Access to Capital Initiative
About the Access to Capital Initiative
Access to Capital Initiative (ACI) launched on September 20, 2022, with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Small Business Administration (SBA) to work collaboratively to build a program to connect private investors with small businesses. The Access to Capital Initiative's purpose is to significantly increase access to capital for small and disadvantaged businesses by primarily bridging the information and relationship gaps that persist between these small businesses and private investors. Our office created the U.S. DOT Connect to Capital platform to facilitate meetings between small and disadvantaged businesses and private investors, host virtual access to capital educational events and provide a library of resources.
About the Connect to Capital Platform
The U.S. DOT Connect to Capital platform was officially launched on April 26, 2024, at the 10th Annual African American Mayors Association Convention in Atlanta, Georgia. It is an online portal that serves as an interactive virtual platform for Small Disadvantaged Businesses (SDBs), Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBEs) and private capital investors to include but not limited to SBICs, licensed by the U.S. Small Business Administration's (SBA) Small Business Investment Company (SBIC) program, U.S. Treasury's State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI), and U.S. Treasury's Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI).
The purpose of U.S. DOT Connect to Capital platform is to provide a secure and reliable way for small businesses and private investors to interact and to learn about each other. In doing so, small businesses gain more understanding of the private investment industry, and private investors also get an opportunity to engage with small businesses that may not be in their deal network.
The platform features virtual tools to enable interactions on a virtual library, video instruction guide, webinars and roundtable discussions. The platform's algorithm matches small businesses with private investors according to their respective profile preferences. Small businesses can then cultivate relationships with these private investors to help shape their business expansion goals.
Important Links
- Sign up to participate on the U.S. DOT Connect to Capital platform
- View the press release -- USDOT Launches DOT Connect to Capital Initiative, Linking Small Businesses to Private Capital Investors
For additional information about the Access to Capital Initiative, please reach out to Samuel.Boyd@dot.gov.