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Department of Commerce

Making Philadelphia a business-friendly city where companies choose to start, stay, and grow.

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Department of Commerce

Services

Meet your area’s business services manager
Find loans through the Philadelphia Business Lending Network
Do business with the City
Register as a minority, woman, or disabled-owned business
Find location and zoning information
Pay your business taxes
See all Services

What we do

The Department of Commerce helps businesses—large and small—thrive in Philadelphia. Philadelphia is the ideal home for your business, offering:

  • A central location along the Northeast corridor.
  • A ready and talented workforce.
  • Competitive office rents and commercial real estate costs.
  • Vibrant commercial districts and growing innovation industries.
  • World-class dining, history, and cultural attractions.

We work to:

  • Attract and grow a diverse set of businesses.
  • Revitalize neighborhood commercial districts throughout the city.
  • Support small businesses and improve their access to funding.
  • Build a strong talent pipeline.
  • Increase economic opportunities for historically underserved business owners.

Connect

Address
1515 Arch St.
12th Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19102
Email business@phila.gov
Phone: (215) 683-2100
Social
Facebook
Twitter
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Business Resource Finder

Looking for guidance or support?

Connect with organizations that can help you start, run, and grow your business.

Go to the finder

Programs

The Catalyst Fund

Fueling the growth of small businesses and entrepreneurs in Philadelphia.

Storefront Improvement Program

Helping business and property owners to upgrade their storefronts.
Man on a ladder installing a security camera.

Business Security Camera Program

Funding for businesses to get surveillance cameras.

PHL Taking Care of Business Clean Corridors Program

Creating employment opportunities for residents while keeping Philadelphia’s neighborhood commercial corridors clean.
A woman working at her small business.

Quality Jobs Program

Investing in businesses that create new jobs with living wages and health insurance benefits for Philadelphia residents.
An open hand holding a key

Commercial Real Estate Acquisition Loan (CREAL) Program

Funding small businesses to purchase commercial property or real estate.
See all Programs

Posts

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Events

  • May
    7
    Event
    Level Up Your Pitch: Prepare for Philadelphia Startup Pitch Competition
    6:00 pm to 8:30 pm
    CIC Philadelphia, 3675 Market St, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
    Event

    Level Up Your Pitch: Prepare for Philadelphia Startup Pitch Competition

    May 7, 2025
    6:00 pm to 8:30 pm, 3 hours
    CIC Philadelphia, 3675 Market St, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
    map

    Join us on Wednesday, May 7 starting 6:00 p.m. for the formal launch of the Second Annual Philadelphia Regional Startup World Cup Pitch Competition, hosted in partnership with Pegasus Tech Ventures and Temple University.

    During this event, attendees will gain insights into the importance of pitching, how to make your pitch stand out from the crowd, and how to apply for our pitch competition. This Philadelphia competition is one of more than 100 regional pitch competitions happening across the world. The Philadelphia first prize winner will compete in the Startup World Cup, largest tech competition in the world.

    During this session, you will hear from Bill Reichert, Partner at Pegaus Tech Ventures and the winners of last years Philadelphia Regional Startup World Cup Pitch Competition. This Tech Talks event is in partnership CIC Philadelphia.

    Register today.

  • May
    9
    Event
    Webinar: Employment Law
    11:00 am to 12:00 pm
    Online
    Event

    Webinar: Employment Law

    May 9, 2025
    11:00 am to 12:00 pm, 1 hour
    Online
    map

    Join Philadelphia VIP and Morgan Lewis on April 9 for a free legal webinar.

    This webinar, led by A. Klair Fitzpatrick and Simone Adkins, will cover the basics of employment law for small business owners and Philly nonprofits. Learn the legal distinctions between volunteers, private contractors, and employees, and what these different employment statuses mean for your small business or nonprofit.

    The webinar is free and open to Philly-area small businesses and nonprofits. The webinar will be held via Zoom and will last approximately one hour, with time for a brief Q&A at the end.

    Register today.

  • May
    16
    Event
    Webinar: Onboarding Shareholders for Small Businesses
    11:00 am to 12:00 pm
    Online
    Event

    Webinar: Onboarding Shareholders for Small Businesses

    May 16, 2025
    11:00 am to 12:00 pm, 1 hour
    Online
    map

    Join Philadelphia VIP and Dilworth Paxson LLP on April 16 for a free legal webinar.

    This webinar, led by H. Lee Schwartzberg, will cover the legal considerations of onboarding shareholders. Learn about percentage shares, contract enforcement, negotiation, and more, to ensure you are prepared when bringing on a new business partner.

    The webinar is free and open to Philly-area small businesses. The webinar will be held via Zoom and will last approximately one hour, with time for a brief Q&A at the end.

    Register today.

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Press Releases

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