Start Your Business

Photo by Member Mark Krancer, Kram Kran Photo

Venture Services

For more than 20 years the JAX Chamber has provided mentoring, entrepreneurial education, consulting and networking opportunities to advance the success of entrepreneurs at every stage of business development. This shift into Venture Services addresses how businesses can access capital, foster innovation in their own companies and grow talent from within by adding critical skills needed in this digital economy.

The Venture Services Division, through its programming, provides entrepreneurs and innovators with the critical skills needed to start and grow a business. It also offers services to enterprises through open innovation initiatives.

The Venture Services Division is composed of three core JAX Chamber programs:

Jacksonville Women’s Business Center

Partially funded through the Small Business Administration (SBA), the Jacksonville Women’s Business Center (JWBC) creates a new level of innovation. The JWBC provides women – both new and established business owners and leaders – programming that includes mentoring, education, entrepreneurial development, extensive resources, and dynamic networking that will ignite the enterprising spirit.

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JAX Bridges Entrepreneurship Program

A program of the JAX Chamber, Bridges, with over 1500 alumni, is a simulation that educates and connects entrepreneurs. We leverage entrepreneurial tools, unique learning strategies, and corporate relationships to deliver on our value proposition.

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JAX Chamber Open Innovation Center

Our Open Innovation Center, an experiential program, leverages the relationship access of the JAX Chamber to work with core members of local industries to identify use cases that may be offered to a crowd of innovators for treatments and solutions.

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For information about the Venture Services Division, please email ventureservices@jaxchamber.com.

Small Business Leader of the Year

Our 2023 Nominee

Della Sellers

Dionne Wellington

Icecapade Frozen Treats

See More Information About Our Winner
Each year the JAX Chamber salutes the entrepreneurial spirit of Jacksonville’s small businesses with the Small Business Leader of the Year (SBLY) Award. This Council nominates one of their members to represent them at the JAX Chamber’s Annual Breakfast and to compete as the #1 SBLY overall.

Want to nominate someone?

A nominee must:

  • Be a member of the JAX Chamber in good standing
  • Be an owner, partner or shareholder of at least 25 percent of the business
  • Be active in the day-to-day management of the company
  • Be established locally in the same business for at least three years
  • Demonstrate professional business acumen and leadership
  • Have gross revenues of less than 5 million dollars per year for the previous three years

Click here to access the application.