Visa Launches $100M Program to Help Small Businesses Grow

Small business owners just got a powerful new ally in their corner.

Visa announced Visa & Main on Thursday, a comprehensive platform designed to address the three biggest challenges entrepreneurs face: accessing capital, reaching new customers, and adopting modern business tools. The program launches with a $100 million partnership with small business lender Lendistry, with more grants and financial support promised ahead.

The platform goes beyond just money. Visa & Main connects small business owners with major corporate sponsors and creates opportunities through huge events like Super Bowl LX and the FIFA World Cup.

During Super Bowl week in San Francisco, the company launched a "Square Stops Here" hop-on-hop-off bus tour specifically designed to spotlight local businesses. The tour helps direct potential customers to small business members while hosting workshops that teach entrepreneurs how to turn short-term wins into lasting success.

The program also tackles a critical technology gap. Small businesses have adopted AI at less than half the rate of larger companies, leaving them at a competitive disadvantage. Visa & Main aims to close that gap by making essential tools like expense management and fraud protection easier to access and implement.

The Ripple Effect

Small businesses represent nearly half of America's economic activity and serve as the heartbeat of local communities. When they thrive, entire neighborhoods benefit through job creation, economic growth, and community vitality.

By combining Visa's vast resources, expertise, and network with targeted support programs, the platform could help level the playing field for entrepreneurs who often struggle to compete with bigger businesses that have easier access to capital and technology.

"We're connecting Visa's products and in-house knowledge with the expertise of our clients and partners to provide small businesses with flexible financing opportunities and customer acquisition and technology support," said Kim Lawrence, Visa's North America regional president.

The initiative represents a recognition that small businesses need more than just loans to succeed in today's economy.