Centers of Excellence
Statewide Centers of Excellence
PASBDC Centers of Excellence (CoE) are resource hubs that provide specialized services, tools, and knowledge across the Commonwealth.
These Centers serve several primary functions:
- Centralized Expertise: They act as a centralized resource for subject-matter expertise and technical assistance in priority areas that require specialized knowledge beyond general business consulting.
- Network Capacity Building: CoEs strengthen the entire SBDC network by sharing knowledge, providing tools, and offering training to business consultants at other Centers.
- Statewide Service Delivery: While hosted at specific universities, CoEs are required to serve clients across the Commonwealth, often delivering services virtually to eliminate geographic barriers.
- Specialized Technical Support: They provide high-level services that small businesses might otherwise find cost-prohibitive, such as engineering analysis, professional digital media production, or specialized SEO audits.
- Strategic Alignment: They align SBDC efforts with state and federal priorities, such as workforce development, manufacturing innovation, and supporting populations with language barriers.
To work with a Center of Excellence, click below to request consulting. If you are already a client, ask your Business Consultant about a referral.
Current PASBDC Centers of Excellence include:
Manufacturing Innovation – Bucknell University SBDC
The Manufacturing Innovation Center of Excellence (CoE) helps Pennsylvania manufacturers turn good ideas into real innovations that compete, generate revenue, and drive growth, by connecting those ideas to the tools and talent of one of the nation’s top undergraduate engineering colleges.
Hosted by Bucknell University’s College of Engineering, the CoE leverages faculty, staff, and students to support product and process innovation. Clients gain access to advanced design, simulation, and development capabilities, with many projects incorporating AI and automation to improve efficiency and performance.
The CoE guides clients using the Desirability / Viability / Feasibility Framework; ensuring new products are not only technically achievable, but also economically viable and laser-focused on quantifiable demonstrated customer demand.
Manufacturers engaging with this CoE may also access grant funding from the Manufacturing PA Innovation Program and investments through Ben Franklin Technology Partners, supporting deeper, longer-term collaborations. In addition, each year the CoE connects clients with faculty-led student design teams through class-based projects.
Spanish Language Services – Widener University SBDC
Dedicated to dismantling language barriers and ensuring equitable access to economic growth for Pennsylvania’s Spanish-speaking entrepreneurs, Widener SBDC provides culturally and linguistically competent technical assistance. The Center offers one-on-one consulting, business plan development, and financial management training entirely in Spanish.
From navigating complex startup procedures, legal requirements, and financial applications, to municipal permitting, loan packaging, international trade and business disruption planning, Widener SBDC ensures that Spanish-speaking entrepreneurs have the tools to build sustainable businesses that boost local economies and create jobs. By offering statewide virtual masterclasses on topics like QuickBooks and hiring practices, the Center teaches skills that can often be daunting in a second language.
Child Care – Shippensburg University SBDC
Recognizing child care as a foundational pillar of the Commonwealth’s economic infrastructure, the Shippensburg University SBDC provides specialized business advising for an industry facing uniquely complex regulatory and operational challenges.
This Center takes on the nomenclature of Center of Exploration, formed in 2026, to ensure PASBDC has the statewide resources and capacity to assist both start-ups and existing facilities in navigating the stringent licensing, safety, and staffing regulations required for the industry. The Center serves small child care businesses by focusing on the “business side” of care—helping providers develop sustainable financial models, secure capital for facility expansion, and implement professional marketing strategies to maintain full enrollment. By stabilizing the business operations of child care centers, the SBDC ensures that local parents have reliable care options, which in turn supports the broader regional economy.
Digital Marketing & Digital Services – University of Pittsburgh & Duquesne University SBDCs
This Center of Excellence is a joint partnership between University of Pittsburgh SBDC and Duquesne University SBDC, designed to empower small businesses to master the ever-evolving digital landscape through specialized SEO, e-commerce, and marketing design support. These Centers go beyond basic social media tips, providing deep-dive website analysis, search engine optimization reports, and visual design expertise that help businesses compete in a global marketplace.
In a digital-first economy where most small businesses lack confidence in their marketing knowledge, the Pitt and Duquesne SBDCs provide advanced, data-driven support to close the gap.
- University of Pittsburgh SBDC: Specializes in technical SEO reports, social media audits, and emerging digital tools. Recently, the Center has integrated AI-powered frameworks to help small businesses automate keyword identification and content creation, saving entrepreneurs valuable time while increasing their online visibility.
- Duquesne University SBDC: Supports entrepreneurs in strengthening their digital marketing capabilities through guided advising and hands-on learning. Business owners work through a series of consulting sessions to refine their audience, messaging, and marketing strategy before developing visual content. Through its in-house studio, the Center provides an educational environment where entrepreneurs learn the fundamentals of photography, video, and digital storytelling while creating marketing assets that support their broader marketing strategy. The Center also offers a Website Experience Review, which complements Pitt’s technical SEO audit by evaluating how customers experience and navigate a business’s website. This review provides practical feedback on areas such as site navigation, user journey, branding, photo and video content, and the overall purchase or inquiry process.
Together, these centers ensure that Pennsylvania small businesses can professionalize their digital presence and compete effectively in the global marketplace.