New York State Governor Kathy Hochul announced the open registration period of the twelfth annual Minority-and Women-Owned Business Enterprise forum which is scheduled for Oct. 6-7.
The event will be held at the Albany Capital Center and this year’s theme will be “Building an Equitable Future”. This year’s forum will use a hybrid format with some events being held in-person and others online.
The annual forum provides business owners and entrepreneurs across numerous industries to connect with each other professionally and create a more-competitive market within their ventures.
“This annual forum has served as an important resource to help make contracting and procurement easier, fairer, and more accessible for New York’s minority- and women-owned businesses,” Governor Hochul said during her announcement Aug 23. “Now in its twelfth year, our MWBE forum will bring together business leaders, state officials, and other industry experts to discuss how we build a more equitable future in New York. I’m proud to host this year’s forum, and I urge members of New York’s business community to register today and join us.”
Programs at the October forum will include panel discussions, working sessions and both live and virtual networking opportunities.
The forum will also include events catering to the growing list of new industry topics such as accessing capital to emerging opportunities for MWBEs in the growing cannabis industry.
“Governor Hochul is dedicated to expanding opportunity and fostering economic growth while advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion for all New Yorkers,” New York State Chief Diversity Officer Julissa Gutierrez said,” MWBEs are a vital part of economic development and we continue to strengthen access to contracting opportunities and capital so that MWBEs can truly forge ahead. The annual MWBE forum provides an opportunity to connect talented and entrepreneurial MWBEs with state opportunities that will put them on a path to success.”
Planned sessions for the forum include Access to Capital with New York State, Cultivating the Next Generation of Women Leaders & Entrepreneurs, Lean on Your Community: Using Community Business Lending to Fund the Future of Your Business, Invest in Your Community: New Workforce Development Initiatives and the Benefits to MWBEs and How New York State Plans to Create Equity in the Cannabis Industry.
“Last year, we reached a historic utilization rate for our MWBE program, but our important work continues,” said Division of Minority-and Women-Owned Business Enterprise Development Executive Director Jerome DuVal. “This year’s Forum will showcase our mission of building a truly equitable future for New York State’s MWBEs and the programs and initiatives that we have introduced and supported to make that future a reality. We are proud to host the nation’s largest event connecting MWBEs and the private and public sectors with state contracting opportunities that will give businesses an equitable opportunity for economic growth.”
To learn more or register for the forum visit the website here,
