Iowa Senator Joni Ernst will be hosting an Entrepreneur Expo at Iowa State to bring in Iowa’s small business owners to connect them to government-related innovators and contractors. 

The expo will take place from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Friday in the Scheman Building. Iowa State University President Wendy Wintersteen is also scheduled to speak and welcome people to the event around 8:30 a.m.

The expo will feature keynote speakers, breakout sessions with federal agencies, networking with agency officials and the opportunity to learn about federal research and development programs for small businesses. 

“I am beyond excited to host hundreds of Iowans for an Entrepreneur Expo at Iowa State!” Ernst stated in a release to the Daily. “While our state is home to some fantastic small businesses, they’re struggling to get their foot in the government’s door. As Ranking Member of the Senate Small Business Committee, I’m grateful for the opportunity to bring Washington opportunities to the heartland to help stop the decline of Iowans participating in federal contracting.”

Ernst stated there has been a steep decline in Iowa small businesses receiving government contracts in the past ten years, adding that she wants to bring Iowa and the heartland’s small businesses back on the radar for buyers.

“Our national security industrial base must be upheld by many American small businesses rather than dependent on a few – and that means Iowans too!” Ernst stated. “With everyone in one room learning from each other, I’m confident that our brand-new entrepreneurs, experienced owners and buyers from the D.C. bubble will benefit. I’ll continue pushing Washington to look beyond Austin, Boston and Silicon Valley to uphold our security and produce the next great idea.”

The options for breakout sessions include: 

• Beginner GovCon Track: GovCon 101 – How to Start Selling in the Government Market
• Intermediate GovCon Track: Meet the General Services Administration, Heartland Team
• Advanced GovCon Track: SBA’s Mentor-Protégé Program – A Game Changer
• Beginner Innovation Track: SBIR 101 and Application Best Practices
• Intermediate Innovation Track: Q&A on SBIR Solicitations
• Beginner GovCon Track: Finding Opportunities in Your Government Market – Who is Buying What You’re Selling?
• Beginner GovCon Track: Small Business Certifications
• Advanced GovCon Track: Joint Ventures – A Powerful Small Business Tool
• Innovation Track: Blueprint for Defense – Identifying Nontraditional Small Business Opportunities within the DoD
• Innovation Track: A Conversation with NIH

The event is free to the public, and attendance is encouraged for small businesses that are interested in government contract work. No previous experience is necessary for those interested. 

Registration is available online or at the door starting at 8 a.m. The full schedule and list of participating agencies and resource/state partners for the event can be found here.