The ISU Small Business Development Center, located in Ames and currently serving four counties, was one of the first centers established when the SBDC expanded its service statewide in 1982.

For nearly 17 years, the ISU center has provided several thousand Iowa business owners or prospective owners with business assistance in areas such as business and strategic planning, general management, sources of capital, cost control, financial analysis, international trade, accounting, marketing, and much more.

The ISU center's Smart Start Workshop, a business basics class held weekly in Ames, was introduced in 1992. Since its inception, over 1,588 clients have participated in the workshop. The center also sees over 400 clients per year on a one-to-one counseling basis. In 1994, the ISU center became involved in assisting technology-based businesses located at the ISU Research Park.