Governor Kathy Hochul today announced the Empire State MWBE Hub, a new mobile-friendly online platform that will modernize key operations of New York State’s Minority- and Women-Owned Business Enterprise program. The Hub will make it easier for businesses to apply for MWBE certification, manage their applications and business profiles, receive assistance and connect with state contracting opportunities. Businesses can access the Empire State MWBE Hub at mwbe.esd.ny.gov.
“Since taking office, my administration has made expanding economic opportunities for Minority- and Women-Owned Business Enterprises a central part of our work to build a stronger and more equitable New York,” Governor Hochul said. “The Empire State MWBE Hub builds on that commitment by giving businesses a modern, more accessible path to certification and state contracting opportunities. We are continuing to break down barriers so more MWBEs can compete, grow, create jobs and contribute to communities across our state.”
Developed by Empire State Development’s Division of Minority and Women’s Business Development, the Empire State MWBE Hub is a flexible, cloud-based platform designed to support the expanding scale and complexity of the State’s MWBE program.
The State’s existing platform was developed more than a decade ago and has served the program as demand for certification and participation in state contracting has grown. The new Hub will introduce a modern, user-friendly interface, improved workflow tools and expanded data analytics to help businesses and program staff complete key processes more efficiently.
The platform will support:
- Electronic submission and management of MWBE certification and recertification applications;
- Communication between applicants and certification staff;
- Management of certification appeals and related documentation;
- A searchable directory of New York State-certified MWBE firms;
- Business-development outreach and event tracking;
- Customer service and helpdesk operations; and
- Reporting and data analytics to support program management and improve customer service.
The Empire State MWBE Hub will replace the application-management and certified-business-directory functions of the current system. Compliance-related functions will remain in the existing platform, with the certified MWBE directory serving as a connection between the two systems.
New York State Chief Diversity Officer Julissa Gutierrez said, “A truly inclusive procurement system must be accessible, transparent and responsive to the businesses it is intended to serve. The Empire State MWBE Hub will give entrepreneurs clearer information, greater visibility into the certification process and more direct access to assistance when they need it. This is an important step toward ensuring that every qualified business has a fair opportunity to participate in New York State contracting.”
Empire State Development President, CEO and Commissioner Hope Knight said, “The Empire State MWBE Hub will modernize the technology that supports one of New York State’s most important business-development programs. By bringing applications, appeals, customer service, outreach and the certified-business directory into a flexible, mobile-friendly platform, we will be able to manage growing demand more efficiently and make it easier for agencies and contractors to identify qualified MWBE partners.”
ESD Division of Minority and Women’s Business Development Executive Director Jason M. Clark, Esq. said, “The Empire State MWBE Hub is an example of New York State government listening to the feedback we’ve received from the MWBE community and developing a solution that gives businesses back one of their most valuable resources: time. With the support of our municipal partners, we’re unifying the certification process so MWBEs can get back to what they do best — growing their business.”
The Hub will also help advance the shared effort by M/WBE certifying entities across New York State, including New York City’s Small Business Services, Monroe County and the County of Erie and City of Buffalo Joint Certification Committee (JCC), to streamline the certification process so that businesses are spending less time applying for certification and more time growing their businesses.
Through the Hub, applicants will be able to create secure accounts, establish business profiles, submit materials electronically and view tasks and communications through a centralized user portal. Application forms will guide businesses through the submission process based on factors such as business structure and certification type, helping applicants better understand which information and supporting documents are required.
Certification staff will have improved tools for assigning and reviewing applications, communicating with applicants, coordinating quality-assurance reviews and tracking pending work. Applicants who appeal a certification determination will also have access to a more organized process for submitting materials, receiving communications and following the status of their cases.
The Hub’s certified-business directory will help state agencies, authorities, prime contractors and members of the public identify MWBE firms based on criteria such as business name, location, industry, services and certification type. Strengthening the directory is expected to increase the visibility of certified businesses and make it easier for procurement partners to identify firms for contracting and subcontracting opportunities.
Customer-care and business-development teams will use the platform to track inquiries, coordinate assistance, manage outreach campaigns, promote events and share contracting opportunities with certified businesses. Improved reporting and analytics will also allow the Division to assess application activity, customer-service performance, outreach results and other program trends.
By consolidating these services into a modern platform, New York State expects the Empire State MWBE Hub to reduce administrative burdens, improve communication, provide greater transparency into the certification process and shorten the time required to connect qualified businesses with economic opportunities. Its flexible design will also allow the platform to evolve as program requirements, legislation and the needs of New York businesses change.
Under Governor Hochul’s leadership, New York continues to lead the nation in MWBE utilization, with a record 31.86 percent of state contracts — more than $3.3 billion — going to certified minority- and women-owned businesses. In 2025, the Governor signed legislation raising the MWBE discretionary purchasing threshold to $1.5 million, streamlining procurement and expanding contracting opportunities for certified firms statewide. This builds on the elimination of New York’s long-standing MWBE certification backlog, with applications now reviewed in as little as 90 days — a landmark achievement made possible by an $11 million investment in the FY 2023 Budget and a hallmark of the Governor’s commitment to a more inclusive, dynamic business environment.
Additionally, the launch of the Empire State MWBE Hub builds on Governor Hochul’s EXPRESS NY initiative, a statewide effort to make government work better by tackling outdated and burdensome regulations, policies and practices that stand in the way of delivering for New Yorkers. In June the Governor announced 50 actions across 22 state agencies which are projected to save New Yorkers tens of millions of dollars in unnecessary fees and compliance costs and over one million hours of time spent navigating the regulatory process. In addition, on July 8, the Governor signed an Executive Order launching the Regulatory Reset Initiative for all state agencies to conduct a comprehensive review of outdated regulations, fines and fees, and mandated reports to save New Yorkers and small businesses time and money.
