This webinar series highlights state initiatives that promote entrepreneurship as a strategy for expanding access to economic opportunity and supporting stronger economic recovery and growth. Specifically, this four-part series will examine how states are supporting entrepreneurship by expanding access to capital, access to opportunity, access to knowledge, and access to support. The series is hosted by the NGA Center for Best Practices and sponsored by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation.
Access to Capital
This July 27, 2021 webinar looks at successful state initiatives that are leading to increased capital flowing to entrepreneurs. State-supported efforts in Arizona are providing access to capital through venture capital attraction, programs for venture partnering, corporate venture development, an innovation challenge, accelerator initiatives, angel investment and many other initiatives. You also hear about how Nevada is planning its state structure for the current version of the State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI) created by the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, for which state program designs are due to Treasury this December. The head of Nevada’s SSBCI venture capital program describes the state’s objectives with SSBCI 2.0 and how the new program will compare with the previous SSBCI 1.0.
Speakers
- Jason Wiens, Policy Director in Entrepreneurship, Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation
- David Chase, Vice President, Outreach, Small Business Majority
- Andrew Lombard, Executive VP Innovation, Venture Development & Small Business, Arizona Commerce Authority
- Karsten Heise, Director, Strategic Programs, Nevada Governor’s Office of Economic Development
- Welcome: Rachael Stephens, Program Director, Workforce Development & Economic Policy, NGA Center for Best Practices
- Moderator: Sally Rood, Senior Policy Analyst, Workforce Development & Economic Policy
Access to Opportunity
This October 7, 2021 webinar featured an interactive panel discussion led by Jason Wiens at the Kauffman Foundation, with the conversation focusing on two kinds of barriers to entrepreneurship: non-compete agreements and occupational licensing. The Utah Department of Commerce is a leader in dismantling barriers to occupational licensing in order to open more opportunities for work. Recently, it created an endorsement system for licensees coming from another state and opened pathways to licensure for people with criminal histories. It is now in the process of establishing a systematic process for reviewing licensing and the possibility of more “micro”-licenses. The conversation also focused on how non-compete agreements limit mobility and entrepreneurship and will discuss how a number of states, including Illinois, have limited non-compete usage through litigation and legislative reforms as described in the State Policymaker’s Guide to Non-Compete Reform from Economic Innovation Group.
Speakers
- Margaret Busse, Executive Director, Utah Department of Commerce
- Jane Flanagan, Deputy General Counsel, Illinois Governor’s Office
- Kenan Fikri, Director for Research, Economic Innovation Group
- Moderator: Jason Wiens, Policy Director in Entrepreneurship, Kauffman Foundation
- Welcome: Rachael Stephens, Program Director, Workforce Development & Economic Policy, NGA Center for Best Practices
Access to Knowledge
In this November 4, 2021 webinar participants heard about national, state and local partnership efforts to help connect aspiring entrepreneurs from historically underrepresented and underserved backgrounds to entrepreneurial pathways, including access to training and mentoring on entrepreneurship skills and finance know-how. They also heard about efforts to scale and sustain related programs and partnerships through better alignment of federal and state efforts for strengthening entrepreneurial ecosystems. Featured panelists shared their work, lessons learned, and perspectives from the local, state, and national levels with examples from California, Georgia, and Minnesota.
Speakers
- Neela Mollgaard, Executive Director, Launch Minnesota, Minnesota Department of Employment & Economic Development
- Yelena Nemoy, Senior Program Manager, Aspen Institute Forum for Community Solutions
- Introductions: Jason Wiens, Policy Director in Entrepreneurship, Kauffman Foundation
- Welcome: Rachael Stephens, Program Director, Workforce Development & Economic Policy, NGA Center for Best Practices
- Moderator: Loren Shimanek, Senior Policy Analyst, Workforce Development & Economic Policy
Access to Support
On Monday, December 13, 2021 the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices hosted a webinar sponsored by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation titled Entrepreneurship initiatives for recovery and growth: States providing access to support. New business formation has surged during the COVID-19 pandemic. But underlying the optimistic headlines is that fact that large numbers of entrepreneurs are starting businesses out of necessity. For these entrepreneurs, and others — especially people of color, women, and rural residents — there need to be supports in place to make the courageous endeavor of striking out on your own a bit less risky. State support can include better access to affordable healthcare, help with student loan debt, and new avenues for building wealth, among other things. This webinar looked at state student loan debt cancelation or mitigation, as there is a growing body of evidence pointing to the correlation between long-declining entrepreneurship rates and the steady increase in student loan debt. It also featured the categories of savings programs known as baby bonds, child development accounts, and individual development accounts, some of which are federally matched. These sorts of state initiatives help to create personal safety nets for entrepreneurs and self-employed individuals, thereby making entrepreneurship a more viable career option.
- Nate Wildes, Executive Director, Live+Work in Maine
- Shira Markoff, Policy Fellow, Prosperity Now
- Jennifer Putetti, Director of Legislative Affairs, Connecticut State Treasurer’s Office
- Emily Krauser, Chief Deputy Director of Programs, Indiana Housing & Community Development Authority
- Introductions & Moderator: Jennifer Kelly, Program Officer – Policy in Entrepreneurship, Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation
- Welcome: Rachael Stephens, Program Director, Workforce Development & Economic Policy, NGA Center for Best Practices
