On the contrary, most small, for-profit businesses are eligible for SBA loans. They aren’t just for small start-ups! Primarily, eligible businesses must meet the following criteria: Be located in the U.S. Operate for-profit in an eligible industry (the list of ineligible business types is relatively short.) Have owner equity in the business. Meet size requirements, which vary by industry and can be quite large. LendXP provides lenders with complete eligibility guidance and conducts a thorough borrower review up-front to save valuable time.