This August, Ames will host the second Senator Ernst’s Entrepreneur Expo, an event for Iowa’s small business community. Supported by CIRAS APEX, America’s SBDC, and Senator Joni Ernst, the expo aims to connect Iowa small businesses and local entrepreneurs with government contracting opportunities and insights into federal innovation programs. Following the success of last year’s event, which featured educational workshops, panel discussions, and networking opportunities, preparations are underway for the August expo.
Jodi Essex, CIRAS APEX director, said, “The federal government and our Department of Defense are looking for ways to utilize existing commercial technologies of Iowa businesses and apply them in new and innovative ways to help strengthen our military. There are many pathways a business can take to work with the government besides traditional contracting methods, and this event is a great way to learn about them. Having Washington, D.C., representatives from multiple agencies travel to Ames to meet Iowa businesses is a fantastic opportunity. Even if your business is new to this market, our APEX Accelerator team is here to assist you through the process.”
Registration for this year’s event on August 6 is now live: https://events.blackthorn.io/en/6g82hT47/entrepreneur-expo-2024-4a4wQr8Qbd/overview
For more information, contact Jodi Essex at jodir@iastate.edu or 515-509-0769.