Potential roles for business to support peace in conflict situations have provided a new area for research, sometimes termed peace entrepreneurship, peace through commerce, peace business, or corporate peacemaking. In this essay, the term “business” encompasses microbusinesses, small and medium-size businesses, and transnational corporate social responsibility: applying contact theory and mediation corporations (TNCs). As a key economic actor which impacts national economies, employment, investment, natural resources, and media, business can strengthen structural and cultural peacebuilding for conflict prevention and postconflict reconstruction. The potential also exists for business to support peacemaking under conditions of direct violence. Business can do this by initiating or supporting interventions such as mediation or by providing resources and administrative and logistical support for such interventions.      Keywords:    peace entrepreneurship,  business,  transnational corporations,  mediation,  peacebuilding,  peacemaking,  conflict resolution,  social entrepreneurship,  human rights,  contact theory,  extended contact