PHILADELPHIA (September 8, 2026) – SEPTA’s Office of Business Advancement & Engagement (OBAE) will host a free workshop during Philadelphia’s upcoming Maximizing Economic Development (MED) Week. SEPTA is encouraging interested small businesses to register for the workshop, which will take place at SEPTA headquarters, 1234 Market Street, 3rd Floor, on October 6, 2026.
The Capital, Capacity & Commerce Workshop is designed to equip entrepreneurs with the knowledge, connections and actionable resources needed to compete for contract opportunities. Attendees will be able to network with multiple regional partners and learn about access to funding, technical assistance and procurement services.
The event is scheduled for 8:30 am to 12:30 pm with networking from 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm on the Mezzanine. Lunch will be provided for registered participants. Registration is encouraged and limited to 90 participants, with 62 currently registered.
SEPTA is one of five Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE), Airport Concession DBE (ACDBE), Small Business Enterprise (SBE) and Interstate certifying agencies in the state of Pennsylvania. On September 8, 2026, SEPTA will reopen its DBE and SBE certification portals and begin accepting new and annual certification applications.
Other local stakeholders in attendance will include the Pennsylvania Convention Center, Temple University’s Small Business Development Center, Fulton Bank, Finanta, the City of Philadelphia Department of Commerce, the Urban League of Philadelphia, the Economy League of Greater Philadelphia and PIDC.
The Pennsylvania Convention Center will be participating to share information about their micro-certification grant, through which eligible applicants may apply and be considered for funding to help offset costs associated with pursuing business certifications.
SEPTA is proud to be a leader in advancing inclusive economic growth and is excited to connect small and disadvantaged local businesses to opportunities and resources from some of our region’s economic hubs. SEPTA’s goal is to help translate investment, opportunity and collaboration into tangible economic outcomes for diverse businesses.
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