Small-Business Lending: Greater Milwaukee Foundation opened applications for 2026 ThriveOn Small Business Loans, offering up to $50,000 at a 3% fixed rate over seven years, plus required monthly coaching, with preference for disadvantaged Milwaukee-area commercial operators. Community Development: Wisconsin’s WEDC is backing Appleton’s Long Cheng MarketPlace with a $250,000 grant for a $1.4M renovation aimed at immigrant and underserved entrepreneurs. Job Creation Plan: Bangladesh’s Karmasangsthan Bank unveiled a five-year plan targeting 900,000 jobs, including low-interest loans for new small business owners and collateral-free support for small traders. MSME Market Access (India): QCI and NSIC signed a five-year MoU to help MSMEs adopt quality systems and expand market reach, linking ZED certification with digital commerce and export promotion. Policy & Compliance: California’s ADA lawsuit bill died after passing the Senate, raising questions about how lawmakers handle disability-access enforcement. Local Business Pressure: A Waukesha restaurant says it never agreed to host a political candidate event after an online inquiry was misunderstood and later promoted on social media. Payments & Marketing Tools: SeoSamba launched LocalEko, a done-for-you local marketing automation engine for small businesses and multi-location brands. Workforce Reality: Minnesota’s paid leave program saw an early application spike that has since leveled off, with rejection rates tied to documentation. Digital Skills Push: Telkom pledged R100 million to create an AI institute focused on training young people and small businesses.