Suffolk, City of Boston Team Up to Support Local Entrepreneurs

Suffolk University and the City of Boston today announced a $50,000 grant to support participants in Suffolk’s Business Advancement for Small Enterprises (BASE) program, which provides training, mentorship, and financial support to early-stage entrepreneurs in Boston and its communities. The grant is funded through the federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).

“Small businesses create jobs and strengthen our neighborhoods,” said Aliesha Porcena, director of small business for the City of Boston. “Through these grants, the City is putting resources directly into the hands of aspiring entrepreneurs, particularly in communities that have historically had less access to capital. The City is looking forward to watching these entrepreneurs build and grow their businesses.”

BASE is Suffolk’s business incubator for local entrepreneurs and operates alongside the Suffolk Entrepreneurship and Educational Development Collaborative (SEED), which together support Boston-area small businesses as they scale from concept to reality. All grant funds will go directly to support participating small businesses across the Boston metropolitan area. Boston is home to over 19,000 small businesses, which employ roughly 127,000 people and generate close to $28 billion each year.

“BASE was built on the belief that talent and ambition are everywhere in Boston, but opportunity is not always equally distributed,” said Shari L.S. Worthington, PhD, associate director of the Center for Entrepreneurship at Suffolk University’s Sawyer Business School. “These grants help close that gap by giving entrepreneurs additional resources to help move their businesses forward.”

How it works

BASE guides entrepreneurs through a three-phase program designed to launch and grow their businesses:

• Business Incubation: A bootcamp covering business planning, marketing, financial literacy, operations, and access to funding—giving entrepreneurs a roadmap to launch.
• Mentorship Program: Entrepreneurs are paired with local business leaders, Suffolk alumni, and subject matter experts to navigate challenges and refine their strategies.
• Student Consulting: Entrepreneurs work with Suffolk students to implement key lessons, including developing marketing plans and modeling financials.

“Through BASE, I developed a structured framework for my business and benefited from accountability and guidance during a critical early phase. It felt like an accelerated MBA for founders,” said Cal Groudas, BASE participant and founder of fidget toy company Fidgetology.

BASE is now accepting applications for its 2027 program.

About BASE at Suffolk University

Business Advancement for Small Enterprises (BASE) is an initiative of Suffolk University’s Center for Entrepreneurship within the Sawyer Business School. BASE provides entrepreneurship training, mentorship, and resources to help aspiring entrepreneurs across Boston launch and grow successful businesses. Early support for BASE came from the University of Notre Dame’s Urban Poverty and Business Initiative, which works with US colleges, universities, and community partners to support locally driven entrepreneurship programs that respond to community needs.

About the City of Boston Economic Opportunity and Inclusion Cabinet

The City of Boston Economic Opportunity and Inclusion Cabinet aims to make Boston a global model of economic equity for working people, entrepreneurs, businesses, and investors. The goal is to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of government, the quality of life for all Bostonians, and the experience of all visitors. Through the Office of Small Business, the cabinet provides support to business owners to enhance their economic impact on our communities.

Since 2022, the Office of Small Business has provided over 11,608 hours of one-on-one technical assistance for over 530 businesses; funded over 70 storefront signage and facade renovation projects; and streamlined the process and reduced financial barriers for participation in the annual Outdoor Dining program.