๐Ÿค Come for the training. Stay for the networking. Make connections that can help position your business for future CDB opportunities.

๐Ÿ‘‰ Register for both sessions!
๐Ÿ“… Register and join us for both sessions!
โ—Oct. 6 - https://ilsbdc.ecenterdirect.com/events/42287
โ—โ—Oct. 20 - https://ilsbdc.ecenterdirect.com/events/42288

Illinois APEX Accelerator at SIU helps Southern Illinois businesses prepare to capture more contract dollars.
618-536-2355
[email protected]
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The ๐’๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ๐ก๐ž๐ซ๐ง ๐ˆ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ข๐ง๐จ๐ข๐ฌ ๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ข๐ง๐ž๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐๐ฅ๐š๐ง ๐‚๐จ๐ฆ๐ฉ๐ž๐ญ๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐๐จ๐ฐ๐ž๐ซ๐ž๐ ๐›๐ฒ ๐‘๐ž๐ ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ฌ ๐๐š๐ง๐ค, is your opportunity to bring that vision to lif...
09/18/2026

The ๐’๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ๐ก๐ž๐ซ๐ง ๐ˆ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ข๐ง๐จ๐ข๐ฌ ๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ข๐ง๐ž๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐๐ฅ๐š๐ง ๐‚๐จ๐ฆ๐ฉ๐ž๐ญ๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐๐จ๐ฐ๐ž๐ซ๐ž๐ ๐›๐ฒ ๐‘๐ž๐ ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ฌ ๐๐š๐ง๐ค, is your opportunity to bring that vision to life. Submit a full business plan and deliver a compelling 90-second pitch for a chance to win. Past competitions have awarded over $20,000 in cash and in-kind services to help businesses thrive.
๐•๐ข๐ฌ๐ข๐ญ https://sbdc.siu.edu/workshops/business-plan-competition.php ๐Ÿ๐จ๐ซ ๐œ๐จ๐ฆ๐ฉ๐ž๐ญ๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐ข๐ง๐Ÿ๐จ ๐š๐ง๐ ๐ซ๐ž๐ ๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐ซ๐š๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง.
Deadline to register is September 25, 2026.

https://news.siu.edu/2026/09/091826-registration-open-for-the-southern-illinois-2026-business-plan-competition.php

Southern Illinois entrepreneurs with a bold idea or growth plan are invited to enter the Southern Illinois 2026 Business Plan Competition powered by Regions for a chance to win a share of more than $20,000 in cash and in-kind services.

Are you an entrepreneur with a business idea, new concept, or expansion plan? Ready to take your vision to the next leve...
09/11/2026

Are you an entrepreneur with a business idea, new concept, or expansion plan? Ready to take your vision to the next level? The ๐’๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ๐ก๐ž๐ซ๐ง ๐ˆ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ข๐ง๐จ๐ข๐ฌ ๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ข๐ง๐ž๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐๐ฅ๐š๐ง ๐‚๐จ๐ฆ๐ฉ๐ž๐ญ๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐๐จ๐ฐ๐ž๐ซ๐ž๐ ๐›๐ฒ ๐‘๐ž๐ ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ฌ ๐๐š๐ง๐ค, is your opportunity to bring that vision to life. Submit a full business plan and deliver a compelling 90-second pitch for a chance to win. Past competitions have awarded over $20,000 in cash and in-kind services to help businesses thrive.

๐•๐ข๐ฌ๐ข๐ญ https://sbdc.siu.edu/workshops/business-plan-competition.php ๐Ÿ๐จ๐ซ ๐œ๐จ๐ฆ๐ฉ๐ž๐ญ๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐ข๐ง๐Ÿ๐จ ๐š๐ง๐ ๐ซ๐ž๐ ๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐ซ๐š๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง.

Deadline to register is September 25, 2026.

Address

1740 Innovation Drive
Carbondale, IL
62903

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 4:30pm
Tuesday 8am - 4:30pm
Wednesday 8am - 4:30pm
Thursday 8am - 4:30pm
Friday 8am - 4:30pm

Telephone

+16185362424

Website

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