SSTI's 2024 Annual Conference: Full Schedule

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9:00am MST

2025 & Beyond: What we know so far - leadership & funding

Tuesday December 10, 2024 9:00am - 10:15am MST

Plenary

Tuesday December 10, 2024 9:00am - 10:15am MST
Plenary

Plenary

10:15am MST

Networking Break

Tuesday December 10, 2024 10:15am - 10:45am MST

Social

Tuesday December 10, 2024 10:15am - 10:45am MST
Social

Networking

10:45am MST

Corporate connections: Engaging industry leaders for economic growth

Tuesday December 10, 2024 10:45am - 12:00pm MST

Large corporations can be powerful allies in building vibrant local economies but effectively engaging them requires a nuanced approach. Explore strategies for communicating with potential corporate partners and structuring efforts to keep them actively involved. Learn how to align your region's economic and workforce development goals with various corporate objectives for mutually beneficial partnerships.

* This session is supported by the TBED Community of Practice. See https://ssti.org/tbedcop for more information.

Tuesday December 10, 2024 10:45am - 12:00pm MST

Concurrent

10:45am MST

Intro to TBED: Why TBED?

Tuesday December 10, 2024 10:45am - 12:00pm MST

Breakout A

To kick off a series of sessions addressing fundamental topics in tech-based economic development, we will discuss why regions invest in science, tech, innovation, and entrepreneurship in favor of other needs. Issues covered will include defining the field, common activities, and economic impacts of TBED.

* This session is supported by the TBED Community of Practice. See https://ssti.org/tbedcop for more information.

Tuesday December 10, 2024 10:45am - 12:00pm MST
Breakout A

Concurrent

10:45am MST

Leveraging SBIR awards for regional development

Tuesday December 10, 2024 10:45am - 12:00pm MST

Breakout C

This discussion session will focus on states that have robust strategies for encouraging SBIR proposals and providing additional funding to SBIR companies. Our goal will be to help regions consider how the right partner or service design could facilitate better outcomes from SBIR awards. FAST and Growth Accelerator Fund Competition awards play into these considerations, as well as state matching and Phase 0 programs.

Tuesday December 10, 2024 10:45am - 12:00pm MST
Breakout C

Concurrent

10:45am MST

Policy on regional innovation

Tuesday December 10, 2024 10:45am - 12:00pm MST

Description forthcoming

Tuesday December 10, 2024 10:45am - 12:00pm MST

Concurrent

10:45am MST

The latest on Treasury's $10 billion investment in small business

Tuesday December 10, 2024 10:45am - 12:00pm MST

Breakout B

The State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI) sees the U.S. Treasury allocate funds to states primarily for small business loans and investments. During this session, agency officials will discuss recent trends, challenges, and concerns with the program. This session is great for SSBCI insiders to hear Treasury's current thinking, and for others to better understand how SSBCI might be better leveraged as a regional resource.

Tuesday December 10, 2024 10:45am - 12:00pm MST
Breakout B

Concurrent

12:00pm MST

Lunch

Tuesday December 10, 2024 12:00pm - 2:00pm MST

Social

Tuesday December 10, 2024 12:00pm - 2:00pm MST
Social

Networking

2:00pm MST

Building Better Regions annual gathering (INVITE ONLY)

Tuesday December 10, 2024 2:00pm - 3:15pm MST

Breakout D

Tuesday December 10, 2024 2:00pm - 3:15pm MST
Breakout D

Concurrent

2:00pm MST

How regions are adapting to trends in equity investment

Tuesday December 10, 2024 2:00pm - 3:15pm MST

Breakout C

The last several years have seen the private venture capital markets swing from all time highs to mediocre activity, and this evolution occurred just as many states were launching capital programs, including rolling out their approaches to the State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI). Join this session to hear how states and others have been adapting to the changes, and what this volatility suggests for designing future capital access initiatives.

Tuesday December 10, 2024 2:00pm - 3:15pm MST
Breakout C

Concurrent

2:00pm MST

Intro to TBED: Building a regional strategy

Tuesday December 10, 2024 2:00pm - 3:15pm MST

Breakout A

This second session on fundamental topics in tech-based economic development (TBED) will focus on how to create a regional strategy. Topics addressed will include key partners in developing a strategy, useful data and information sources, and initial concerns about funding and sustainability.

* This session is supported by the TBED Community of Practice. See https://ssti.org/tbedcop for more information.

Tuesday December 10, 2024 2:00pm - 3:15pm MST
Breakout A

Concurrent

2:00pm MST

Regional Innovation Cluster (RIC) awardee working meeting (INVITE ONLY)

Tuesday December 10, 2024 2:00pm - 3:15pm MST

Breakout F

Tuesday December 10, 2024 2:00pm - 3:15pm MST
Breakout F

Concurrent

2:00pm MST

Strengthening risk capital access through policy

Tuesday December 10, 2024 2:00pm - 3:15pm MST

Breakout E

Historically, the federal government has provided relatively little direct funding for investment, but SSBCI 2.0 and changes to SBIC, as well as some investment through CDFIs and other programs, have started to change the picture. During this discussion, we'll consider how the federal government could adjust policies, regulations, and program funding to unlock greater capital support for tech enterprises.

Tuesday December 10, 2024 2:00pm - 3:15pm MST
Breakout E

Concurrent

3:15pm MST

Networking Break

Tuesday December 10, 2024 3:15pm - 3:45pm MST

Social

Tuesday December 10, 2024 3:15pm - 3:45pm MST
Social

Networking

3:45pm MST

Building Better Regions annual gathering (INVITE ONLY)

Tuesday December 10, 2024 3:45pm - 5:00pm MST

Breakout D

Tuesday December 10, 2024 3:45pm - 5:00pm MST
Breakout D

Concurrent

3:45pm MST

Communicating TBED to non-TBED audiences

Tuesday December 10, 2024 3:45pm - 5:00pm MST

Breakout B

During this session, we will examine SSTI's influential series of tech-based economic development (TBED) polling -- the latest of which will be released at the conference -- and consider what the results tell us about how to talk about the field with elected officials, regional stakeholders, and even your friends and family. We will do this by taking a look at problematic jargon, discussing alternative approaches, and considering how this should inform our communications strategies.

* This session is supported by the TBED Community of Practice. See https://ssti.org/tbedcop for more information.

Tuesday December 10, 2024 3:45pm - 5:00pm MST
Breakout B

Concurrent

3:45pm MST

Exploring 5 Strategies for More Inclusive TBED

Tuesday December 10, 2024 3:45pm - 5:00pm MST

Breakout A

New Growth Innovation Network will facilitate a discussion focusing on strategies to increase equity in Tech-Based Economic Development. The session will include a presentation of NGIN's 5 strategies for Inclusive TBED (I-TBED), examples from places throughout the US who are embedding equity in their TBED approaches, and an open discussion on how to adapt these strategies for your own community.

* This session is supported by the TBED Community of Practice. See https://ssti.org/tbedcop for more information.

Tuesday December 10, 2024 3:45pm - 5:00pm MST
Breakout A

Concurrent

3:45pm MST

Intro to TBED: Ask me anything

Tuesday December 10, 2024 3:45pm - 5:00pm MST

Breakout F

How did you end up working in tech-based economic development? What is your biggest concern about the field? What experiences are recommended to advance in the field? What programs excite you the most? Join us to hear answers to common and unusual questions and to ask (or answer!) your own.

* This session is supported by the TBED Community of Practice. See https://ssti.org/tbedcop for more information.

Tuesday December 10, 2024 3:45pm - 5:00pm MST
Breakout F

Concurrent

3:45pm MST

SBIC update and next steps for ecosystem partners

Tuesday December 10, 2024 3:45pm - 5:00pm MST

Breakout B

Many conference attendees will be interested in last year’s SBIC changes—either because they want to apply themselves, or because they are working with partners attempting to leverage the program. For this session, we propose an update from SBA that covers the agency’s experience from implementing the rule changes and then features a discussion with recent applicants/licensees.

Tuesday December 10, 2024 3:45pm - 5:00pm MST
Breakout B

Concurrent