NWA Minority Business Expo

NWA Minority Business Expo | CONNECTIONS. DIVERSITY. ENTREPRENEURSHIP | BOOTHS ARE SOLD OUT!!!
One of the Chamber’s key focus areas for our mission-work is Small Business & Entrepreneurial Development.

We have a passion for curating and providing business owners with essential resources for starting, running and growing business. We also like to open doors to new connections for our diverse group of small businesspeople through entrepreneurial events and programming like the new NWA Minority Business Expo coming Thursday, October 14. 

Increasing Awareness of Minority-Owned Businesses & Entrepreneurs
Our inaugural event creates an entrepreneurial platform for minority-owned businesses to connect with businesses and consumers in the community by showcasing their products and services. This new venue highlights the importance of minority-owned businesses and entrepreneurs in the region.

Whether you are a consumer discovering new places to shop, a local vendor prospecting for new business acquisition or a nonprofit organization exploring new partnerships, you will benefit from the new relationships you make at the NWA Minority Business Expo.

The Expo is also a great way for you to meet minority business owners and show your support by shopping local - #ShopNWA - with them.

How to Participate | Exhibit, Attend and Sponsor
The purpose of the Expo is to help businesses (of all sizes and types) engage with each other and the community to make new connections, learn about our region’s entrepreneurial diversity and generate marketing ideas and opportunities.

The event features thought leaders and local subject matter experts presenting professional development seminars on getting access to capital and marketing your business, a Business After Hours, and a fun competition for entrepreneurs to pitch their business ideas to win cash prizes.

The Exhibit Hall will run concurrently with other activities throughout the day providing attendees and exhibitors plenty of opportunities to visit and network.

EXHIBIT BOOTHS ARE SOLD OUT
Purchase your exhibit booth space for only $100 to showcase your business to hundreds of attendees including minority-owned businesses exhibiting in the trade show. This is a good opportunity for vendors who want to generate leads for new business within the minority-owned business community. Each booth will be required to have a bi-lingual person at all times.

A limited number of booth scholarships are available upon request. For more information about booth scholarships, contact Geovanny Sarmiento or Ross Phillips at (479) 636-1240.

ATTEND | Admission Free
Attendance is free and open to the public. No registration or tickets required.  Just check in when you arrive.

SPONSOR | Contact Us Now
Show your support for our region’s minority-owned businesses by sponsoring the event. To learn more about sponsorship packages and benefits, contact [email protected]. Sponsorships include Expo Sponsor, Business After Hours Sponsor, Gold Sponsor, Silver Sponsor, Exhibitor’s Lounge Sponsor and Session Sponsor.

Event Schedule (Preliminary)
1:00 p.m. -2:00 p.m. | Check in to Expo
2:00 p.m. | Exhibits Open to the Public
3:00 p.m. | SEMINAR: Getting Access to Capital
4:00 p.m. | SEMINAR: Marketing Your Business
5:00 p.m. | Hispanic Heritage Celebration Happy Hour
6:00 p.m. | IdeaFame Elevator Pitch Competition

More About "IdeaFame" Elevator Pitch Competition
The IdeaFame Live Contest, brought to you by Startup Junkie, is an event created to promote startups & new ideas, and to increase "creative collisions" in emerging entrepreneurial ecosystems. Come pitch your new business, product, service, or solution for a chance to win.

Attendees: Open to anyone – bring your co-founders, friends, family, fiancé – anyone! Just have them sign up here. (Attendees vote for the $1000 People’s Choice Prize).

Contestants: Open to entrepreneurs, innovators, and dreamers who want to share their idea for a chance to win $1,000! You have 60 seconds to pitch your idea, no more. No slides. No notes. Only one contestant can speak per pitch. 

PRIZES!

There will be two winners. The audience will select the People’s Choice. The Judges will select the Judges’ Choice. Each winner will receive a $1,000 cash prize on the spot... And a giant check. Yes, that’s right. We’re giving away a total of $2,000 with no strings attached.

Contestants must register in advance by clicking here.

Growing Regional Entrepreneurial Diversity
Diversity in Northwest Arkansas’ entrepreneurial ecosystem continues to grow, and minority-owned businesses and start-ups are helping to strengthen our economy. This diverse group of entrepreneurs are women, veterans, and a variety of ethnic minority groups (Hispanic/Latino, African American, Asian, Native American, etc.) as well as other cultural groups.  

Refreshment Sponsor

Expo Sponsor

Silver Sponsors

IdeaFame Sponsor

Exhibitors' Lounge Sponsor

Session Sponsors

Media Sponsors

Happy Hour Sponsor

Event Venue Sponsor

Signage Sponsor