***Digital Tools Hybrid Outreach Meeting***
TUESDAY, September 13, 2022, 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. PDT
The Office of Advocacy, an independent office within the U.S. Small Business Administration, is holding an outreach meeting in Seattle, WA on September 13th to hear from small businesses about their views on access to and use of digital tools. The use of digital tools is a key enabler for SMEs to innovate, grow and compete. Its uptake varies significantly across sectors and regions. Beyond training and education gaps and market access barriers, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) face challenges regarding access to technologies, data, and finance.
In September 2021, the U.S.-E.U. Trade and Technology Council (TTC) held its inaugural meeting to reaffirm the TTC’s objectives to coordinate approaches to key global technology, economic, and trade issues, and to deepen transatlantic trade and economic relations, based on shared democratic values. Various working groups comprised of federal agencies were formed to support these initiatives. The Office of Advocacy is a member of the SME Working Group.
The purpose of the listening sessions with SMEs and underserved communities is to develop recommendations for U.S. and EU policymakers through the TTC that will help accelerate SME access to and the uptake of digital technologies.
The hybrid meeting will begin at 10 a.m. PDT on September 13, 2022. The meeting will be held at the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Seattle District Office, located at 2401 4th Avenue, Suite 450, Seattle, WA 98121. For those unable to participate in person, virtual participation will be available. Further information will be provided upon your RSVP to rosalyn.steward@sba.gov.
Agenda
10:00 – 10:10 AM Opening Remarks and Welcome
10:10 – 11:50 AM Discussion on SME Access to and Use of Digital Tools
11:50 – 12:00 PM Closing Remarks
Roundtables are open to all interested persons, with the exception of the press, in order to facilitate open and frank discussion on the subject matter. The purpose of these outreach meetings is to exchange opinions, facts and information and to obtain the attendees’ individual views and opinions regarding small business concerns. The meetings are not intended to achieve or communicate any consensus positions of the attendees.
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