The National Veteran Business Development Council (NVBDC) closed out 2025 as one of the most impactful years in its history, expanding opportunities for Veteran-Owned and Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Businesses (SD/VOBs) across corporate procurement, global trade, supplier mentoring, youth leadership development, and enterprise-level certification.
As the only veteran business certification organization recognized by the Billion Dollar Roundtable and major national corporations, NVBDC continues to serve as the trusted bridge between certified veteran-owned businesses and corporate America. In 2025, that bridge expanded dramatically—reaching international markets, federal trade agencies, enterprise buyers, and digital platforms at scale.
Strengthening the Veteran Business Ecosystem Through the NVBDC MVO Task Force
In 2025, the NVBDC Military & Veteran Organization (MVO) Task Force expanded into one of the nation’s most influential veteran business collaboration networks. The Task Force now unites:
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Veteran Service Organizations (VSOs)
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Military Service Organizations (MSOs)
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Nonprofits
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Government agencies
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Veteran-focused employer and procurement partners
Through this ecosystem, NVBDC expanded education around veteran business certification, strengthened cross-organizational collaboration, and opened new employment, entrepreneurship, and procurement pathways for veteran business owners nationwide.
NVBDC Services & Education: From Domestic Procurement to Global Trade
NVBDC Services expanded significantly in 2025, delivering procurement, exporting, and enterprise training to veteran entrepreneurs across the country. Veteran-owned businesses gained access to:
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Services Learning Forum Webinars
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JumpStart Certification Readiness Series
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Supplier Success & Procurement Strategy Training
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Corporate Matchmaking & Buyer Engagement Events
Mastering Resources Exporting Webinar Series with SBA, EXIM & ITA
One of the most impactful initiatives of 2025 was the expansion of NVBDC’s Mastering Resources Exporting Webinar Series, delivered in partnership with:
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Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM)
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U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA)
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International Trade Administration (ITA)
These national webinars trained veteran-owned businesses on:
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Government-backed export financing
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International buyer access
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Global compliance and logistics
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Market entry strategies
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Federal trade resource utilization
For many NVBDC-certified companies, this marked their first entry point into global business.
NVBDC & the United Nations: Expanding International Procurement Access
In 2025, NVBDC partnered with the United Nations to host a landmark international procurement webinar focused on how veteran-owned businesses can do business with the UN.
Veteran entrepreneurs received direct education on:
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UN supplier registration
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Global bidding processes
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International compliance requirements
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Access to humanitarian and government-funded contracts
This partnership positioned NVBDC-certified businesses for participation in one of the world’s largest procurement ecosystems.
Amazon Business Partnership Expands Veteran Certification Access
NVBDC launched a new partnership with Amazon Business in 2025, enabling veteran-owned businesses that are already registered Amazon Business sellers to pursue NVBDC certification.
This created a direct bridge between:
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eCommerce sellers
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Enterprise-level buyers
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Fortune 500 supply chains
Veteran entrepreneurs are now able to scale beyond online selling into national corporate procurement programs.
NVBDC Launches the Supplier Mentoring Program (SMP)
Another major milestone in 2025 was the launch of the NVBDC Supplier Mentoring Program (SMP) — now live at nvbdc.org/smp.
Through this structured mentoring initiative, certified veteran-owned businesses receive:
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One-on-one corporate mentorship
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Procurement readiness development
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Operations and compliance guidance
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Growth strategy alignment for enterprise contracts
The Supplier Mentoring Program transforms certification into real-world business acceleration.
Technology Advancements: Certification Platform Expansion & AI Launch in 2026
Throughout 2025, NVBDC continued expanding its Vendor Information Center System (VOCS)—the digital backbone of veteran business certification and corporate supplier discovery.
Planned platform enhancements include:
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NACE industry code integration and language support
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International address and trade classifications
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Enhanced global supplier discovery
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Advanced corporate reporting and analytics
Looking ahead to 2026, NVBDC will officially launch its AI education programs for veteran-owned businesses, including:
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AI Advantage: Leveraging Artificial Intelligence for Veteran Business Success
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Using AI for Your Veteran-Owned Business
These programs will bring automation, advanced lead generation, operations intelligence, and procurement strategy tools directly into the veteran entrepreneur toolkit.
NVBDC JROTC Scholarship Program Surpasses $250,000 Nationwide
In 2025, the NVBDC JROTC Scholarship Program surpassed a major national milestone—awarding more than $250,000 in total scholarships to JROTC cadets across the United States.
Program highlights include:
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The 50-State JROTC Scholarship Program
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Career readiness and leadership development
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Continued funding support from Denny’s Hungry for Education (HFE)
These scholarships prepare future leaders for military service, higher education, and civilian careers.
“NVBDC Is Hitting the Road” Campaign Expands National Visibility
Throughout 2025, NVBDC’s Board of Directors and Advisory Board members participated in the “NVBDC Is Hitting the Road” national engagement campaign, representing the veteran business community at premier supplier diversity and defense industry events including:
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AUSA Annual Meeting
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WBENC National Conference
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NMSDC National Conference
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Dozens of regional procurement and supplier diversity summits
These engagements expanded contracting pipelines for certified veteran-owned businesses across corporate and federal markets.
2025 NVBDC National Conference: Spartanburg, South Carolina
NVBDC also convened its flagship 2025 NVBDC National Conference in Spartanburg, South Carolina, on October 29–30, bringing together:
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Fortune 500 corporate buyers
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Government agencies
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Prime contractors
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Certified veteran-owned suppliers
The conference delivered two days of strategic matchmaking, direct sourcing opportunities, and long-term supplier partnership development.
Looking Ahead to 2026: AI, Global Trade & Supplier Acceleration
As NVBDC enters 2026, the organization is focused on:
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Scaling international procurement through the United Nations and Global Chamber
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Growing the Supplier Mentoring Program
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Launching the national AI education platform
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Expanding Amazon Business certification pathways
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Strengthening enterprise supplier inclusion
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Continuing national youth leadership scholarships
With international visibility, advanced technology initiatives underway, and a growing network of federal and corporate partners, NVBDC continues shaping the future of veteran entrepreneurship—domestically and worldwide.
