American Express OPEN has agreed to become the first sponsor for The Small Business Web, a network of Web-based software solution providers aimed at helping small businesses grow.

OPEN is American Express’ small business unit that supports Web professionals through a variety of online initiatives in addition to its payment card and financial services designed for small businesses. Those include the Business Apps cloud-based products, the AcceptPay Web-based payments tool, the InsuranceEdge online portal and SearchManager to monitor paid search campaigns. Each tool is accessible through a centralized dashboard and several more product launches are planned for 2011.

The Small Business Web is a network of software companies to integrate their products for the benefit of small businesses. More than 150 companies are currently listed in The Small Business Web Directory, a free resource for businesses to find Web-based software targeted to small businesses – and of which American Express OPEN is now the first-ever official sponsor.