Rochester has many programs and resources for those looking to start a new business. From marketing, to budgeting, to legal advice, there is a program that can help you start your business successfully. Check out the wide range of resources below:

City of Rochester Business Development 

The Neighborhood and Business Development Department’s goal is to provide safe, healthy neighborhoods, create thriving commercial corridors, increase economic vitality in underserved areas, assist and develop industry, and create jobs for its citizens. We use a team-oriented approach with our residents, investors and community partners to solve problems, address quality of life concerns, support our businesses and enhance our neighborhoods through helpful and courteous customer service.

City Hall
30 Church Street
Rochester, NY 14614
585-428-5990

Interested? Learn more here.

cornell Center Of Excellence

The New York State Center of Excellence for Food and Agriculture at Cornell AgriTech serves as a hub connecting businesses and entrepreneurs with the services they need to succeed. The Center of Excellence works with partners across the state to increase the size and scope of the food and agriculture economy in New York by fostering the growth of new companies, new products, and existing businesses.

665 W. North Street
Geneva, NY 14456

Interested? Learn more here.

Center for Urban Entrepreneurship (CUE)

The Center for Urban Entrepreneurship (CUE) is a co-working space that helps support low- to no-tech businesses that are invested in revitalizing and growing the economy in downtown Rochester.

40 Franklin Street
Rochester, NY 14604

Interested? Learn more here or call 585-475-6092.

FoodLink

The Foodlink Career Fellowship offers an intensive, yearlong culinary curriculum that includes both classroom and hands-on training within Foodlink’s state-of-the-art commercial kitchen. Fellows play an integral role alongside the Foodlink Community Kitchen’s staff in preparing thousands of healthy meals daily for Rochester children, all while increasing the core competencies needed to work in a fast-paced kitchen environment. Fellows also learn culinary skills via Rouxbe, a world-renowned online culinary training software, and work on essential soft skills development to prepare them for future job opportunities. The final months of the program are spent at an externship with a regional employer.

2011 Mt. Read Blvd.
Rochester, NY 14615

Interested? Learn more here or call 585-207-8404.

Greater Rochester Enterprise 

Greater Rochester Enterprise (GRE) is a not-for-profit economic development organization committed to attracting new capital investments, creating regional wealth, and new jobs throughout the Greater Rochester, NY region. It’s been GRE’s commitment for more than 20 years to serve this community. As a trusted advisor, the GRE team of economic development professionals will connect you to the right people and the right resources to expand your company in the nine county Greater Rochester, NY region.

100 Chestnut Street 
Suite 1910
Rochester, NY 14604

Interested? Learn more here or call 585-530-6200.

Grow NY

Grow-NY is a business competition focused on growing an enduring food and agriculture innovation cluster in the Grow-NY region. The competition attracts innovative, high-growth food and agriculture startups from across the globe and engages them in the region’s rapidly-growing startup ecosystem. Finalists will pitch their business ideas for a chance to win up to $1 million. Winning companies will be required to execute bold plans to grow jobs, connect with local industry partners, and contribute to a thriving Upstate economy.

Interested? Learn more here.

IBERO 

The Ibero American Action League, in existence for more than 50 years, partners with the Urban League of Rochester and Key Bank to offer the Entrepreneur Assistance Program, designed to assist anyone who owns a business now or dreams of owning one. Ibero subcontracts to the Urban League to support Spanish speaking business owners.The Entrepreneur Assistance Program specializes in helping minorities, women, low to moderate income individuals and veterans in all areas of business training.  Areas of assistance range from technical assistance to formal classroom training designed to support development of business plans, applications for financing and the NYS Certification Process.  Intensive mentorship is provided in developing business plans.  Spanish speaking entrepreneurs may also benefit from working one on one with local mentors.

124 Evergreen Street
Rochester, NY 14605

Interested? Learn more here or call 585-442-0683.

Launch NY (Founders Go Big)

JPMorgan Chase’s funding spurred Launch NY to introduce the Founders Go Big initiative in 2020 to enhance the engagement of underrepresented, disadvantaged founders in creating high-growth potential businesses. The program’s aim is to identify innovative business owners, educate them and our community on the benefits of equity investment; inspire current and potential founders through the example of our program members, and engage with founders while introducing them to the broader entrepreneurial ecosystem.   The goal is to build individual company successes, while creating a community in which all individuals can be empowered to transform the local economy.

77 Goodell Street
Suite 201
Buffalo, NY 14203

Interested? Learn more here.

Monroe Community College

(Small Business Management Certificate Program)

Small Business Management is a certificate program designed to aid those students who already manage their own companies, are contemplating starting their own businesses, or work for a small business concern. This program will provide basic knowledge in the fields of accounting, marketing, management, and customer service.

These credits may be applied to requirements for an A.A.S. in Entrepreneurship if a student decides to matriculate into that program.

Monroe Community College
Business Administration and Economics Department
1000 E. Henrietta Road
Rochester, NY 14623

Interested? Learn more here or call 585-292-2000.

NextCorps

NextCorps is a non-profit helping innovative technology companies launch and grow.

Sibley Square
260 E. Main Street
Suite 6000
Rochester, NY 14604 

Interested? Learn more here or call 585-214-2400.

Nexus i90

Our mission is to help small businesses thrive across the Finger Lakes Region. We provide entrepreneurs and small businesses with the vital assistance, resources, and information they need. Nexus i90 makes support more accessible to foster equitable growth and inclusiveness and spur economic prosperity for our region.

Interested? Learn more here or call 585-236-4140.

NY SBDC–Small Business Development Center

The New York State SBDC offers free counseling to any New Yorker hoping to start or grow a small business. The SBDC also offers a host of programs designed for specific groups of entrepreneurs or focusing on particular business needs.

H. Carl McCall SUNY Building
353 Broadway
Albany, NY 12246

Interested? Learn more here or call 1-800-832-SBDC.

RDDC

Established in 1977, RDDC is a 501c3 not-for profit organization whose mission is to drive economic vitality in Downtown Rochester. RDDC accelerates downtown development by positioning and marketing the assets that attract businesses and investment, and it catalyzes innovative ideas that make downtown a more vibrant and inclusive community. RDDC founded The Commissary, the region’s first and only food business incubator and shared kitchen.

One HSBC Plaza
100 Chestnut Street #1910
Rochester, NY 14604

Interested? Learn more here or call 585-546-5920.

REDCO–Rochester Economic Development Corp

Rochester Economic Development Corporation's (REDCO's) purpose is to drive community-based economic development that increases wealth in every part of the City. REDCO is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization that pro-actively creates job growth within the City of Rochester by empowering new and existing companies to start, grow and thrive.

55-57 St. Paul Street
Rochester, NY 14604

Interested? Learn more here or call 585-921-0500.

REOC 

Rochester EOC’s Culinary Arts program is designed to give students a basic but diverse experience in today’s food service establishments and is designed for adults looking for a career change or a fresh start in the restaurant industry. Training will include hands-on experience in the kitchen. The focus will be on basic fundamentals of the industry along with building knowledge of the fashionable trends in the culinary industry.

161 Chestnut Street
Rochester, NY 14604

Interested? Learn more here or call 585-232-2730.

SCORE

SCORE’s mission is to foster vibrant small business communities through mentoring and education.

Keating Fed Bldg
100 State Street
Rm 410
Rochester, NY 14614

Interested? Learn more here or call 585-263-6473.

Serendipity Labs

Serendipity Labs was founded in 2011 with a vision to build a network of inviting, inspirational workplaces, combining state-of-the-art design, technology and security with the highest service level standards to deliver a consistent and peerless workplace experience through company-owned and managed locations in over 30 urban and suburban locations across the country. Our development partners are invested in their local communities. They trust us to manage and operate upscale, professional flexible offices infused with hospitality that will animate their assets and help local businesses thrive.

Innovation Square
100 S. Clinton Avenue
24th Floor
Rochester, NY 14604

Interested? Learn more here or call 585-326-9450.

Urban League Community Business Academy

The Urban League of Rochester's Community Business Academy (CBA) helps minority entrepreneurs launch or grow their businesses through innovative classroom instruction and hands-on training in business planning and management.

265 N. Clinton Avenue
Rochester, NY 14605

Interested? Learn more here or call 585-325-6530.

Venture Jobs Foundation–Jobs Kitchen Accelerator Program

The Venture Jobs Foundation offers its Jobs Kitchen Accelerator training program. The program is a mix of classroom instruction, guest speakers, networking, and one on one mentoring.  An experiential approach is taken by all the speakers, facilitators, and mentors.  The program will include access to and use of LivePlan software tools to help participants build their business plan over the duration of the training.  The accelerator program is offered three times per year.

260 E. Main Street
Suite 2701
Rochester, NY 14604-2101

Interested? Learn more here or call 585-348-9794.

Volunteer Legal Services–MicroEntrepreneur Pro-Bono Program

Micro-entrepreneur Pro Bono Project (MPBP) provides pro bono (free) legal assistance to low income individuals who wish to start or develop businesses in economically distressed neighborhoods, through representation by transactional attorneys. Clients who generally would not have access to specialized legal services may be matched with transactional attorneys. MPBP provides pro bono legal assistance to entrepreneurs on issues including, but not limited to: Choice of Entity, Incorporation, Contracts, Licenses or Permits, Intellectual property, Taxes, Insurance; and other issues that may concern the business, such as immigration and employment.

1 W. Main Street
Rochester, NY 14614

Interested? Learn more here or call 585-232-3051.

Kiva

Kiva is an international nonprofit, founded in 2005 and based in San Francisco, with a mission to connect people through lending to alleviate poverty. They celebrate and support people looking to create a better future for themselves by expanding access to capital for entrepreneurs around the world. To learn more, attend one of their workshops!

To see if you qualify for a Kiva loan, click here.

PathStone Enterprise Center

PathStone has been providing human, social and development services to low-income individuals and communities since 1969. The Enterprise Center carries out its mission by making loans to small and micro businesses, and by accompanying those loans with a strong program of pre-loan and post-loan technical assistance designed to support our client’s growth. The Enterprise Center’s loans range in size from $5,000 to $250,000, however, most start-ups are limited to $50,000 maximum loan.

Interested? Learn more here.

ESL Federal Credit Union

ESL Federal Credit Union has many loan options for small businesses. Whether you stop in to your local branch, call, or chat with them, an ESL representative can help you determine the lending option that best fits your business needs and will work with you to complete your application.

Interested? Learn more here.

CCCS–Consumer Credit Counseling Service Of Rochester

Founded in 1970, Consumer Credit Counseling Service (CCCS) Of Rochester, is a community-based, non-profit organization, serving families in the Rochester, NY region. Their vision is to focus on the financial wellness of families and individuals by providing them with certified professionals for confidential counseling, educational services, and other solutions enabling their clients to meet their financial goals.

Interested? Learn more here or call 585-546-3440.