The U.S. Small Business Administration released the full list of cosponsors for National Small Business Week 2026 on April 21, 2026, setting the stage for a May 3 through 9 run that includes a national awards ceremony, a two-day virtual summit, and an in-person tour across four states. The announcement confirms Visa as the Platinum Cosponsor, with Google and T-Mobile returning as Gold Cosponsors, and designates America’s Small Business Development Center (ASBDC) as the co-host for the Virtual Summit.
For the roughly 34 million small businesses the SBA recognizes nationwide, the week is the agency’s highest-profile platform for free training and policy signals. Self-employed owners, solopreneurs, and microbusiness founders can use the sessions to benchmark federal programs, tap new funding tracks, and meet peers outside their local markets.
What Is On The Official Schedule
The week kicks off with the National Small Business Awards Ceremony in Washington, D.C. on Sunday, May 3. Winners in categories like Small Business Person of the Year, Exporter of the Year, and Small Business Investment Company of the Year will be recognized in person.
The Virtual Summit runs May 5 and May 6 and is free to attend. Programming includes workshops presented by cosponsors, federal resource desks, and networking sessions aimed at owners who cannot travel to in-person stops.
The in-person tour then moves across Michigan, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and Georgia between May 4 and May 9, with on-the-ground events hosted by regional SBA district offices. Each stop is designed to pair local matchmaking with federal agency engagement for owners who rarely have access to that level of engagement without traveling to D.C.
Why The Cosponsor List Matters
Cosponsors typically contribute content, mentors, and prizes that the SBA alone cannot fund. Visa’s return as Platinum Cosponsor signals continued investment in payments education for microbusinesses, while Google’s Gold slot usually translates into free digital-marketing and AI training for attendees.
T-Mobile’s Gold placement rounds out a private-sector mix that leans into connectivity and mobile commerce. ASBDC’s cohost role also means the nearly 1,000 Small Business Development Center locations across the country are likely to amplify the summit and run local watch parties, which can be a cost-free way for self-employed owners to plug in.
What Self-Employed Owners Should Do Next
Registration for the free Virtual Summit is open at sba.gov/NSBW, and ASBDC will publish the full session agenda in the weeks leading up to May 5. Owners who cannot attend live can still benefit, as past summits have published session recordings and slide decks afterward.
Self-employed professionals who are weighing 7(a) loans, 504 loans, SBIR grants, or export assistance should treat the week as a compressed office-hours window with federal staff. Getting a question in front of the right program officer during these sessions can cut weeks off the research phase for a new loan or grant application.
Photo by Tim Mossholder: Unsplash
