You can read the full report on the AZSBDC website HERE.

“SBA’s Small Business Development Centers give new and growing small businesses the resources they need throughout the year to grow and create jobs,” said SBA Administrator Karen Mills. “The soundness of our economy depends on stable small businesses across the country and SBDCs are front and center helping entrepreneurs start, grow and expand their companies.”

The report confirms that the SBDC program remains an essential part of the SBA’s mission to help small businesses.

A key finding of the report is that SBDCs help local economies by improving the odds for startup small businesses. “SBDCs,” the report says, “are solely focused on creating and supporting small businesses which in turn pay taxes, provide employment and diversify the economic base for their states.”

The report also highlights the effectiveness of SBDC counseling in improving the chances of small businesses that are seeking credit.

Read more HERE …

The Arizona Small Business Development Center Network wishes you a Happy Holiday Season and a Prosperous, Successful New Year!

Thank you to all of our partners, stakeholders, supporters and clients who worked with us to help build a strong Arizona during 2011.

Is entrepreneurship on your list for the coming year? We can help you realize your plans to start or grow a business during 2012. Just contact the AZSBDC location closest to you.

Enjoy the Holidays!

You can read more about the nationally-recognized Friends Board and its current members HERE.

Founder Mary Lou Bessette received a special recognition for her efforts in organizing what quickly became a model for similar efforts in other states. Founded in 1996, FOSB was recognized by the U.S. Small Business Administration in 1998 at the National Vision 2000 Conference hosted by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

Arizona’s Advisory Board concept was also presented at national conferences as a small business development center best practice.

The Friends of Small Business Advisory Board is a statewide board of accomplished business leaders that advises the AZSBDC Network on its program of work. The Board includes up to 25 Arizona small business champions — accomplished business executives, administrators and government officials who support, train, educate and applaud the efforts of small business owners who are striving to create economic success.

More than 60 Arizona business and community leaders have served as members of FOSB since its inception. The AZSBDC Network thanks each of them for their assistance and for their tireless commitment to the Arizona small business community

The second annual Small Business Saturday is sponsored by American Express OPEN and designed to be a day dedicated to supporting small businesses on one of the busiest shopping weekends of the year. Americans are being asked to ‘Shop Small’ at their favorite local store and help fuel the small business economy and support entrepreneurship.

In 2010, 1.5 million Facebook users, public and private organizations and 41 elected officials declared their support for Small Business Saturday. Media coverage reached an audience of more than half of a billion as consumers rallied across the country. This year is going to be even bigger, with more than 170 small business advocacy organizations already signed up to help with outreach and build excitement for Small Business Saturday 2011. When we all shop small, the results are HUGE!

Learn more about Small Business Saturday at  http://smallbusinesssaturday.com/  Small business owners: the site also offers a wealth of FREE marketing and social media tools that you can use to promote your local business.

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Office of Advocacy released a new report this week which affirms what many suspected: Small businesses are leading the way when it comes to green technology innovation.

Excerpts from a release from the SBA on the report entitled Analysis of Small Business Innovation in Green Technologies, which was released by Chief Counsel Winslow Sargeant at the World Green Energy Symposium in Philadelphia:

The report found that, while small firms account for about 8 percent of all U.S. patents, they account for 14 percent of green technology patents. Small firms account for more than 32% of the patents in both smart grids and solar energy and 15% of patents in batteries and fuel cells. Also 80% of the ‘prolific’ inventors — those with five or more recent green patents with a citation index of one or more — from small green technology firms had previously worked at large companies, or large government or university labs.

Small innovative firms in this study are even more productive, measured in terms of patents per employee, than was shown in previous studies. The current study finds that small innovative firms are 16 times more productive than large innovative firms in terms of patents per employee. Small firms’ green technology patents are cited 2.5 times as often as large firms in other patent applications, indicating that small firms patents are more original and influential. In green technologies, while four times as many large as small innovative firms have at least one green patent, small firms are more likely than larger firms to have green technology as a core part of their business.

Previous Advocacy-funded studies of small business patenting activity established the existence of a cohort of independent, for-profit innovative small firms with 15 or more patents over a five-year period. The studies also showed that innovative small firms had a higher percentage of emerging technology patents in their portfolios than their larger counterparts. A recent focus on “green” jobs, businesses, and technology led to this study of a subset of these innovative patent holders.

The report and research summary is available at http://www.sba.gov/advocacy/7540/28811

Register early for this free event. Seating may be limited. You can also call (520) 620-1241 for information or to register.

TechEDge

The inuagural class is off to a successful start and will continue for ten weeks on Tuesday mornings at Innovations. City of Chandler Economic Development Director Christine MacKay kicked off the class and commended Maricopa SBDC Technology Coordinator Sanjay Dhole and the SBDC for being leaders in providing this training for the City of Chandler and the larger community.

The TechEDge curriculum consists of ten modules, each presented by Subject Matter Experts, and including technology readiness, intellectual property protection, corporate structure, business model development, marketing, business plan development, project management, systems and logistics, finding strategic partners, financial management, operations and risk management, human resources and capital formation.

Marni Patterson has been working under contract for the SBDC to develop the curriculum, coordinate the speakers, and help Sanjay with co-facilitation. She has been a great resource to add to our team, and we appreciate her expertise. Congratulations to everyone involved for a successful launch!

Learn more about AZSBDC Network Clean Tech Initiative, TechEDge and other technology programs HERE.