I’m at all times happy with the wonderful work my staff right here on the Alaska SBDC does. It’s one of many advantages of managing such an superior staff of rockstars, however some months, they actually go above and past. March was undoubtedly a kind of months!
The staff did a improbable job placing on Alaska’s first AI convention for small companies, educators, authorities, and artists within the Resort Captain Cook dinner. Tons of of individuals listened to native and nationwide specialists speak concerning the execs and cons of AI know-how in all facets of our lives. The suggestions has been glorious, and we’re trying ahead to subsequent yr’s convention, which shall be centered round healthcare innovation. Because of Northrim Financial institution, Wells Fargo, the Denali Fee, the UAA Enterprise Enterprise Institute, and the Small Enterprise Administration for his or her monetary assist!
On the convention, we made a giant announcement: the Alaska SBDC is launching the nation’s first AI Enterprise Useful resource Heart. Constructing off the instruments and coaching that our dedicated employees, Carlos Machuca, Ian Grant, Tyler Arnold, and Geoff Wright, have developed over the past yr, the Alaska SBDC will develop a formalized AI program to assist join companies and others with AI assets and alternatives. We may also deploy these assets nationwide by means of partnerships with different SBDCs and larger-scale enterprise growth organizations within the Decrease 48.
On the State Small Enterprise Credit score Initiative entrance, the Alaska SBDC has managed to deploy round $20 million in SSBCI funds, leveraging $40 million in loans to small companies in over a dozen communities across the state. That places us on the fifth quickest deployment within the nation primarily based on a share of funds obtainable, due to the arduous work of the SSBCI Mortgage Director Jay Halverson! We anticipate that deployment charge to go even sooner now that we’ve employed Tyler Arnold as the brand new SSBCI Fairness Program Supervisor.
Final however definitely not least, I need to give an enormous shoutout to a long-standing enterprise in Anchorage that lately gained the 2024 Nationwide Small Enterprise Week award for Alaska: Waterworks! Congratulations to Kali Bennett and her staff for bringing house this prestigious award!
As we transfer from Winter to Spring, the Alaska SBDC will unveil much more new applications and initiatives and broaden on a few of our present companies. I hope you’ll attain out and both reap the benefits of these new alternatives or allow us to work with you in your initiatives. Now greater than ever, it’s crucial that we collaborate as a staff to attempt to develop Alaska’s small enterprise assets and the general financial system.
There’s so much right here, so remember to learn right through for thrilling workshop alternatives and updates from our companions throughout the state. Collectively, we will construct a future not just for ourselves however for the subsequent technology of Alaskans as properly!
Jon Bittner
Alaska SBDC Govt Director