SBIC Program Overview

SBA’s Office of Investment and Innovation (OII) leads programs that provide the high-growth small business community with access to two things: financial capital and R&D funds to develop commercially viable innovations.  Small Business Investment Company (SBIC) Program is an investment program that increases access to capital for growth stage businesses:

• $4 billion authorization per year
• $26 billion of assets under management
• 303 active SBICs

The SBIC is one of the largest fund-of-funds in the United States and can invest up to $4 billion annually. The SBIC program issues debt to venture capitalists, private equity funds and other vehicles that invest in America’s small, but scaling, businesses. Over the past five years, the program has channeled more than $21 billion of capital to more than 6,400 U.S. small businesses spanning a variety of industries across the country. Some of America’s most iconic brands, including those you see below, have received funding from SBICs.

Launched in 1958 the SBIC Program has:

• Deployed more than $67 billion of capital
• Made more than 166,000 investments in small businesses
• Licensed more than 2,100 funds