Join Senator Joni Ernst for a free, public event for small businesses and entrepreneurs in Ames, Iowa!
On August 6th, Senator Joni Ernst, Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Small Business & Entrepreneurship,
is bringing Washington, D.C. to the heartland. Senator Ernst’s Entrepreneur Expo is the best opportunity of the year for Iowa’s small businesses to learn about federal, state, and local government contracting opportunities, and federal innovation programs. The goal of this event is to introduce Iowa’s small businesses to the federal marketplace, providing an opportunity to learn how to sell their goods and services to the federal government and engage with federal innovation-focused programs, such as the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs.
This free event will feature multiple information sessions with government agencies, procurement experts, and successful small businesses.
Whether you are a business owner with an early-stage venture or an experienced entrepreneur, the Expo will provide valuable insights and connections to accelerate the growth of your enterprise.
- Where is the event being held? The Expo will be from 8 am - 3 pm CT at Iowa State University's Memorial Union (2229 Lincoln Way, Ames, IA 50011). There will be parking at Memorial Union. For more information on parking, see https://www.mu.iastate.edu/parking.
- How much does it cost to register for the event? This event is free to the public.
- When is the deadline for registration? You may register at any time, up until the day of the live event. A registration table will be available at the conference event for attendees who did not register online, although we strongly encourage interested attendees to register in advance.
- Where can I find more information about the event, i.e., agenda, speaker, topics? All information can be found on this website. Breakout session topics, speaker bios, and agenda will be posted soon.
- Who should attend this event? This event is open to the public and suitable for small businesses interested in working with the federal, state, or local government. No experience with government contracts is necessary.
- What is the dress code for this event? We encourage attendees to dress in comfortable, business-casual attire.
This free event will feature multiple information sessions with government agencies, procurement experts, and successful small businesses.
The following groups and state and federal agencies will be in attendance:
-
Contracting
- General Services Administration (GSA)
- U.S. Air Force
- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
- U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Small Business Office
- U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Farm Service Agency
- U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Office of Rural Development
- U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)
- U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI)
- U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT)
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)
- U.S. Navy
-
Innovation
- National Institutes of Health (NIH)
- National Science Foundation (NSF)
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
- National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
- Ames National Laboratory
- Army Applications Laboratory (AAL)
- U.S. Air Force, AFWERX
- U.S. Navy, Office of Naval Research
- U.S. Army, Office of Army Prize Competitions and Army SBIR
- U.S. Strategic Operations Command (SOCOM)
- U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), Federal Transit Administration
- U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), National Institute of Food and Agriculture
- U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences
- Defense Innovation Unit (DIU)
-
State Partners
- Iowa’s Small Business Development Center
- Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE) Des Moines
- The Iowa Center Women’s Business Center
- Small Business Administration Iowa District Office
- Small Business Administration Office of Advocacy
- Iowa Department of Transportation
- Collins Aerospace
- Timberline Manufacturing
- Iowa Secretary of State
- Ames Chamber of Commerce
- Iowa State University Procurement Services
- Iowa Department of Administration Services
- Iowa Air National Guard
- Iowa Army National Guard
- Iowa Economic Development Authority
- Ponca Economic Development Corporation Native APEX Accelerator
- Iowa State University (ISU) Center for Industrial Research and Service (CIRAS) APEX Accelerator
- University of Northern Iowa
For further inquiries, contact us at expo@sbc.senate.gov
