September 2023

Summit of the Americas

Members from the Small Business Network of the Americas (SBNA) joined together on the margins of America’s Small Business Development Center (SBDC) annual conference in Nashville, discussing their ongoing work to enable small business development and growth in their respective countries.

SBNA, established in 2012, is a successful program operated under the FAU Division of Research and is currently in active operations with Chile, Colombia, the Caribbean and Central America.

"We are excited to expand our collaborations with Brazil and enhance the partnerships in Mexico and Paraguay with the support of the U.S Department of State," said Sandra Marin Ruiz, Ed.D., regional director Florida SBDC at FAU.

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Connecting with Caribbean Markets

In early September, Florida Small Business Development Center (SBDC) members attended the U.S. Caribbean Business Conference in Miami.

Participants of the conference received up-to-date market intelligence and help developing practical strategies for winning contracts and for exporting their goods and services. The program included U.S. diplomats, industry professionals, trade experts, international business experts, high-level government officials and seasoned exporters.

"The Caribbean represents a large export market for U.S. firms and there is a high demand for U.S. made products and services in the region," said Taynara Rollins, business consultant with FAU SBDC). "Besides the informative sessions, the event also offered plenty of opportunity for networking and the knowledge gathered at the conference will be valuable to share with our clients that are considering expand their business internationally."

Photo: From left, Taynara Rollins, Andrea JohnBaptiste, business consultants with FAU SBDC at the conference in Miami.

Partnering for Success

The FAU Small Business Development Center (SBDC) recently secured a grant from the Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties, titled "Community-Based Innovation and Business Development Outreach: Expanding FAU's SBDC Grassroots for Forward-thinking Entrepreneurs, Innovators, and Traditional Businesses in South & West Palm Beach Counties."

"We are grateful for this opportunity to support underserved communities in Palm Beach counties with the help of the foundation," said Sandra Marin Ruiz, Ed.D., regional director Florida SBDC at FAU.

Danita R. DeHaney, president and CEO of the Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties, said, "We are delighted to expand FAU SBDC’s operations this year through a competitive Community Impact grant generously provided by our donors. The center’s work this year will strengthen small Palm Beach businesses, bringing prosperity to important pockets of our community. We are grateful for the SBDC’s expertise and partnership."

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SPOTLIGHTS

Business Success: East Boca Acupuncture

About six months ago, Heather Koerner, acupuncturist and doctor of Chinese Medicine, decided she wanted to step out on her own and start her own acupuncture clinic, East Boca Acupuncture. But, the path to success wasn't exactly clear, she said.

Koerner turned to the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at FAU for guidance and worked with Jim Deam, business consultant. He helped her create a vision for her business and road map to get there, as well as develop tools to assess her success, which made her feel less anxious, she said.

“The SBDC felt like a safety net, like I had someone in my corner, someone I could go to to ask questions, and felt like I had a mentor to lean on in times when I didn’t know what to do," Koerner said. "The SBDC is invaluable to my success."

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APEX CORNER

From PTAC to APEX

The Florida Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC), is rebranding to the Florida APEX Accelerator.

Under the program, PTACs help businesses pursue and perform under contracts with the U.S. Department of Defense, other federal agencies, state and local governments and with government prime contractors

The name change represents a new level of collaboration between the Florida Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Network and the APEX Accelerators Network and new resources for businesses looking to pursue opportunities available with the government. 

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Defense Contracts

Companies with U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) contracts, or access to non-public DoD information, have access to no-cost cybersecurity resources from the National Security Agency.

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Business Success in Government

National APEX Day, APEX Accelerators will be held on Oct. 12.

Fifty states, including Guam, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, along with the 56,000 clients they serve, will share real-time stories of small business success and the significant economic impact that APEX Accelerator clients have made in their communities.

Stay tuned and follow #APEXDAY2023 on social media to join the celebration.

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Funding Opportunities

Does your small business need help with developing new technology?

America's Seed Fund powered by the National Science Foundation (NSF) is currently accepting applications for artificial intelligence (AI) grants.

The AI topic focuses on cutting-edge technologies in the field of deep learning-based AI systems and AI-based hardware.

Learn more.

EVENTS

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