Office of the Texas Governor Greg Abbott

Texas Small Business News | June 2017

Office of the Governor Texas sent this bulletin at 06/07/2017 11:36 AM CDT

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.

Welcome to the June edition of the newsletter from the Governor’s Office of Small Business Assistance. The Office works to establish the State of Texas as the premier place to start, grow and sustain a business. Thank you for your part in making Texas the best place to do business.

Empowering Rural Texas:
#TRC2017 | June 29-30

Join us in Waco for the 8th Annual Texas Rural Challenge (TRC), June 29-30, 2017. The gathering is Texas' only statewide economic development conference for rural communities and businesses.

The two-day conference will feature keynote speakers, networking, workshops and business competitions. It will also promote best practices and offer collaborative opportunities to help Texas’ rural businesses and communities thrive. Here's a sneak peak at this year's preliminary TRC agenda.

Join the challenge and reserve your spot today! To learn more, visit www.TexasRuralChallenge.org. We'll see you in Waco!

Register

Apply Today: Small Business Service Provider Grants 2017

The Governor's Small Business Service Provider (GSBSP) grant program is currently accepting applications for the 2017 round of funding. GSBSP grants are intended to help non-profit, small business-serving organizations enhance and diversify their programs benefiting small businesses in Texas. The Office of the Governor may award up to $300,000 to eligible service providers who successfully meet the program requirements.

For more information and to apply, visit our Grant's page here, or email ecodevfinance@gov.texas.gov. Applications will be accepted through June 12, 2017.

Recap: 2017 National Small Business Week in Texas

The Office of the Governor, along with Texas Workforce Commission (TWC), teamed up to celebrate small business success throughout Texas during the 2017 National Small Business Week, May 1-5. Below are some of the week's highlights:

TWC Chairman Andres Alcatar pictured with US Small Business Administration (SBA) Administrator Linda McMahon during her Small Business Week road tour stop in Arlington.

TWC Commissioner Ruth Hughs pictured with Austin Woman magazine co-founder Melinda Garvey at the Women's Way Awards in Austin. Comm. Hughs presented a proclamation on behalf of Gov. Abbott in honor of Small Business Week.

TWC Commissioner Julian Alvarez pictured at the Second Annual LaunchSA Venture Challenge during Small Business Week.

EDT's Larry McManus pictured at Texas Tech Small Business Expo in Lubbock. Larry presented a proclamation celebrating Small Business Week on behalf of Gov. Abbott.

Office of the Governor Led Export Expansion Missions
at Hannover Messe & the Offshore Technology Conference

Representatives from the Governor's Office led a delegation of 10 Texas companies at Hannover Messe, the world's largest industrial trade fair, held in Germany in late April. The Texas delegation collected more than 160 international leads and took home new export sales at the trade show.

In May, the Office of the Governor recruited 12 small to medium-sized oil and gas companies to showcase their products and services at the Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) in Houston. The Texas delegation generated more than 170 prospects and leads at the conference.

Medical Technology Companies:
Join us at MEDICA

The Office of the Governor offers free, shared exhibit space at MEDICA 2017, the world forum for medicine in Dusseldorf, Germany, Nov. 13-16, 2017.

If your company is interested in joining the Texas Pavilion, click here for more information or contact Michael Treyger.

Team Spotlight:
Sonia Gaillard, Business Assistance Specialist

Sonia Gaillard joined the Office of the Governor in 2012 and is responsible for licenses and permit assistance for the Business Permit Office (BPO) within the Texas Economic Development & Tourism Office. In this role, she assists new and existing businesses in navigating through Texas' permitting, licensing and regulatory environment. In addition, she works to establish the State of Texas as the premier place to start and grow a business by identifying and isolating permitting and regulatory barriers for small, medium, and historically underutlized businesses (HUBs).

Sonia has 15 years of background experience in entrepreneurship, international business development and technology commercialization. Her previous roles include technical and leadership positions in a leading global technology corporation, startup and international business accelerator.

If she can be of assistance to your business, please contact Sonia at Sonia.Gaillard@gov.texas.gov.

Visit State of Texas Booths

INA PAACE Automechanika
Booth 3537 | June 14-16
Mexico City, Mexico

SelectUSA Investment Summit
Booth 401 | June 18-20
Washington, DC

BIO International Convention
Booth 427 | June 19-22
San Diego, CA

International Paris Air Show
Hall 3, Booth A56 | June 19-25
Paris, France

Upcoming Small Business Events

Governor's Business Forum for Women
Houston - October 11

Governor's Small Business Forums*
El Paso
Bryan-College Station

Governor's Small Business Workshops*
Fairfield
Tomball
Laredo

*Dates TBA

Sign up for Texas Business Conferences

Texas Workforce
Commission's Office of the Commissioner Representing Employers sponsors the Texas Business Conferences, a series of employer seminars around the state.

Fort Worth, June 16
Beaumont, July 14
Athens, July 21
Texarkana, August 11
Lubbock, August 25
Galveston, Sept. 8
San Antonio, Sept. 14-15

To sign up, visit the TWC website.

Program Spotlight:
Product Development & Small Business Incubator Program (PDSBI)

The Texas Economic Development & Tourism Office's PDSBI program offers long-term, asset-backed loans to near-bankable businesses commercializing new or improved products, small businesses and non-profits, small business incubators and accelerators, and other entities unable to obtain full financing or financing on workable terms in traditional capital markets.

For more information about PDSBI, click here or contact the Economic Development Finance team here.