About the Event

The SBA Innovation Ecosystem Summit is curated to connect organizations across sectors to learn from one another as we work together to build a thriving national innovation ecosystem that promotes equitable access to capital and resources for innovators nationwide.

What to Expect:

  • Two days of virtual collaboration with fellow organizations from across the country;
  • Curated content and programming - keynotes, panels, and breakout sessions;
  • Opportunities to learn about best practices and initiatives from other organizations;
  • Strategies to help your entrepreneurs access government funding and other sources of capital, and,
  • Creative and actionable ways to build a network that is inclusive of underrepresented communities.
Who Should Attend:

Representatives from programs that support innovators, including:

  • Accelerators and Incubators
  • Tech-based Economic Development Organizations
  • Entrepreneur Support Organizations
  • Investors
  • Federal and National Labs
  • Small Business Development Centers
  • APEX Accelerators
  • Tech Transfer Offices
  • Colleges and Universities

Hosted by the U.S. Small Business Administration 

Created in 1953, the U.S. Small Business Administration continues to help small business owners and entrepreneurs pursue the American dream. SBA is the only cabinet-level federal agency fully dedicated to small business and provides counseling, capital, and contracting expertise as the nation's go-to resource and voice for small businesses.

Speaker Highlights

See Bio

Bailey DeVries

Associate Administrator of Investment and Innovation, U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Investment and Innovation

See Bio

Arjun Gupta

Founder and Chief Believer, TeleSoft Partners, and Chair, SBA's Investment Capital Advisory Committee (ICAC)

See Bio

Julie Lenzer

Chief Innovation Officer, Advanced Regenerative Manufacturing Institute

See Bio

Brittany Sickler

Director of Ecosystem Development, U.S. Small Business Administration Division of Investment and Innovation Ecosystem Development

See Bio

Andy Stoll

Executive Director, Ecosystem Building Leadership Network (EBLN)

See Bio

Cecilia Wessinger

Director for Global Community, Global Entrepreneurship Network

Agenda

Agenda

time iconNovember 14, 2024 11:00 am

Pre-Event Networking

Kick-off your 2024 Innovation Ecosystem Summit by connecting with fellow Entrepreneur Support Organizations (ESOs). This fast-paced (90-second) video networking experience offers a great way to meet new leaders who are active and passionate about the ecosystem building environment. 


time iconNovember 14, 2024 12:00 pm

Welcome Address

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Brittany Sickler
Director of Ecosystem Development, U.S. Small Business Administration Division of Investment and Innovation Ecosystem Development

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Bailey DeVries
Associate Administrator of Investment and Innovation, U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Investment and Innovation

time iconNovember 14, 2024 12:20 pm

Break

time iconNovember 14, 2024 12:25 pm

State of the U.S. and Global Innovation Ecosystems

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Brittany Sickler
Director of Ecosystem Development, U.S. Small Business Administration Division of Investment and Innovation Ecosystem Development

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Cecilia Wessinger
Director for Global Community, Global Entrepreneurship Network

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Andy Stoll
Executive Director, Ecosystem Building Leadership Network (EBLN)

Hear from leadership from SBA's Investment and Innovation Ecosystem Development, the Ecosystem Building Leadership Network, and the Global Entrepreneurship Network for an in-depth discussion on the history of ecosystem building and where the U.S. and global innovation ecosystems stand today.

time iconNovember 14, 2024 12:55 pm

Break

time iconNovember 14, 2024 01:00 pm

Coming soon!

time iconNovember 14, 2024 01:15 pm

Strategies for Amplifying Investment and Entrepreneurship in Indiana, a Case Study

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Chelsea Lindler
VP Innovation & Entrepreneurship, TechPoint

Indiana has been ranked the #1 state to start a business by Forbes in 2023, and #2 in 2024. Join us for a rapid-fire presentation on the strategies used to attract and increase investments in startups and small businesses in Indiana, highlighting successful partnerships between the public and private sectors.

time iconNovember 14, 2024 01:30 pm

Break

time iconNovember 14, 2024 01:32 pm

Ecosystems and Global Competition

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Steve Tobocman
Executive Director, Global Detroit

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Jim Newton
Export Finance Manager, U.S. Small Business Administration Office of International Trade

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Roger Howard
Director, Global Trade and Federal Engagement, Indiana Economic Development Corporation

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Brigitta Miranda-Freer
Executive Director MWTC, Director of Operations for MonTEC, Montana World Trade Center

From global supply chains, to trade missions, to attracting and retaining talent locally and abroad, ecosystem builders and their small businesses face a variety of pressures to ensure they remain competitive on the local, national, and global stages. 


Learn about programs at the federal and state levels that are being leveraged to support small businesses and ecosystems on the global stage.

time iconNovember 14, 2024 02:10 pm

Break

time iconNovember 14, 2024 02:15 pm

Forging Collaborative Power: ARPA-H Investor Catalyst Hub

Learn about ARPA-H and its network, including the Investor Catalyst (IC) Hub, are an exciting, modern example of a model that proves how strong coalitions can fast track innovation.

time iconNovember 14, 2024 02:30 pm

Breakout Session Instructions

time iconNovember 14, 2024 02:35 pm

Breakout Session: Asset Mapping and Determining Your Region's Competitive Advantage

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Leigh-Ann Buchanan
President & CEO, Miami-Dade Innovation Authority

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Ann Peterson
Program Director, Montana Innovation Partnership powered by MSU TechLink Center

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Allison Forbes
Senior Vice President, Center for Regional Economic Competitiveness

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Amy Sturdivant
President & CEO, 58 INC | Shelby County EDC

Do you know the economic strengths of your region? Who are the people and the organizations driving innovation in your region?


If you want to understand how to answer these questions, join us for a conversation with ecosystem builders who have leveraged different tools and processes to conduct regional asset mapping to determine and build upon their region's competitive advantage.

time iconNovember 14, 2024 02:35 pm

Breakout Session: What Does it Take to Manage your Coalition? Necessary Skills and Organizational Functions to be an Ecosystem Builder

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Jason Rittenberg
Principal, Excel Regional Solutions

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Dana Catron
Interim Director and CEO, Arrowhead Center at NMSU

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Melissa Roberts Chapman
President & Regional Innovation Officer, KC BioHub

Over the past decade, there has been a growing acknowledgment of ecosystem building as a profession. As ecosystem building grows, our industry continues to professionalize, and we are learning what jobs and organizations make for successful ecosystems.


Learn from organizations about how they hire for key ecosystem roles, the skills on their teams, and overarching strategy for how they manage coalitions to best serve the ecosystem and their small businesses.

time iconNovember 14, 2024 02:35 pm

Breakout Session: Identifying and Attracting the 'Right' Capital for Your Industry or Region

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Patrick Delehanty
Director of Economic Research, U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Advocacy

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Beto Pallares
General Partner, Audaz Capital

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Joseph Williams Jr.
Managing Director, The Community Foundation Mission Investments Company, The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven

Navigating funding options and structures is a never-ending challenge for innovative startups and growing small businesses. How do you know what capital is appropriate for your company and how do you gain access? How can a business be prepared to attract and close on outside investor capital?

Learn about different financing options and structures and hear from capital providers themselves on what they look for when investing in companies.

time iconNovember 14, 2024 03:25 pm

Break

time iconNovember 14, 2024 03:30 pm

Using Metrics to Tell Your Ecosystem Story

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Ify Aduba
Executive Director, Entrepreneurship Funders Network

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Keishla Tirado
Director of Federal Programs, DECA

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David Van Siclen
Project & Operations Director, American Manufacturing Communities Collaborative

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Iain Reed Hyde
Director, National Economic Research and Resilience Center & National Preparedness Analytics Center, Argonne National Laboratory

Metrics are critical to tracking the impact of your ecosystem. They can also be foundational to your ecosystem story.


Hear from storytellers and ecosystem leaders on how they collect and incorporate metrics into telling the story of their work, including when applying for funding from private, public, and philanthropic sources.

time iconNovember 14, 2024 04:10 pm

Break

time iconNovember 14, 2024 04:15 pm

Closing Remarks

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Alison Evans
Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Development Specialist, U.S. Small Business Administration Division of Investment and Innovation Ecosystem Development

Closing remarks for the day, what to expect on Day 2

time iconNovember 14, 2024 04:25 pm

Break

time iconNovember 14, 2024 04:30 pm

Networking/Happy Hour

Stay tuned for more details on this networking experience.

time iconNovember 15, 2024 11:00 am

Pre-Event Networking

Kick-off Day Two of the 2024 Innovation Ecosystem Summit by connecting with fellow Entrepreneur Support Organizations (ESOs). This fast-paced (90-second) video networking experience offers a great way to meet new leaders who are active and passionate about the ecosystem building environment. 

time iconNovember 15, 2024 12:00 pm

Welcome Address

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Jennifer Shieh
Chief Scientist and Program Manager, U.S. Small Business Administration Division of Investment and Innovation Ecosystem Development

Recap of Day 1, what to expect for Day 2

time iconNovember 15, 2024 12:20 pm

Break

time iconNovember 15, 2024 12:25 pm

Making Capital Available for Emerging Industries and Technologies

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Julie Lenzer
Chief Innovation Officer, Advanced Regenerative Manufacturing Institute

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Bailey DeVries
Associate Administrator of Investment and Innovation, U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Investment and Innovation

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Arjun Gupta
Founder and Chief Believer, TeleSoft Partners, and Chair, SBA's Investment Capital Advisory Committee (ICAC)

The technologies needed to support society's most pressing problems require significant coordination and alignment by all stakeholders in the innovation ecosystem. Traditional capital providers and private investors often have difficulties investing in critical technologies because the risk is high and time to return is long. 
Hear from government, capital, and industry leaders on how they are changing this formula and aligning capital to support industries and technologies critical to our nation.

time iconNovember 15, 2024 01:00 pm

Break

time iconNovember 15, 2024 01:05 pm

Supporting America's Hard Technology Small Businesses

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Conrad Holloman
Ecosystem Development Analyst, U.S. Small Business Administration Division of Investment and Innovation Ecosystem Development

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Ian Johnston
Director of Emerging Ecosystems, The Engine

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Brenna Teigler
General Partner, Activate

Hard technology development requires significant capital and time. Learn from local and national organizations that are specifically working with hard technology entrepreneurs. Hear the challenges they face and how their programming is designed to support entrepreneurs throughout the long haul.

time iconNovember 15, 2024 01:45 pm

Break

time iconNovember 15, 2024 01:50 pm

Equipping Diverse Founders of STEM-Focused Firms for Global Success

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Melissa Antman
Deputy Director, PATIO, ARPA-H

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Chelsea Schiller
Director, ARPA-H Investor Catalyst Hub

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Aaron Miller
Director, International Business Development Program, Virginia SBDC - George Mason University

Coming soon!

time iconNovember 15, 2024 02:05 pm

Break

time iconNovember 15, 2024 02:10 pm

Licensing and Federal Technology Transfer

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John Bittman
Interagency Policy Specialist, NIST

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Christie Funk
Manager, Technology Transfer Expansion (T2X) Program, NASA

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Vanessa Pena
Director, Technology Transfer Policy and Practice, US DOE, Office of Technology Transitions

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Megan Holcomb
Chief Operating Officer, LabStart

Federal agencies can have a robust portfolio of vetted technologies and many are working to have more user-friendly licensing terms to further support the commercialization of federally-funded research. 


Learn from federal agency leadership and entrepreneur support organizations that are supporting the tech transfer.

time iconNovember 15, 2024 02:50 pm

Breakout Session Instructions

time iconNovember 15, 2024 02:55 pm

Breakout Session: Building Diverse Ecosystems

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Kathryn Rudloff
Executive Director, weVENTURE WBC at Florida Tech

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Lucy Brennan
Director, Founder's Team, P33 Chicago

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Nikki Powis
Director, Small Business Programs, National Disability Institute

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Louisa Schibli
Director of Impact and Engagement, RuralWorks

Entrepreneurs are diverse, with their technologies and businesses informed by their knowledge and experiences. Local innovation ecosystems need to reflect the diversity of their entrepreneurs.


Hear from a panel of ESO leaders who are intentionally building programming to reach diverse entrepreneurs, including women, people of color, those in rural areas, and those with disabilities.

time iconNovember 15, 2024 02:55 pm

Breakout Session: Primer on Federal Funding for Entrepreneur Support Organizations (ESOs)

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Alison Evans
Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Development Specialist, U.S. Small Business Administration Division of Investment and Innovation Ecosystem Development

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Amanda Kosty
Program Officer, U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA)

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Annette Finsterbusch
Acting Section Head for Small Business (SBIR/STTR), NSF (Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships)

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Diana Bauer
Deputy Director, Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Technologies Office, Department of Energy

Did you know that there are Federal dollars specifically designated to support ecosystem builders? Join this informative readout to learn what federal programs are available to ESOs from across the federal government. Leave understanding which opportunity is best for your ESO and why you should participate.

time iconNovember 15, 2024 02:55 pm

Breakout Sessions: Developing Industry-Specific Programming and Small Business Support

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Steve Nakagawa
Cenfluence Program Director, Florida High Tech Corridor

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Stephaney Bolden
MACRP Program Manager, Urban League of Greater Atlanta

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Rebecca Kaufman
VP, Regional Innovation Clusters, AgLaunch

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Kelly LoBianco
Director, LA County Department of Economic Opportunity

Have you determined the competitive strength of your region? What is the next step?


Hear from ESOs and city leaders on how they utilized their local and regional competitive strengths to inform and develop new programming and small business support services. 

time iconNovember 15, 2024 03:45 pm

Break

time iconNovember 15, 2024 03:50 pm

Summit Takeaways

Four participants in the 2024 Innovation Ecosystem Summit will share their key takeaways and one action item they are taking back to their region or organization.

time iconNovember 15, 2024 04:10 pm

Break

time iconNovember 15, 2024 04:15 pm

Closing Remarks

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Brittany Sickler
Director of Ecosystem Development, U.S. Small Business Administration Division of Investment and Innovation Ecosystem Development

Closing remarks for the Summit and call to action.

SBA’s participation in this activity is not an endorsement of the views, opinions, products or services of any other person or entity. All SBA programs and services are extended to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis.

 

Reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities will be made if requested at least two weeks in advance of this event. Contact Sharon.Hoffmeyer@sba.gov.

 

For general questions about the Summit and program, contact ecosystem@sba.gov.