Plug and Play Foundation Launches SMB Tech Connect With Wells Fargo Grant

Ten Bay Area small businesses will get workflow assessments, startup pilots, and grants to pay for what they adopt

SUNNYVALE, Calif., Sept. 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Plug and Play Foundation (PNPF) has received a grant from Wells Fargo to launch SMB Tech Connect, an accelerator that will help 10 Bay Area small businesses identify where technology can improve their operations and then fund the implementation. Applications are now open.

The program addresses a gap most small-business support misses. Owners constantly hear that Artificial Intelligence (AI) will change how they operate, but few have the time, technical guidance, or capital to find out whether a specific tool works for their business.

Most owners run every function themselves, including finance, hiring, marketing, compliance, and customer service. Evaluating and implementing software becomes its own full-time job, and a tool that turns out to be the wrong fit is a cost few can absorb.

Participants will move through Plug and Play Foundation's ELEVATE Pathway, which combines tailored education, one-on-one mentorship, workflow assessments, technology recommendations, and grant funding for adoption.

"Small-business owners are navigating an increasingly complex technology landscape, but access to a tool alone does not guarantee meaningful adoption," said Dominique Reese, Executive Director, Plug and Play Foundation. "Businesses need trusted guidance, hands-on implementation support, and the financial flexibility to test solutions that address their specific needs. We are grateful to Wells Fargo for helping us build a program that brings these resources together and makes technology adoption more practical and accessible."

Every business starts with a technology and AI readiness assessment that maps operational gaps, repetitive processes, and the highest-impact opportunities for improvement. The results determine which of two tracks it joins.

• Technology Pilot Track — Businesses are matched with vetted startup solutions that address the challenges surfaced in their assessment. Plug and Play Foundation supports onboarding, implementation, evaluation, and long-term adoption planning.
• Workshop Implementation Track — Businesses attend hands-on workshops to improve workflows and use accessible AI and automation tools to reduce repetitive work, with implementation support tailored to their use cases.

Solutions may cover finance and accounting, sales and marketing, human resources, cybersecurity, legal and compliance, vendor management, e-commerce, customer operations, and other core functions.

Wells Fargo has funded small-business assistance for years. Its $420M Open for Business Fund backed more than 200 community-based organizations providing grants, loans, and technical assistance nationwide. Grantees reported reaching more than 336,000 small businesses, creating or preserving more than 461,000 jobs, and delivering more than 1.1M hours of tailored technical assistance, more than half of it one-on-one.

Plug and Play Foundation intends to use the California pilot as a model that may be adapted for additional markets, including New York City, Washington, D.C., Chicago, and Dallas.

Applications for the pilot are now open. Small-business owners interested in participating can learn more here or contact Dominique Reese.

About Plug and Play Foundation

The mission of Plug and Play Foundation is to build the next generation of impactful entrepreneurs and innovators of all backgrounds. Through our ELEVATE Pathway, we work to democratize access to technology by making enterprise-grade tools and innovative startup solutions accessible to small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs).

Plug and Play Foundation builds the next generation of impactful entrepreneurs, with a focus on communities facing significant opportunity gaps. Backed by the network and expertise of Plug and Play, the Foundation works across three pathways — ACCESS, which builds career and workforce pipelines from early education through first-time entrepreneurship; ELEVATE, which helps small and medium-sized businesses adopt technology and operate more efficiently; and IMPACT, which accelerates and invests in startups producing measurable social and environmental returns. Participants receive mentorship, hands-on support, and direct access to Plug and Play's corporate network. For more information, visit Plug and Play Foundation.

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SOURCE Plug and Play Foundation