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About Knowledge Institute

Launched in 1998, Knowledge Institute, Inc. of Exeter, NH, is a philanthropic organization that specializes in economic development on local, regional, and national scale. Through facilitating public/private collaborative initiatives that specialize in supporting small business start-up and growth, Knowledge Institute sponsors the creation of business-to-business resource and referral networks, educational curriculum and marketing outreach strategies.

Recognized as experts in small business development and education by the U.S Small Business Administration (SBA), government agencies, Fortune 500 companies and other economic development leaders, Institute initiatives presently serve over 2,000,000 small businesses and facilitate business development relationships in all 50 United States through free public service business assistance networks, such as the Business Utility Zone Gateway, and internationally through collaborations between IBM and The World Bank, such as the SMEToolKit.org.

In specific support of veterans and women in business, Knowledge Institute developed 50 state-specific intra-networks respectively that promote education and access to free and low-cost business assistance programs; an eMentoring platform; and 'how-to' resources tailored uniquely to the needs and interests of veterans and women in business. To promote self-employment for individuals with disabilities, the Institute created BUZVr.org, and for high growth, high tech ventures, created myVbi.org.

Respective networks promote awareness, access and use of a wide range of public business assistance programs that offer access to sources of funding, marketing, import/export, government contracting, WBE/MBE/DBE certification, workforce development and business counseling, to name a few. In first quarter 2008, Knowledge Institute resource networks referred individuals to an average of over 240,000 business assistance programs per month - all at no charge via the Internet.

Resource networks represent collaborative public/private initiatives between thousands of America's nonprofit business assistance agencies and Knowledge Institute, founding and primary sponsor. Each network represents a free public service that is privately sustained and brings together for the first time, industry leaders to work collectively in building awareness, access and use of needed, free public business assistance programs on a local, regional and national scale, while also educating individuals about targeted technologies, products and services in the form of non-commercial, "edutorials" underwritten by sponsors such as Amazon.com, OPEN from American Express, Verizon, American Airlines, The Veteran's Corporation, and Biz Filings.

Primary to each resource networks success is the ability for all participants to add value and all to receive value. For example, public business assistance agencies publish and update their programs for free and in return, receive highly targeted client referrals leveraging limited resources while improving service delivery. Entrepreneurs learn about and utilize the resources they require and in return, as thriving enterprises, contribute to job creation, as well as individual and collective economic and social prosperity. Private sector organizations fund the education and networking process and in return, improve awareness and comprehension of their small business productivity-enhancing solutions.

Giving back to our community is also important to the members of the Knowledge Institute team. This includes Board service, and volunteer initiatives in support of local non-profits, economic development and mentoring of youth, women and veterans in business. Our mission is to inspire a culture that promotes philanthropy and a sense of responsibility towards the community on a local, national and global scale.