Los Angeles Launches ‘Get in the Game LA’ Supplier Resource Hub as Part of a Comprehensive Initiative to Prepare Local Small Businesses for Procurement Opportunities Ahead of 2026 World Cup and 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games
Los Angeles celebrates National Small Business Week by launching significant resources for small businesses
May 8, 2025 3:44 pm
by L.A. Area Chamber
LOS ANGELES — May 8, 2025 —The Get in the Game LA Supplier Resource Hub, an online digital platform, launched today during National Small Business Week to equip regional small businesses with the tools, connections, and insights they need to compete for procurement opportunities tied to the upcoming global sporting events the city is hosting including the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The Get in the Game LA Supplier Resource Hub aims to strengthen the Los Angeles’ procurement ecosystem by bridging the gap between buyers and suppliers, opening the door for local businesses to tap into the more than $150 billion expected to flow through the region’s sports, entertainment, and infrastructure sectors over the next decade.
“With the FIFA World Cup and 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games on the horizon, we want visitors to see beyond our stadiums and experience the vibrancy of Los Angeles’ many small businesses in neighborhoods across the city,” said Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass. “Through this resource hub, LA’s small businesses can be ready to take the world stage and benefit from the economic opportunity that these global sporting events carry with them. National Small Business Week is the perfect time to launch this hub, and I look forward to the vital support that local small businesses will be able to access through this new initiative.”
Developed under the broader Get in the Game initiative, the Get in the Game LA Supplier Resource Hub, powered by Next Street’s proprietary technology, serves as the digital front door of a regional effort to increase small business participation in large-scale procurement contracts. The initiative is led by a coalition of partners comprising the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce, LISC Los Angeles, Vermont Slauson Economic Development Corporation (VSEDC), and Next Street.
“Small businesses are the engine of L.A.’s economy, and ensuring they are contract-ready is essential,” said Maria S. Salinas, President and CEO of the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce. “One of the biggest barriers small businesses face is capital, a network and resources. By connecting them to existing financing and offering signature capital solutions through the Supplier Resource Hub, we’re ensuring they’re contract ready and able to take on larger contracts.”
“Working side-by-side with local small and supplier businesses, Next Street has developed the Supplier Resource Hub with the goal of offering a no-cost, user-friendly platform that delivers real value and impact, reducing the number of doors a business has to knock on to get the support they need,” said Donald Jones, Partner at Next Street. “Through the Hub, businesses will get connected to vital support, including one-on-one advising, cohort training, a library of online courses, and the tools they need to grow, compete, and win.”
In addition to the services and opportunities provided by the Supplier Resource Hub, the Get in the Game initiative convenes a broad collection of public and private partners working to deepen their collaboration in the name of improving tailored small business support. These partners are focused on facilitating connections between small business suppliers and buyers for contract opportunities throughout the city and county.
With the launch of the Supplier Resource Hub now underway, the Get in the Game coalition is working through a multi-pronged strategy and approach, which also includes:
For Buyers:
- Procurement Innovation Forums: A network of public and private institutions sharing best-in-class supplier diversity and sourcing practices and providing ongoing feedback for the Supplier Resource Hub.
For Buyers and Small Business Suppliers: