During this session, attendees from EPSCoR jurisdictions are invited to discuss barriers and successes in increasing research competitiveness, commercialization of EPSCoR research, and relationships with innovation and entrepreneurial support organizations, and economic development organizations.

This roundtable provides an opportunity for Arkansas attendees to network with peers from around the state, discuss the importance of technology and innovation, and consider... Read More

During this interactive session, attendees will discuss perceptions and obstacles to effective collaborations between academia and economic development organizations, resources needed for successful innovation and commercialization activities, and how to build productive, equitable relationships with local, state, and federal partners.

Get out and see the Innovation Hub, Arkansas’ first makerspace, which provides tools and training to entrepreneurs, students and other makers, preparing them to join and grow Arkansas’s economic ecosystem. Attendees will convene in front of the Marriott at 3:00 to depart by a chartered trolley for a tour of the STEAM-focused facility located at 204 E 4th St., North Little Rock, and learn about its impact on the regional economy.

This open discussion for state tech-based economic development leaders will focus on topics identified by those attending the meeting. Topics might range from coordinating the federal funds flowing to the states, communicating the value of your programs to specific operational issues.

This roundtable will feature a series of attendee-driven conversations. Topics may include: attracting co-investors; sources of funding for administrative and services costs; and, trends in valuations and exits.

During this hour, those interested in hearing the latest developments with the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI) are welcome to attend.