The London Small Business Centre, a non-for-profit organization, opened in 1986 with the support of its five founding members: the City of London; the Chamber of Commerce; Ontario's Ministry of Economic Development and Trade; the University of Western Ontario; and Fanshawe College. The Mission of the Centre is: "To stimulate, promote and support the entrepreneurial spirit, start-up and early growth of small business to actively contribute to the economic development of London." In pursuing this mission over the years the Centre has provided thousands of entrepreneurs with the full range of support services necessary to starting and successfully building their small businesses.