Small Business and Startups

Whether it’s our numerous business organizations that provide collaboration, support, and partnership or the engaged and active residents that make an effort to shop local and support homegrown businesses, we have the resources you need to be successful.

Small businesses in Portsmouth range from local maritime service companies that have been in business for 60+ years to specialty retail providers that have grown from garage businesses into multinational e-commerce shops. With the infrastructure of our large region and the feel of a tight-knit community, Portsmouth is the smart move for your small business.

757 Accellerate

757 Accelerate

757 Accelerate is a selective startup accelerator program providing founders with capital, connections, and customers. The program focuses on nurturing the founding teams through individual and group coaching and mentorship, capital raising, and growth strategy.

Innovation Collaborative Hampton Roads

Hampton Roads Innovation Collaborative

The Hampton Roads Innovation Collaborative’s mission is to provide a connective environment for regional innovation and development while offering an inclusive environment for companies, arts and nonprofits, and alliances. For more information, please call 757-373-6517.

ODU CEI

ODU Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship

IIE is a one-stop-shop for the community, students, faculty/staff, and alumni seeking resources and services for innovation, entrepreneurship, and new enterprises and programs. We help build lasting relationships between the community, industry, and academia to improve society and the economy.

IIE serves two important roles:

  1. Act as the liaison between the University, community, and industry, to advance entrepreneurial endeavors, and;
  2. Assist in strengthening the innovation ecosystem at ODU, in Hampton Roads and the Commonwealth.
Bloom Coworking

Bloom Coworking

Bloom is a nonprofit coworking space where entrepreneurs, small teams, and remote workers can rent a variety of office spaces. Bloom is in downtown Portsmouth and was founded by the Portsmouth Partnership. For more information, call 757-393-0393.

Virginia Department of Small Business and Supplier Diversity

Virginia Department of Small Business and Supplier Diversity

The Virginia Department of Small Business and Supplier Diversity (SBSD) is the state agency dedicated to enhancing the participation of small, women- and minority-owned businesses in Virginia’s procurement opportunities. SBSD is responsible for the administration of two certification programs: the Small, Women- and Minority-owned Businesses under Virginia’s “SWaM” Procurement Initiative and the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Program. SBSD also provides support to certified businesses through business development and procurement advocacy programs, in cooperation with other agencies and departments. For more information, please call (757) 385-4492.

Virginia Employment Commission

Virginia Employment Commission

The Virginia Employment Commission (VEC) is often viewed as an agency to assist displaced workers, however, the VEC also provides many services to employers. VEC assists employers with employment law and regulation, providing a method of distributing job postings and providing employment assistance through incentives. For information, please call (757) 558-4455.