WASHINGTON, Nov. 13, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, Administrator Isabel Casillas Guzman, head of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and the voice in President Biden’s Cabinet for America’s more than 34 million small businesses, announced SBA will host the 2024 Innovation Ecosystem Summit on Nov. 14 and 15. The free, virtual event aims to connect entrepreneur support organizations (ESOs) from public and private sectors to exchange insights, collaborate, and strengthen the nation’s innovation ecosystem. This strategic effort underscores the SBA’s commitment to empowering and supporting tech startups and high-growth small businesses, the businesses fueling innovation, job creation and the nation’s economic growth.

“Innovation is the engine that drives our national and economic security, and it is small businesses, startups, and entrepreneurs that drive ideas and R&D into viable, highly productive businesses. As part of a thriving small business ecosystem, SBA serves as a vital catalyst for American innovation and the entrepreneurs working to build tomorrow’s future today,” said SBA Administrator Guzman. “Our fourth annual Innovation Ecosystem Summit brings together leaders from the entrepreneurial, innovation, and investment ecosystems with government, nonprofit, and philanthropic institutions to develop strategies, strengthen alignment on policies, and channel the necessary resources that will help our nation lead in emerging sectors for our global competitiveness.”

“The SBA’s Innovation Ecosystem Summit is dedicated to strengthening connections across America’s technology and science entrepreneurship networks by providing a vital platform for ESOs to share best practices, forge connections, and fuel growth,” said Bailey DeVries, Associate Administrator for SBA's Office of Investment and Innovation. “Trusted partnerships and knowledge-sharing are essential to expanding access to the resources, expertise, and capital required to drive deep-tech innovation and create equitable opportunities for startups and high-growth small businesses. The SBA’s role as a catalyst and connector for private sector innovation and growth has never been more important and, through the Summit, we have the opportunity to curate programming to support and empower changemakers that provide day-to-day support to R&D, lab-to-market, industry shaping technology innovators.”

Now in its fourth year, the Innovation Ecosystem Summit will provide attendees with fireside chats, rapid-fire presentations, panel discussions and breakout sessions curated for the ESO participants to leave with a stronger understanding of innovation ecosystems from a local, national, and international perspective. Summit sessions include: 

• State of the U.S. and Global Innovation Ecosystems
• Ecosystems and Global Competition
• Asset Mapping and Determining Your Region’s Competitive Advantage
• What Does it Take to Manage Your Coalition? Necessary Skills and Organizational Functions to be an Ecosystem Builder
• Identifying and Attracting the ‘Right’ Capital for Your Industry or Region
• Using Metrics to Tell your Ecosystem Story
• Making Capital Available for Emerging Industries and Technologies
• Supporting America's Hard Technology Small Businesses
• Licensing and Federal Technology Transfer
• Building Diverse Ecosystems
• Primer on Federal Funding for Entrepreneur Support Organizations
• Developing Industry-Specific Programming and Small Business Support

Speakers include industry experts and leadership from across SBA, national and international ecosystem building organizations, including the Ecosystem Building Leadership Network and the Global Entrepreneurship Network, federal agency partners, and representatives from across local and state ESOs. 

To see the schedule including the speaker list, and register for the 2024 IES, visit: https://innovationecosystemsummit.vfairs.com/

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About SBA’s Office of Investment and Innovation
The U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Investment and Innovation leads programs that provide the U.S. growth-oriented small business and startup community with access to financial capital, networks, assistance, and R&D funds to develop commercially viable innovations. Its work is underpinned by public-private partnerships that help small businesses on their trajectory from idea to initial public offering. Learn more at Office of Investment and Innovation (OII).

About the U.S. Small Business Administration
The U.S. Small Business Administration makes the American dream of business ownership a reality. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow, or expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. Learn more at www.sba.gov.

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