May 18 event to provide matchmaking opportunities for vendors and minority- and women-owned businesses

By Rebekah Hall
U of A System Division of Agriculture

New customers are critical to any business, and a May 18 matchmaking event will offer opportunities for minority- and women-owned businesses to connect with public and private sector vendors.

A MATCH IN THE MAKING — Melanie Berman, director of Arkansas APEX Accelerator for the Division of Agriculture, said the upcoming May 18 Minority- and Women-Owned Business Enterprise Matchmaking event will provide important tools and networking opportunities for small businesses. (Division of Agriculture photo.)

The Minority- and Women-Owned Business Enterprise Matchmaking Event will take place from 8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. at the Ron Robinson Theater and the Rock It! Lab, both located in the CALS Library Square in downtown Little Rock. Check-in begins at 7:30 a.m. Registration is free, and participants must register online at info.arkansasedc.com/matchmaking2023 by May 12.

The event is hosted by the Arkansas APEX Accelerator — formerly known as Arkansas PTAC — in partnership with the Arkansas Economic Development Commission and the Arkansas District Office of the U.S. Small Business Administration. The schedule will include 15-minute matchmaking appointments, where business owners can discuss possible contracts for their goods and services with buying representatives. These representatives are matched with business owners based on information provided during registration.

The keynote speaker is Edward “Ted” James, who was appointed by President Joe Biden to serve as the U.S. Small Business Administration’s regional administrator for Region 6 South Central Region. James oversees the administration of Small Business Administration products and services in ten district offices in Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas.

Arkansas APEX Accelerator is also offering a webinar on May 11 from 10:00 a.m.-11:30 a.m. with tips for navigating the matchmaking event. Topics will include the role of certifications, vendor registration sites, market research sources and marketing tools specific to the government marketplace. There is no cost to register at bit.ly/pre-matchmaking-workshop.

Opportunities for underserved small businesses

Melanie Berman, Arkansas APEX Accelerator program director for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, said the event provides critical tools for small and minority-owned businesses.

“Underserved small businesses have faced barriers in accessing capital, credit and other tools necessary for growth,” Berman said. “They are often located in inner cities and rural areas and often include women, people of color, veterans, tribal groups and others. Participating in the annual Minority and Women-Owned Business Matchmaking event will connect business owners with government buyers, small business support organizations such as Arkansas APEX accelerator, and other area businesses.”

Berman will also moderate the Success Stories from Minority- and Women-Owned Businesses panel at the event, where attendees will hear from successful business owners about how they navigate the world of government procurement. She said APEX Accelerator counselors can help business owners prepare to make the most of the matchmaking event.

“Businesses of all levels may attend the event, which may give them a competitive advantage with the government buyer,” Berman said. “However, businesses must manage expectations and properly prepare for their one-on-one meetings. APEX Accelerator counselors are here to help businesses prepare for the matchmaking event.”

APEX Accelerator is part of the Cooperative Extension Service’s Community, Professional and Economic Development Unit. The extension service is part of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.

To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.uada.edu. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram at @AR_Extension. To learn more about Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website: https://aaes.uark.edu. Follow on Twitter at @ArkAgResearch. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit https://uada.edu/. Follow us on Twitter at @AgInArk.