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Local Venture Capital Firms
The Pittsburgh Regional Alliance maintains a useful directory of current venture capital firms that are based in the Pittsburgh area.
- Pittsburgh Venture Capital Firms
Other Financing Agencies
Allegheny County Bar Association: Pittsburgh Legal Journal
A form to register your fictitious business name with the Pittsburgh Legal Journal (published by the Allegheny County Bar Association) is available on this page in PDF format. Other forms are also available.
The Allegheny County Department of Economic Development
provides technical, financial and site location assistance to small businesses.
Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh Research Databases: Business
The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, the Electronic Information Network, and Access Pennsylvania provide database access to thousands of journal articles in the business field, including many full-text articles published in trade and business magazines on starting a small business, business planning, and stories about businesses in other cities.
You can access two of these databases from home with your library card from a participating library:
- Gale Group/Infotrac
- Access PA POWER Library (includes EBSCO)
Catalyst Connection
Formerly SPIRC: Southwestern Pennsylvania Industrial Resource Center
A private, not-for-profit economic development corporation whose mission is to improve the competitive performance of the region's small- and medium-sized manufacturers and strengthen southwestern Pennsylvania's capability for manufacturing growth.
Enterprize
Pittsburgh's Business Plan Competition.
Family Enterprise Center
A membership organization open to selected family-owned businesses by the University of Pittsburgh Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business which provides programs and expertise to these businesses.
Greater Pittsburgh Chamber of Commerce
offers programming in areas such as legislation, education, infrastructure improvement, networking, community affairs, and public image. It also provides its members with valuable resources for effective business planning.
Innovation Works
Innovation Works, in operation since 1999 is a member of Ben Franklin Partners, a statewide network that fosters economic growth in Pennsylvania. It considers loans to businesses that are U.S. owned, located or willing to locate in Southwestern Pennsylvania, employ fewer than 100 people, have been in business for less than 3 years, and have proposed products or services that are technology-based and sufficiently innovative to provide a competitive edge. It also offers mentoring, networking and professional services to entrepreneurs.
Port of Pittsburgh: Industrial Development
The Port of Pittsburgh website provides information on available industrial sites and funding opportunities
The Progress Fund
A certified Community Development Financial Institution that provides loans for small tourist-related businesses within the counties of Bedford, Blair, Cambria, Fayette, Fulton, Huntingdon, Indiana, Somerset, and Westmoreland. Funded in part by the United States Department of Agriculture's Rural Development Program and the Southwestern Pennsylvania Heritage Preservation Commission.
SBN Online
This is the online version of SBN (Smart Business Network) Magazine, a publication that covers news of interest to small businesses in Cleveland, Columbus and Pittsburgh. You can find articles on local Pittsburgh businesses here, as well as reports on best practices and strategies, important business trends, government matters and legal issues.
SCORE (Service Corps of Retired Executives), Pittsburgh Chapter
provides free and confidential business counseling for starting and growing a small business (SCORE counselors are available onsite every Thursday from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. in the Business Services Department of the Library Center.)
Small Business Development Centers in the Pittsburgh Area
offer training and consulting programs for developing and growing small businesses.
- University of Pittsburgh Small Business Development Center
- Duquesne University Small Business Development Center
- Saint Vincent College Small Business Development Center
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SMC Business Councils
A nonprofit trade association dedicated to helping small service, manufacturing, and commercial companies achieve their business and civic objectives.
University of Pittsburgh Manufacturing Assistance Center
Part of the Department of Industrial Engineering, the MAC provides training programs and shared manufacturing space and expertise for local start-up manufacturers.
Western Pennsylvania District Small Business Resource Guide
describes loan packages and guidelines for starting or expanding a business in the area.
The following resources can help develop your business plan
University of Pittsburgh - Small Business Development Center
First Floor, Wesley W. Posvar Hall
Pittsburgh, PA 15260
Attn: Catherine Meyer
(412) 648-1546
Chrysler Corporation Small Business Development Center
Duquesne University
108 Rockwell Hall
600 Forbes Ave
Pittsburgh, PA 15282-0103
(412) 396-6233
duqsbdc@duq.edu
Small Business Administration (SBA)
Pittsburgh District Office
Federal Building - Room 1128
1000 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222
(412) 395-6560
Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, Business Department
414 Wood Street, 2nd Floor
Pittsburgh, PA 15222
Mon - Thu: 8:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Fri: 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
SCORE - Pittsburgh Chapter
Phone: (412) 395-6560 ext. 130
www.scorepittsburgh.com
Organizations in Pgh that can help your Business Succeed
Cool Space Locator
You can also work with Cool Space Locator to find the space that's right for you. A spin-off of the SSLDC, Cool Space Locator (CSL) is a citywide initiative that helps revitalize urban neighborhoods by finding cool space for companies typically too small to attract the attention of the conventional real estate brokerage community. CSL can be reached at:
Cool Space Locator
279 45th Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15201
(412) 683-5790
www.coolspacelocator.com
Next check out these Five Government Websites.
www.business.gov Business Advisor will lead you to many agencies and their small business programs.
www.fedstats.gov a full list of 100 Federal Agenciesand their activities
www.sba.gov Small Business Administration is the most comprehensive listing of government resources and information about small business. This is the entry point for Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grants and help for minorities. Here you will also find the Small Business Resource Guide, covering small business information, federal taxes, etc.
www.state.pa.us The Pennsylvania Government provides comprehensive information about small business resources and activities in the state.
www.irs.ustreas.gov The Internal Revenue Service shows how to request or download all its forms and booklets.
Other Business Related Links
The Library Center Business Department provides a very useful website for business. It has a large number of useful business sites including Pittsburgh regional business sites: www.carnegielibrary.org/locations/business
CCH Small Business: www.toolkit.cch.com This site has excellent planning and general information for small business and emphasizes finances and tax information. They will send you a very useful newsletter by email.
BIGSTEP: www.bigstep.com This is a SCORE Partner site, which provides extensive information about e-commerce and also provides free websites.
Kaufman Foundation for Entrepreneurial Leadership: www.emkf.org, www.entreworld.org, and www.fastrac.org are websites provided by the Kaufman Foundation. These websites have lots of useful information and www.fasttrac.org provides start-up training programs for entrepreneurs.
America's Business Funding Directory: www.businessfinance.com is a very useful site for technology entrepreneurs. It has a number of sample business plans and a large source of useful information.
British Columbia Small Business: www.sb.gov.bc.ca/smallbus/workshop/workshop.html is a comprehensive site including tutorials and business plan information. It is an excellent site to learn about business plans.
Metlife, Inc.: www.metlife.com This site has very useful guidelines about starting, running or selling a business. Go to Life Advice.
The Center for Business Planning Help: www.businessplans.org Very useful business plan resources.
Nolo Press: Legal Self Help: www.nolo.com A lot of good legal information for small business.
North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS), which has now replaced the Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) Code: Breaks down all businesses by type and location and is useful for marketing research. Go to www.census.gov/csd
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Enployer Identification Number (EIN)
How to apply for a Federal EIN, which will also be used as your Pennsylvania Employer Identification Number.
Entrepreneur's Guide - Starting & Growing a Business in PA
This guide is chock full of information on starting and growing a business in Pennsylvania, including free services, checklists, helpful tips, tax laws and licensing procedures. In PDF format.
Environmental Permits
Learn about the application process in this guide to Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection permits and other applications.
Financial Assistance for PA Businesses
Southwestern Pennsylvania offers a wide array of financial and technical assistance programs to provide the necessary tools to grow or expand your business.
Incorporating a Business
Guidelines and forms for incorporating a business in Pennsylvania.
Pittsburgh Small Business Administration
The Pittsburgh SBA office assists hundreds of people through training, counseling and business-development programs throughout the 27 counties of western Pennsylvania. Get free counseling and technical assistance, pre-business and business planning workshops, financial assistance and information on starting and managing a small business.
Small Business Development Center - Clarion University
SBDCs can provide free assistance with business plans, identify sources of financing, developing new markets, and managing cash flow. The Clarion SBDC covers Armstrong, Cameron, Clarion, Clearfield, Elk, Forest, Jefferson, Indiana, McKean, Potter, and Venango Counties in western Pennsylvania.
Small Business Development Center - Duquesne University
The Chrysler Corporation SBDC at Duquesne University offers consulting, technical assistance and information resources free of charge to entrepreneurs starting or expanding a small business in southwestern Pennsylvania.
Small Business Development Center - Indiana University
The Indiana Small Business Development Center offers free business consulting to existing and start-up businesses as well as free business start-up seminars.
Small Business Development Center - St. Vincent College
The St. Vincent SBDC offers free assistance to people starting or growing a small business in Western PA, including business start-up procedures, business planning, financial analysis, capital acquisition assistance and education programs.
Small Business Development Center - University of Pittsburgh
Free one-on-one consulting services to help entrepreneurs develop the planning, management, and financial skills necessary to make their businesses' thrive. They also offer a variety of low-cost courses, seminars and conferences which provide current, practical information on business topics ranging from basic business skills to advanced management techniques.
Small Business Start-Up Kit
A wonderful guide from the Pittsburgh Small Business Administration which covers every step of starting your own business: what to ask yourself, getting started, finding the money you need, regulations, SBA assistance and the financial six C's.
Starting a Business and Keeping Records
A good basic guide to starting a business - from the Internal Revenue Service.
Women's Enterprise Center
The WEC provides education, access to financial resources and technical services and assistance to women and minorities aspiring to start or currently operating a business in Southwestern Pennsylvania. |
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