Jumping into Entrepreneurship?
Spring/Summer 2026 Class Catalog Now Available
Find the Upcoming Classes that Would Work for You!
For Information about Business Resources and Events
Beginner’s Guide to Financial Projections
Need projections for your new expanding business? This no-cost, on-demand course will help you learn the inputs you need
Learn from over 45 years of Experience Working with Entrepreneurs!
Learning for the Life of Your Business with the Wisconsin SBDC at UW-Madison
The Wisconsin Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at UW-Madison provides no-cost consulting and non-credit courses to help businesses from startup through growth. The nationwide SBDCs were established by the Small Business Administration in 1980 with legislation written by WI Senator Gaylord Nelson. We offer affordable training opportunities as you start, manage, and grow your business, and no-cost small business consulting by appointment. View the Business Consulting and Classes & Training pages to learn more.
Join our mailing list for more information about business resources, upcoming programs, and more.
Whether you are thinking about your business idea with First Steps to Starting a Business, brushing up your skills with Introduction to or Intermediate Financial Management, needing a sounding board when you’re stuck on an important decision, or growing your team’s leadership skills, we have classes and consulting support across the board.
In our training courses…
START classes support you during the earliest stages of starting a business, from ideation to business basics and creating a feasible business plan.
MANAGE classes help you navigate the changes that arise as you begin to operationalize your work, typically within years 1-4 of operation. These classes cover topics such as financial management, marketing, and human resources.
GROW classes help your aspiring and emerging leaders build practical skills to support your team. Whether you are hiring your own employees or transitioning to a leadership role in a larger organization, these classes help you build your leadership toolbox.
The SBDC at UW-Madison Helps you START, MANAGE & GROW Your Business!
Starting a New Business?
START classes focus on helping you through the earliest stages of starting a business, from early ideation to business basics and creating a feasible business plan.
Operationalizing Your Business?
MANAGE classes help you navigate the changes that arise when you begin to operationalize, typically within 1–4 years of starting. Topics include financial management, marketing, and HR.
Building Leadership?
Whether you are hiring your own team or transitioning to a leadership role, GROW classes help aspiring and emerging leaders build practical skills for success.
In 2025, our team
…worked directly with 680 consulting clients
…helped clients obtain over $20.2 million in capital
…helped 29 new businesses start
…hosted 55 training events, serving over 1,600 participants.
How can we help you grow?
Success Stories
[My consultant] Amy has been amazing. [When I was building our space], she helped me get insight into the banker’s mind. I made the phone calls, but she was there as a sounding board and my cheerleader… On one phone call, I said, it’s been so hard, I literally just need to plan the next seven days, and she helped me set an achievable goal when I couldn’t see the end in sight.
Eminent Development Corp.
Entrepreneur Julian Walters has worked with SBDC on multiple business concepts
Forward Craft & Coffee
Forward Craft & Coffee: Local Coffee & Craft Beer in a Neighborhood Setting
Babcock Dairy
Badger Consulting student group helped Babcock Dairy 🐄 unearth the potential lying in its cheese 🧀 boxes
Miggy’s Bakes
In addition to tempting baked goods, Middleton-based bakery caters and hosts events in its cheerful pink storefront
Partner Programs
The Wisconsin SBDC Network is a proud part of the Office of Business & Entrepreneurship within the Universities of Wisconsin. It is funded in part through a Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration. The Wisconsin SBDC at UW-Madison is also part of the Wisconsin Entrepreneurship Hub at UW-Madison.
The Wisconsin SBDC at UW-Madison helps entrepreneurs succeed at any stage. We offer no-cost, confidential consulting and business education across a wide region, primarily serving Dane, Sauk, and Columbia counties. SBDC services are provided in a nondiscriminatory way to all legal residents and citizens in the US.
Reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities will be made if requested at least two weeks in advance. Contact us at sbdc@bus.wisc.edu or call (608) 263-2221.