For many small businesses, landing a contract with a Fortune 500 company or major institution can be more difficult than developing a good product. A Greater St. Louis Inc. program opening applications this month aims to help local companies overcome those barriers.
The organization’s Supplier Readiness Accelerator is a 12-week program designed to prepare locally owned businesses to compete for corporate and government contracts by strengthening the skills and systems larger customers often require.
For many entrepreneurs, winning those contracts involves much more than offering a competitive product or service. Businesses often must navigate complex procurement systems, meet financial and insurance requirements, obtain certifications, manage cash flow and demonstrate they can scale their operations to meet demand.
The accelerator is part of Greater St. Louis Inc.’s broader SupplySTL initiative, an effort to connect locally owned businesses with corporate procurement opportunities while encouraging major employers and institutions to purchase more goods and services from companies based in the St. Louis region.
“Our mission is to drive growth and create more and better jobs, and we want to help local small businesses be at the leading edge of that growth,” said Lakesha Mathis, a partner at Greater St. Louis Inc. “Our Supplier Readiness Accelerator is a perfect opportunity for companies looking to take that next step and be a part of the supply chain process for major corporations and institutions.”
Greater St. Louis Inc. recently expanded the initiative beyond its original accelerator model to include supplier readiness coaching, capital partnerships and additional business support services designed to help companies become more competitive.
According to the organization, its previous Diverse Business Accelerator served more than 55 entrepreneurs and helped create more than 120 jobs before evolving into the broader Supplier Readiness initiative.
Participants begin with an assessment of their business before spending 12 weeks working through topics such as business development, lead generation, scaling operations, cash-flow management, certifications, vendor portals and sourcing strategies. The program concludes with participants presenting a comprehensive growth plan.
“This is an experience that no matter where you’re starting, it gives you the opportunity to really jump in, connect with the folks that you want to meet, and receive real mentorship from people who are two or three steps ahead of where you are right now,” said Calvin Dantley, founder and principal of Master Systems LLC and a graduate of the spring 2026 accelerator.
Greater St. Louis Inc. says a survey of graduates from the accelerator and its predecessor program found that 90% reported gaining significant business knowledge, 60% increased revenue by more than 10%, and 68% added an average of three employees.
Businesses interested in applying must be locally owned, employ 250 or fewer people, generate revenue, operate in the business-to-business or business-to-government marketplace, have a scalable business model and commit to participating in the full program.
Applications for the fall 2026 cohort are open through Aug. 19.