28 provider entry points for Mobile and Coastal Alabama. Numbers match the three graphics. Research checked September 25, 2026. Confirm current availability, fees, eligibility and appointments directly with each provider.
Events
01 · Mobile Chamber
Networking, business navigation, recognition and professional referrals.
Access and terms: Check current dates, registration and member pricing. Eagle Awards and Small Business of the Year are recognition programs, not general cash grants. MobileCAN consultation is distinct from SBDC AssistAL.
Location / coverage: 451 Government St, Mobile
02 · Eastern Shore Chamber of Commerce
Business introductions and networking across Daphne, Fairhope and Spanish Fort.
Access and terms: Check event location, eligibility and fees. The office is not the location of every event.
Location / coverage: 327 Fairhope Avenue, Fairhope
03 · Alabama Extension — Cottage Food
Cottage-food training with online, live and Spanish-language options.
Access and terms: Research lists a $25 course and three-year certificate. Training does not replace other approvals. A Mobile class was listed for October 19, 2026; confirm before registering.
Location / coverage: Statewide / online
Organizations & Programs
04 · Innovation Portal
Discover consultations, mentoring, founder programs, workspace and community events.
Access and terms: Discover is free; other programs and space may cost. Confirm intake. Portal Fund RISE is closed. The researched gBETA Gulf Coast deadline of September 20, 2026 has passed; it is venture-oriented, not a fit for every small business.
Location / coverage: 358 Saint Louis Street, Mobile
05 · USA Melton Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation
Business-development and accelerator education, plus youth entrepreneurship through Build-A-Bridge and Spark.
Access and terms: MBD serves pre-business founders or firms under one year; MBA serves firms at least one year old with revenue under $400,000. Confirm fees/cohorts. Build-A-Bridge/Spark are free for eligible high-school students through teacher participation, with October 2 and 23, 2026 dates listed. Launch USA requires USA affiliation; its April 3 deadline passed. Creative Pitch is for undergraduates; its January 29 deadline passed.
Location / coverage: 5811 USA Drive South, Mobile
06 · SCORE Alabama
Free volunteer business mentoring, including remote support for Mobile-area founders.
Access and terms: Use ZIP-based mentor matching. Workshop charges may differ. Statewide coverage does not imply a Mobile walk-in office.
Location / coverage: Statewide / remote
07 · Mobile Public Library — Connection Center
Business-plan research, librarian assistance, computers, digital skills and meeting resources at Ben May Main Library.
Access and terms: Request a one-hour appointment. Library-card eligibility depends on qualifying status; printing and some services cost extra.
Location / coverage: 701 Government Street, Mobile
08 · Operation HOPE
Small-business coaching and financial-readiness support.
Access and terms: Confirm delivery, eligibility and intake. This service route does not assert a Mobile office.
Location / coverage: Service-area resource
09 · Mississippi State University Veterans Business Outreach Center
Counseling and training for veterans, transitioning service members and military spouses. The MSU center serves Alabama.
Access and terms: Use the SBA locator to confirm routing and eligibility. This is an out-of-state provider serving Alabama, not a Mobile office.
Location / coverage: Alabama service area
Space
10 · Continental Kitchen
Shared commercial kitchen, food-business incubation and training.
Access and terms: Membership and space-use terms apply. Confirm booking, onboarding, equipment and approvals. Discounted training is not necessarily free.
Location / coverage: 260 Azalea Road, Mobile
11 · Mobile Makerspace
Shared tools and a maker community for prototyping and hands-on work.
Access and terms: Membership and tool-specific access rules apply. Entrepreneurs should inquire and arrange a tour. This is the current address, replacing the older Church Street location.
Location / coverage: 2472 Commercial Park Drive, Mobile
12 · Hatch Fairhope
Coworking, offices, a creator studio and specialized biotech founder programming.
Access and terms: Confirm availability, prices and booking. A live Hatch Biotech application form does not prove the next cohort is open. General public wet-lab access is not established.
Location / coverage: 55 S Bancroft Street, Fairhope
13 · Container Yard
Coworking and office space in Mobile.
Access and terms: Arrange a tour and confirm current availability and pricing. Provider lists Suite E.
Location / coverage: 1100 Dauphin Street, Mobile
Funding
14 · SARPC Revolving Loan Fund
Repayable gap financing supporting projects in Mobile, Baldwin and Escambia counties.
Access and terms: Complements conventional financing. Eligibility, underwriting, terms and job-related requirements apply. This is a loan, not a grant. Office: Suite 207.
Location / coverage: 110 Beauregard Street, Mobile
15 · Renaissance Community Loan Fund
Business loans, including Alabama microloan access.
Access and terms: Repayable financing subject to underwriting and current terms. Alabama/Mississippi service area; no Mobile office is implied.
Location / coverage: Regional service area
16 · TruFund — Alabama
Business lending and related support for eligible Alabama businesses.
Access and terms: Loan terms, underwriting and program geography vary. This is one lender, not separate startup and growth funders.
Location / coverage: Alabama service area
17 · Innovate Alabama — InvestAL and LendAL
InvestAL supports equity investment; LendAL supports credit access through participating lenders.
Access and terms: Equity may dilute ownership. LendAL is lender-mediated debt support, not a direct grant. AssistAL is application advice. The separate Supplemental Grant requires eligible SBIR/STTR awards; the researched cycle is closed.
Location / coverage: Statewide
Expansion Resources
18 · Alabama Small Business Development Center
Business advising, rural outreach, financing readiness, export advice and continuity support.
Access and terms: Core advising is offered at no cost. AssistAL is advice, not funding. AITC export counseling is statewide. Continuity assistance does not establish open disaster-loan applications. Use the network for local routing.
Location / coverage: Statewide / local referral
19 · Alabama APEX Accelerator
Government-contract readiness, bid matching and proposal assistance.
Access and terms: Counseling does not guarantee awards. Begin with the statewide team for the appropriate counselor.
Location / coverage: Statewide
20 · City of Mobile — Office of Small Business Development
Vendor-readiness guidance and help navigating city business through Work With Mobile.
Access and terms: Registration, certifications and bids have separate requirements. Assistance does not guarantee procurement.
Location / coverage: 205 Government Street, Mobile
21 · ATN
Manufacturing, quality, process improvement and food-industry assistance.
Access and terms: Ask ATN to scope the service and price. Statewide access does not imply a local walk-in office.
Location / coverage: Statewide
22 · AIDT
Recruitment and customized training for eligible new and expanding employers.
Access and terms: Provider describes services as free, subject to project fit and approval. Begin with an employer inquiry.
Location / coverage: Statewide
23 · Southwest Alabama Partnership for Training and Employment
Employer on-the-job and incumbent-worker training support.
Access and terms: Approval, employer eligibility and available funding apply. Contact SWAPTE before visiting its Mobile Career Center offices.
Location / coverage: 515 Springhill Plaza Court, Mobile
24 · Coastal Alabama Community College — Workforce Development
Business and industry training, credentials and work-based learning.
Access and terms: Multicampus services: this is the Bay Minette campus/mailing entry, not every course location. Confirm correct location and fees with workforce development.
Location / coverage: 1900 US Highway 31 South, Bay Minette
25 · USA Office of Commercialization and Industry Collaboration
University technology commercialization, licensing and industry collaboration.
Access and terms: Works with USA intellectual property and collaboration partners; not general patent counsel. Office: Building II, Suite 150.
Location / coverage: 775 University Boulevard North, Mobile
26 · Auburn University Shellfish Laboratory
Oyster-business technical support, including planning, permits and insurance topics.
Access and terms: Dauphin Island-based support; COAST serves Alabama and Mississippi. Confirm scheduling and intake. Not general-purpose public laboratory access.
Location / coverage: 150 Agassiz Street, Dauphin Island
27 · Bishop State Community College — Workforce Development
Workforce training and employer-focused education.
Access and terms: Confirm program, campus, pricing and enrollment. Institutional presence does not imply free incubation or open labs.
Location / coverage: Contact provider for delivery site
28 · City of Mobile — Build Mobile
Predevelopment, zoning, permits and inspections for a business location.
Access and terms: Seek site/zoning guidance before signing a lease. Permit fees are separate from advising. Government Plaza, third floor, South Tower; shares the OSBD map location.
Location / coverage: 205 Government Street, Mobile
Loans require repayment; equity may involve ownership dilution; competitive awards have selection rules; advice is not a funding commitment. An independent curated guide, not a guarantee of service or an endorsement by the Chamber or any listed provider.