Last year, Florida SBDC at FIU, the small business development center within the university’s College of Businesses, helped close to 1,400 small businesses with business planning, growth strategy, marketing and communications, access to capital, government contracting, and much more. The center’s business consultants provided over 13,000 hours of no-cost consulting to these businesses located throughout Miami-Dade and Monroe counties in 2025.
As a result, more than 80 new businesses were launched successfully. What’s more, FSBDC at FIU helped its small business clients access $48 million in capital – and $51 million in government contracts. As for ongoing education, there was plenty of that too: Over 1,200 business owners participated in workshops and webinars produced by FSBDC at FIU.
Last year the center celebrated a major milestone – securing $562.6 million in capital for its clients since its founding in 2014. “We focus on being that trusted advisor for the client to help them navigate different finance options,” said FSBDC at FIU Director Brian van Hook, in an article about the milestone. “The center partners with lending groups to connect borrowers to the right lender based on loan use, stage and size of the business, and their financial situation,” he said.
Lenders FSBDC at FIU works with include Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs), municipalities with business attraction/retention grants; microlenders; U.S. Small Business Administration lenders; commercial lenders and venture capital firms.
“I have worked with and referred clients to the FSBDC at FIU for over a decade, and I am continually amazed that South Florida businesses have access to such an incredible resource,” said Javier Jorge, Executive Vice President/Director of Government Guaranteed Lending at Locality Bank, in the 2025 article. “Over 50 companies I have personally referred to the center have tapped their expertise, creating measurable economic impact across our community.”
As part of their outreach to lenders, FSBDC at FIU partnered with the SBA South Florida District Office to host a lender roundtable at the FIU Downtown at Brickell campus last July; 27 local lenders participated. The center will be conducting additional lender outreach efforts in 2026 to build on these strong partnerships and events in 2025.
Of course, behind all these impactful numbers and milestones are the small businesses that were helped. That includes small businesses in Monroe County, where FSBDC at FIU’s business consultants Nancy Hull and Bonnie Barnes are dedicated to serving them. About 125 small businesses in the Florida Keys were helped last year, including MRI of Key West, an imaging center dedicated to providing faster, high-quality MRI services founded and run by MRI technologists Tony Martinelli and Lucas Wheeler.
With no formal business training, the pair discovered FSBDC at FIU through a Google search and reached out. Barnes would become a crucial part of their journey. “She killed it. Anytime we had a question, we could call her and she’d spend however long it took to help,” Wheeler said. Barnes guided them through everything from the earliest pre-launch business planning and financing, to getting through the inspections and certifications and building relationships for success. And last year, the business owners completed a six-week “Scale to Grow” workshop led by Hull and Barnes and sponsored by Truist. FSBDC at FIU plans to bring a second “Scale to Grow” cohort to the Keys this year.
Small business success stories like MRI of Key West are abundant. Over the years, Growbiz has featured the success stories of dozens of small businesses — read their stories here.
Last May, FSBDC at FIU honored six Miami-Dade small businesses at its signature annual event, the Business at its Best Awards Ceremony [See picture of winners above]. Let’s look back at their stories.
The Entrepreneur of the Year award [pictured below] was bestowed upon an exceptional business owner demonstrating outstanding leadership, innovation and growth. 2025’s winner was Marlon Romero, the owner and CEO of World Truck Parts, which specializes in sales of heavy-duty truck and trailer parts. He began the company as an import-export business just after he moved to Miami from Venezuela, and now his 20-year-old company is thriving. World Truck Parts offers more than 2,000 SKUs, and their product line includes LED lights, suspension parts, clutches and accessories. More growth in both the domestic and export market is in the plans.
The 305 Client of the Year Award went to Vickie Lopez, CEO of Venus Builders. Venus Builders provides stylish and energy efficient impact windows and doors. This award celebrates a Miami-Dade small business that has shown significant progress and success through engagement with the SBDC at FIU.
The Small Business Spotlight Award went to Gilad and Anabelle Savion, founders of Lavior Pharma. Lavior Pharma provides top-tier skin care solutions that improve the quality of life for people with diabetes. The award honors a small business that has demonstrated remarkable perseverance and success in its industry. [Read more about Lavior Pharma in Growbiz here.]
The Woman-Owned Business of the Year Award went to Fania Carter of Sterile Services, which specializes in comprehensive logistics solutions and mission-driven professional services, enhancing operational efficiency for government agencies and commercial enterprises. This award recognizes a woman-led business that has made a significant impact in the community.
The Manufacturer of the Year Award went to Eduardo Castellanos, owner and president of Grain Machinery Manufacturing Corporation, also known as Grainman. Grainman manufactures equipment used by laboratories, universities, testing agencies and grain processing facilities around the world. This award celebrates a manufacturing business in Miami-Dade County that has shown excellence in production, innovation and economic impact. Castellanos said receiving the award was a deeply meaningful milestone. “It represents not just our commitment to quality and innovation, but also the resilience and heart behind everything we do.” [Read more about Grainman in Growbiz here.]
Olbin Gil, founder of the startup Mango, was named the FIU Student of the Year. With technology, Mango aims to enable small farmers in South Florida to compete effectively with larger players and distributors. This award recognizes an FIU student who is making strides in entrepreneurship while pursuing his or her education. [Read more about this student in FIU News here.]
Happy New Year! Here’s to a fruitful and impactful 2026 for small businesses in South Florida!