The Arizona Commerce Authority offers a wide range of programming to support small businesses around the state such as the Small Business Checklist, the Small Business Academy, the State Small Business Credit Initiative and the Small Business Boot Camp.
Small businesses in the state
of the state's total business
Small business employees
the state's private workforce
The Arizona Small Business Checklist is a free interactive tool to help guide business owners to launch, operate and scale their business. Explore all the resources available in the checklist with the help of the virtual assistant SALLI.
PERSONALIZE YOUR CHECKLIST PERSONALIZE YOUR CHECKLIST
The Arizona State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI) program supports small businesses by improving their access to capital. The initiative is part of a broader federal effort to help small businesses grow and create jobs. The program provides funding to state programs that partner with private lenders to extend capital to small businesses that might not otherwise have access to loans or investment capital.
APPLY FOR SSBCI APPLY FOR SSBCI
Arizona’s Small Business Academy equips small businesses across the state with the knowledge to scale their business. The Arizona Commerce Authority works with experienced and successful business owners to share their insights and strategies with entrepreneurs and SMBs. These courses are often out of reach and the Academy aims to provide the resources and close the knowledge gap completely free of charge.
JOIN THE ACADEMY JOIN THE ACADEMY
The Arizona Small Business Boot Camp is a statewide initiative to help Arizona’s small businesses grow and thrive. Local business leaders and subject matter experts provide real-time support and available resources through virtual webinars and hands-on workshops.
REGISTER FOR BOOT CAMP REGISTER FOR BOOT CAMPArizona Business One Stop is a secure, user-friendly portal that helps entrepreneurs and business owners quickly plan, start and grow their businesses in Arizona. By centralizing tasks across multiple state agencies, the platform streamlines processes like business registration, licensing and compliance. Whether launching a new venture or expanding an existing operation, users can save time and reduce paperwork with a single, simplified experience, all in one place.
The Arizona Small Business Growth Coalition (SBGC) is a statewide alliance of six trusted organizations dedicated to helping small businesses across Arizona start, grow and thrive. Led by the Arizona Commerce Authority, the Coalition brings together service providers who align resources, share data and collaborate to create measurable impact. Together, we are building a stronger, more inclusive economy.
SCALE (Strategic Coaching for Advancing Local Entrepreneurs) is a statewide initiative developed by the Arizona Small Business Association in partnership with the Arizona Commerce Authority. The program is committed to strengthening Arizona’s entrepreneurial ecosystem by delivering accessible, expert-led education and personalized coaching to small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs.
PHOENIX, AZ (August 5, 2025) – With billions in new investment, a surge of startups and venture activity, and a deep pool of skilled talent, Arizona's innovation economy is scaling fast — and the world is taking notice. Today, Governor Hobbs and the Arizona Commerce Authority, in partnership with the Arizona Venture Alliance, announced Arizona Tech Week, the state’s first-ever decentralized tech conference. The event will take place in locations across the state from April 6th-12th, 2026. Arizona Tech Week will bring together tech luminaries, investors, founders, and startup leaders for a week of lively keynotes, panels, social networking engagements, pitch competitions, and exclusive Arizona experiences. The first-of-its-kind conference in Arizona will emphasize the state’s prominent role in the global tech ecosystem and provide an opportunity to showcase the state’s most compelling innovations and tech leaders.
READ MORE about Governor Hobbs Announces Arizona Tech Week 2026»PHOENIX, AZ (July 29, 2025) – The Arizona Commerce Authority (ACA) today announced it is accepting applications for the Fall 2025 Arizona Innovation Challenge (AIC), one of the nation’s largest business plan competitions. This year, the Arizona Innovation Challenge will feature a Fall 2025 cohort and Spring 2026 cohort, with investments for the most promising companies taking place in partnership with investors and venture capitalists in Arizona. In addition, the ACA announced the Fall 2025 cohort will be focused on Software as a Service (SaaS) startups. The application window will run from Tuesday, July 29 to Monday, August 11. The AIC consists of three judging rounds where companies receive constructive feedback on their applications generated from the rigorous online evaluation and scoring process.
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