The Florida Small Business Development Center (FSBDC) at FIU Business recently opened recruiting for South Florida participants for Santander’s Cultivate Small Business (CSB) Program. The kickoff event was hosted by CSB alumna Alejandra Sandoval with Autentica Taqueria in Kendall and served as an annual reunion for the robust Florida alumni network.
Since 2022, FSBDC at FIU Business has served as a recruiting partner for Cultivate Small Business, which supports early-stage food industry entrepreneurs with education, networking and capital grants, with a focus on historically underserved founders in low-to-moderate income communities.
The 12-week program is fully funded by Santander and is free to entrepreneurs accepted into the cohort program. Since 2017, the program has supported more than 730 entrepreneurs across New England and the Greater New York City, Philadelphia, Dallas and Miami areas. Graduates have been awarded over $2M in grants including $318,000 to 108 businesses in South Florida, just in the last 3 years.
In addition to a food-focused curriculum, Cultivate Small Business provides industry expert advice and access to a growing alumni network of fellow food entrepreneurs. The Fall 2025 cohort – running September 4 through November 20 – is now accepting applications from entrepreneurs in the Miami-Dade, Monroe, Broward and Palm Beach Counties.
Created by Santander, the program is a collaboration between Santander, Babson College, ICIC, Hot Bread Kitchen, Sisterly Love Collective, Hope & Main, and Florida SBDC at FIU.
“In South Florida communities, food is not just a connector and a way to bring cultures together – for many it is also a pathway to entrepreneurship,” says Brian Van Hook, Regional Director of Florida SBDC at FIU. “For this reason, Florida SBDC at FIU is proud to again partner with Santander, Babson College, and ICIC to continue this excellent program in South Florida. Cultivate Small Business provides more resources at a critical business stage for our dynamic food entrepreneurs.”
Applications are now open and the early admission deadline is May 20, 2025. Interested businesses are encouraged to apply now since interviews are limited.
Key details on the program are available here:
Program dates: September 4th to November 20th.
What the program will provide:
- Live virtual classes taught by Babson College MBA professors
- Specialized curriculum built for food business owners
- Connections to mentors in the food industry
- A network of 800 fellow food entrepreneurs
- Develop an actionable plan to grow your business
- Capital grants ranging from $2,500 to $20,000
Cost: Free
Who can apply: The program seeks businesses in the food industry that have been in operation for at least one year as of March 1st, 2025, generated revenue between $25,000 and $1 million in the last calendar year, and are located in the Miami-Dade, Monroe, Broward and Palm Beach Counties.
More information: If you have any questions about the program, contact Jesus Padilla at: jpadilla@fiu.edu or sign up for an info session (April 23 or June 24) here: https://bit.ly/3QrtjeD
Where to apply: https://bit.ly/4gRtx9m
Deadline: May 20, 2025 (early admission) and July 8, 2025 (final deadline)