Iowa veterans will have the opportunity to connect with small business resources and education at the Iowa Veterans Entrepreneurship Conference next month for free, thanks to New York Jets wide receiver Allen Lazard.
Mr. Lazard, a former Iowa Cyclones wide receiver and founder of At the Top for Vets, will be the keynote speaker at this year’s event and will cover the registration costs for veterans, military personnel, their families and business partners, a news release said.
The conference is May 3-4 at the ISU Research Park Core Facility, located at 1805 Collaboration Place in Ames.
Attendees will have the opportunity to participate in tailored workshops, networking sessions, the chance to connect with small business resources, access to on-site advisors, peers, and experts in various fields.
The conference will have two pitch competitions and a welcome reception on May 3 from 3-7 p.m., and the main conference will occur May 4 from 8 a.m.–5 p.m.
For those who want to prepare for the two pitch competitions at the conference, an optional virtual pitch workshop will be held April 24, from 5:30 – 6:30 p.m.
The Iowa State University Pappajohn Center for Entrepreneurship and America’s Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Iowa are hosting the conference, which is open to all veterans, active duty, reserve military, National Guard, military families, and their business partners.
Sponsoring the conference is the Iowa State University Debbie and Jerry Ivy College of Business and the Bergstrom Foundation.
For interested attendees and organizations or companies serving veterans that are interested in sponsoring the conference or want to book an exhibitor table may visit isupjcenter.org.
