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BDSD Programs
Expand Your Sales with HiSTEP
Funded in part through a Grant with the U.S. SBA, HiSTEP assists Hawaii small businesses with their export development. Learn more about the program and how to grow your international export business by attending one of the 2025 kickoff seminars. There is no cost to attend but pre-registration is required:
Maui – Wednesday, 10/23/24, 3:00PM to 4:00PM
For more information and to register: HiSTEP Maui Kickoff Seminar
Oahu – Friday, 10/25/24, 11:00AM to 12:00PM
For more information and to register: HiSTEP Oahu Kickoff Seminar
Hawai‘i Island, Hilo – Wednesday, 10/30/24, 9:00AM to 10:00AM
For more information and to register: HiSTEP Hawai‘i Island—Hilo Kickoff Seminar
Hawai‘i Island, Kona -Wednesday, 10/30/24, 2:00PM to 3:00PM
For more information and to register: HiSTEP Hawai‘i Island—Kona Kickoff Seminar
Kaua‘i – Thursday, 10/31/24, 9:00AM to 10:00AM
For more information and to register: HiSTEP Kaua‘i Kickoff Seminar
Protect your small business with Cybersafe Hawai’i
With the threats from cybercriminals on the rise, the Cybersafe Hawai’i Program helps small businesses improve their defenses and safeguard against potential attacks at no cost.
This self-paced, 8-week program is designed to guide your business through a step-by-step process of identifying, understanding, testing, and securing your digital assets. Join the program today by visiting cybersafehawaii.org!
Get the Help You Need
Get information on resources and assistance available to those affected by the 2023 August wildfires on Maui. Business recovery and assistance, disaster recover guides for businesses, and SBA disaster loans.
Help Improve Small Business Financing
The Federal Reserve’s 2024 Small Business Credit Survey is now open! Business owners and key financial decision-makers are invited to share your recent experiences.
Answers to these questions contribute to data that directly inform federal government agencies, service providers, and policymakers – ultimately benefiting your business and others like yours. Please help us by taking the 12-minute survey today.
Community Based Economic Development (CBED)
CBED offers loans to eligible small businesses that support economic development in their communities.
Made in Hawaiʻi 2024 Presents: Your Future In E-Commerce
This conference, on February 21, 2024, at the Ala Moana Hotel, seeks to offer immediate solutions to Hawaiʻi companies to expand their markets and build resilience.
The purpose of this event is to gather manufacturers, supply chain partners, and retailers to learn best practices and insights from platforms like Shopify and Amazon, from local implementing agencies, and also successful companies, so the attending businesses can immediately create or strengthen their E-Commerce channels.
Launch and Grow Your Business at the Hawaiʻi Small Business Fair!
DBEDT is pleased to once again sponsor the 13th annual Hawaiʻi Small Business Fair taking place Saturday, September 28, 2024, from 7:30 AM to 1:30 PM.
More than 20 classes led by professional experts will be offered, from how to start a business, to organizing and strengthening your finances, to expanding your markets beyond Hawaiʻi. Save the date for the 2024 Hawaiʻi Small Business Fair!
General Inquiry Form
BDSD has created this new form to onboard companies who are new to BDSD and may not be familiar with our various programs.
Please fill out the form with your business needs and we will respond with suggested solutions and next steps.
Hawaii Defense Economy
Military-related spending in Hawaii is second only to tourism and contributes to thousands of jobs. DBEDT is committed to understanding the importance of DoD spending and to fostering resiliency efforts should DoD spending change.
Expand Your Sales with HiSTEP
Funded in part through a Grant with the U.S. SBA, HiSTEP assists Hawaii small businesses with their export development. The goal is to increase the number of small businesses that want to export as well as the value of exports for those small businesses that currently export.
News
- 13th ANNUAL HAWAIʻI SMALL BUSINESS FAIR RETURNS TO EMPOWER LOCAL ENTREPRENEURS ON SEPTEMBER 28
HONOLULU – The popular Hawaiʻi Small Business Fair returns, offering an extensive array of resources and expert-led training sessions to empower local entrepreneurs as they launch and expand their businesses in Hawaiʻi’s dynamic and evolving business environment. Scheduled for Saturday, September 28, 2024, at Leeward Community College from 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., this free event is open for business owners of all levels to participate. - The 2024 Hawaiʻi AI & Cloud Innovation Summit
We are excited to invite you to the Hawaiʻi AI & Cloud Innovation Summit, presented by the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism (DBEDT) and its partners the City and County of Honolulu, Office of Hawaiian Affairs and the Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii. Organized by TRUE Initiative, this complimentary, one-day event will take… Read more: The 2024 Hawaiʻi AI & Cloud Innovation Summit - SBA AWARDS CYBER ASSISTANCE GRANT TO DBEDTHONOLULU – The state of Hawai‘i Department of Business Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT) has been awarded a $936,000 grant from the U.S. Small Business Administration Cybersecurity for Small Business Pilot Program. Through the grant funding, DBEDT will provide cybersecurity services to local small businesses at no cost. Services will include technical assessments of small businesses’ information technology (IT) networks, cyber training for employees, penetration testing, and Wi-Fi upgrades and recovery services as applicable.
- HAWAI‘I-PHILIPPINES SISTER PROVINCE SYMPOSIUM COMING TO HONOLULU, HAWAI‘I MARCH 13, 2024
The State of Hawai‘i Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT), in partnership with the Filipino Chamber of Commerce of Hawai‘i (FCCH), will be presenting the Hawai‘i-Philippines Sister Province Symposium on Wednesday, March 13, 2024, at the Hawai‘i Convention Center. The goal of the symposium is to strengthen and maximize opportunities provided by the sister relationships between Hawai‘i and the Philippines. The symposium will include speakers from government, community, and educational, cultural and business sectors from Hawai‘i and the Philippines.
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CONTACT AND INFORMATION REQUESTS
Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism
Business Development & Support Division
No. 1 Capital District Building
250 South Hotel Street
Honolulu, Hawaii 96813
SUCCESS STORIES
Success stories about businesses that have benefited from BDSD programs.