South Haven Region Business Hub

Helping small businesses grow.

Resources to Start Your Business

Get solid advice for launching a new business or idea.

MSU Center for Regional Food Systems/MGFF

Our vision is a thriving economy, equity and sustainability through food systems rooted in local regions and centered on food that is healthy, green, fair and affordable.

Michigan Small Business Development Center

The Michigan Small Business Development Center offers expert assistance at no cost to entrepreneurs looking to start or grow a business.

Michigan Works! Southwest

Creating meaningful transformation in the people, businesses and communities we serve by connecting job seekers, employers, training partners and educators.

SW Michigan PTAC

Enhancing national defense and economic development in the State of Michigan by assisting Michigan businesses.

WMed Innovation Center

The WMed Innovation Center is the place to start and grow life science, technology, or engineering ventures.

Kalamazoo County Brownfield Redevelopment

The KCBRA is a county-wide redevelopment authority created by the Kalamazoo County Board of Commissioners.

Grand Rapids Opportunities for Women (GROW)

GROW is a service focused on current and aspiring business owners at various stages of business ownership.

City of Kalamazoo, Economic Development

The KCBRA’s role is to assist participating county municipalities and developers through the use of tax increment financing, grants, loans and other incentives.

Black Wall Street Kalamazoo

Increase awareness and visibility of Black business within our community through social, marketing, and educational experiences.

WMU Starting Gate

Starting Gate is a student business accelerator that gives students rich and valuable resources to develop their startup companies.

Sponsored by the City of South Haven, South Haven Chamber of Commerce, and Lake Michigan College.

Congratulations to Gregory Shelton of Grand Unique Laundry for receiving his first loan through Northern Initiatives. With help from his SCORE mentor, Cheri Bales, Gregory did a fantastic job on developing his business plan and showing real entrepreneurial spirit. We wish you much success, and look forward to your upward movement. You are a wonderful role model.

—Gregory Shelton of Grand Unique Laundry

I appreciate your ears for listening, your eyes that see my vision and your heart that makes you who you are. I thank you for your time. You are making a difference.

—Shawntel Lindsey, Director, The Artbor Community Connections Center

The WMed Innovation Center is a perfect environment for innovation to grow and become a successful commercial enterprise.

—Client

Whether you are seeking a research partner or want to enlist the help of student groups in developing business plans, or just looking for ways to engage with WMU, the Business Connection office can find the resource to help move your business forward.

—Mentor

A loan (from Local Initiatives Support Corporation) helped expand our cafe to triple our seating, add a kids space, increase much needed staff work areas, and make other improvements to the space.

—Krystal

The Michigan eLibrary (MeL) is the State of Michigan’s digital library. It has excellent resources available to Michigan residents at no cost.

—Owner

Western Michigan University’s Starting Gate helped me take an idea and transform it into a much more attainable reality. Whether providing talks with investors and business owners or accountability, the ultimate goal is helping your business succeed.

—Peter Shutt

The Kalamazoo Land Bank did robust community engagement around the vision and gave us something to work with that was solidly desired by people in the neighborhood. Having a vision meant we had to protect it. That’s something I thank the Land Bank for. It was difficult. It didn’t make anything faster or easier, but we got a better project in the end as a result of it.

—Matt Hollander

Buy Local Greater Kalamazoo is a hard working grassroots group focused on the greater Kalamazoo community and its small businesses. Their events and networking opportunities are the best!

—Cheri Bales

Michigan SBDC is a great company providing top notch service to local businesses all over Michigan. The consultants are professional and the student workers contribute with excellent work!