The University of Arkansas at Little Rock will host an exciting showcase of AI innovation this week, as the (AWS) AI Pitch Competition comes to the Reynolds Business Building on Thursday, April 16, 2026.

The Little Rock event is part of a broader national initiative. and 鈥� both AWS Premier Tier Services Partners 鈥� have partnered with universities, small business development centers, and community organizations across the country to bring AI pitch competitions to local innovators. Past competitions have been held in Iowa, Alaska, Hawaii, Colorado, Texas, Florida and beyond, with winners receiving transformative support to accelerate their AI solutions on AWS.

The competition is straightforward: innovators pitch their AI solutions live on stage to a panel of judges. The winner walks away with up to $50,000 in technical services funded by AWS. That prize brings real support, guidance and resources.

鈥淎t the , we work with businesses every day that are looking for ways to grow and stay competitive. AI is becoming part of that conversation, and this competition highlights how Arkansas entrepreneurs are putting it to work in real, meaningful ways,鈥� said Laura Fine, state director of the Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center.

The two partners behind the prize bring serious credentials. PREDICTif, founded in 2007, holds nine validated AWS Competency designations, including Generative AI and Conversational AI, with deep expertise in data and analytics, AI/ML and cloud migrations. nClouds, a 2024 AWS Partner of the Year Award Finalist, rounds out the partnership with extensive cloud engineering, DevOps, security and managed services capabilities.

The evening kicks off with check-in and networking at 5:30 p.m., followed by welcome remarks and partner introductions. The main event, live AI pitches, runs from 6:10 to 7:40 p.m., giving each competitor the chance to present their solution and answer questions from judges. After a brief deliberation period, winners will be announced at 7:50 p.m., followed by a closing networking session.

Even if you’re not pitching, it’s worth showing up. The networking windows at the start and end of the evening are excellent opportunities, and watching a few live AI pitches with Q&A is a great way to get a read on where practical AI development is headed right now.

The competition is free and open to the public. Students, faculty, staff and community members are all encouraged to attend and support the innovators taking the stage. Whether you’re an entrepreneur with an AI idea, a tech enthusiast, or simply curious about where artificial intelligence is headed, this event offers a rare opportunity to witness the next wave of AI innovation up close 鈥� right here in Little Rock.

The post Amazon Web Services AI Pitch Competition Comes to 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock This Thursday appeared first on News.

ASBTDC is pleased to announce that the U.S. Treasury鈥檚 has awarded $2 million to the center to assist small businesses applying for the SSBCI Capital Program and other small business funding.

Through the SSBCI Technical Assistance Grant Program, Treasury allocated $200 million for states, territories, the District of Columbia, and Tribal governments. The funds are being dispersed based on a formula. Arkansas received notice of its TA award in December.

Reauthorized and expanded by President Biden鈥檚 American Rescue Plan, SSBCI is a nearly $10 billion program to support small businesses and entrepreneurship in communities across the United States by providing capital and technical assistance to promote small business stability, growth, and success.

Advising and Education

The initiative directs states to designate a technical assistance provider to help 鈥渧ery small businesses鈥� and 鈥渦nderserved鈥� small businesses apply for the SSBCI Capital Program and other small business funding programs.

Upon the recommendation of the Arkansas Development Finance Authority, the U.S. Treasury designated ASBTDC as the state鈥檚 SSBCI technical assistance provider. ADFA is responsible for implementing the SSBCI Capital Program in Arkansas.

鈥淭he ASBTDC is the perfect organization to lead the technical assistance piece of the SSBCI program in Arkansas,鈥� said ADFA President Mark Conine. 鈥淭he ASBTDC鈥檚 commitment and track record of supporting businesses across Arkansas in various sectors and stages of development is outstanding.鈥�

Very small businesses, or VSBs, are defined as businesses with fewer than 10 employees. Independent contractors and sole proprietors are considered VSBs.

Underserved businesses include those in historically underserved communities, plus socially and economically disadvantaged entrepreneurs who may have lacked the support needed to pursue their business goals.

鈥淎SBTDC has 44 years of experience providing comprehensive support to small businesses,鈥� said ASBTDC State Director Laura Fine. 鈥淪SBCI technical assistance funding allows us to continue giving personalized guidance and free training to empower underserved and very small businesses, ensuring they have the tools and access to capital needed to thrive in today鈥檚 competitive landscape.鈥�

Consultants based at the ASBTDC Lead Center at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock will work one-on-one with businesses who want to apply for SSBCI funding, loans or other financing. The center will hold in-person and online training events. Consulting services and training are both offered free of charge.

Fine said ASBTDC expects to train 750 small businesses over five years and provide individual consulting to 875 business owners, resulting in at least 230 applications to the state鈥檚 SSBCI capital programs.

Training will cover legal, accounting and financial topics such as business bookkeeping, legal structures and the capital acquisition process. These events will help the ASBTDC identify borrowers who need one-on-one guidance before submitting their application to a lender.

The first training event is set for 12 p.m. March 28 when ASBTDC Business Consultant Wendy Orvis leads the live webinar, 鈥淔unding Your Business: Loans, Grants and Other Options.鈥� Businesses may register at .

To request consulting, businesses can go to , email leadcenter@asbtdc.org or call 800-862-2040.

The ASBTDC, a partnership of the U.S. Small Business Administration, 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock and other institutions of higher education in Arkansas, assists aspiring and established business owners. Unique among Arkansas economic development organizations, ASBTDC serves businesses from any county in Arkansas, in any industry sector and at any stage of business development. Visit asbtdc.org to learn more.

The post $2 Million Grant Supports ASBTDC鈥檚 Work with Underserved and Very Small Businesses appeared first on News.

“Helping businesses access capital is an ASBTDC strength,鈥� ASBTDC State Director Laura Fine said. 鈥淔or the last few years, our team has had a ‘stretch’ goal to break $100 million. We鈥檝e worked hard to help our small business clients across the state achieve their goals, and I鈥檓 very proud of our team.”

The $101,966,578 of capital infusion comes from 28 ASBTDC consultants from across the state鈥檚 10 offices who helped 264 clients with 408 funded projects. The consultants are also supported by a team of market researchers who provide consultants with valuable information to help their clients.

The clients 鈥� prospective and current business owners 鈥� received loans, lines of credit, grants, seed funding, and other capital investment during 2022.

One such client is Leo 鈥淭rey鈥� Alexander, who is the owner-operator of LTBA Transportation, LLC. Brandon Horvath, an ASBTDC consultant at the 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock center, helped Alexander, a long-time truck driver who wanted to start his own trucking company, secure a startup loan and a line of credit.

鈥淚 was tired of working under someone else,鈥� Alexander said. 鈥淚鈥檝e never owned anything in my life. I am the first person in my family to do this, and I am really proud of myself. I am happy to be a business owner.鈥�

The mission of the nationwide network of Small Business Development Centers is to help new entrepreneurs realize the dream of business ownership and to assist existing businesses so they can remain competitive in the complex marketplace of an ever-changing global economy.

Over the last decade, the ASBTDC network assisted Arkansas small businesses with obtaining more than three-quarters of a billion dollars in capital investment ($804,624,250), including the all-time best $102 million in 2022. Over the last 10 years, the ASBTDC network helped clients create 18,132 jobs.

In many ways, 2022 was a return to normal for the ASBTDC. Unlike the previous two years, about 90 percent of the $102 million capital investment they helped clients secure was to start and grow businesses, not rescue them.

鈥淚n my opinion, 2022 was back to business as normal after a few years of COVID,鈥� Horvath said. 鈥淐OVID didn鈥檛 go away, but the COVID relief funds did. The government invested a lot of funds in helping small businesses stay open. We heard a lot of sad stories during COVID, and 2022 felt like the optimism was coming back. We helped clients access very small amounts that are very meaningful to their businesses, but we鈥檝e also had clients access millions of dollars and everything in-between. We need people to grow and start businesses to build the state鈥檚 economy.鈥�

In addition to the lead ASBTDC center in the 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock College of Business, Health, and Human Services, nine institutions host regional offices: Arkansas State University, ASU Mid-South, ASU-Mountain Home, Arkansas Tech University, Southern Arkansas University, and University of Arkansas campuses at Fayetteville, Fort Smith, Monticello, and Pine Bluff.

The ASBTDC helps Arkansans with all tasks on the path to starting and expanding their businesses. Consultants help clients with tasks like creating a business plan, applying for funding, learning how to use social media to market their products, and choosing the best locations. Banks often refer their clients to ASBTDC to get help with funding requests.

“Many current and potential small business owners learn about our services through their friends and family who have worked with us or from their banker or local chamber,鈥� Fine said. 鈥淥ver four decades, we have cultivated a reputation as trusted advisors specializing in helping our clients obtain the capital funding they need to start or grow their businesses.”

B.J. and Jessica Hayre, owners of since May 2022, found out about the services provided by the ASBTDC from George Jett, who had previously owned the business since the mid-90s. BJ Hayre, who spent 20 years working for Interstate Batteries, would stop at the long-established Little Rock gas station and auto repair shop every Thursday as part of his route, where he grew a close friendship with Jett.

鈥淕eorge approached me one day and said he wanted to sell the business so he could retire,鈥� BJ Hayre said. 鈥淚 always had the ambition of doing something better, but I didn鈥檛 want to jump into anything. George and I talked about it for a while, and George said he knew Nicolas who would love to help you.鈥�

ASBTDC Consultant Nicolas Mayerhoeffer entered the picture and helped the Hayres through the more than two-year-long process to secure funding and purchase Jett鈥檚.

鈥淭here were a lot of things I didn鈥檛 know about owning a business before,鈥� BJ Hayre said. 鈥淣icolas got me moving forward with a business plan, gave me a lot of demographic and marketing information that would be hard for me to obtain, and worked alongside me to contact banks who would be interested in this venture. The help that is provided by the center is a really great thing. Honestly, I don鈥檛 know if I would be sitting here right now without the help and guidance that he has provided me.鈥�

BJ Hayre spent a year working under the supervision of Jett before he and his wife officially took over the business. Now they are committed to keeping this unique neighborhood business to the same standards Jett set for nearly 30 years running the business.

鈥淭his station is truly one of a kind,鈥� BJ Hayre said. 鈥淧eople will come by and say that you have no idea what this station has done for this neighborhood, the impact it makes. Owning a business is something I never saw coming, but I get a good feeling being able to help people. Nicolas is kind of the catalyst for most of the opportunities put in front of me.鈥�

The post ASBTDC Reaches Historic Milestone by Infusing More Than $100 Million into Arkansas鈥檚 Economy in 2022 appeared first on News.

They include Chancellor Christina Drale, Christian O鈥橬eal, vice chancellor for university advancement, Theresa Beiner, dean of the William H. Bowen School of Law, Laura Fine, state director of the 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock-based Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center, and Michael Pakko, chief economist and state economic forecaster for the Arkansas Economic Development Institute at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock.

Chancellor Drale and Christian O鈥橬eal are both multi-year honorees of Arkansas 250, having last been recognized for their achievements in 2020.

“I am very honored to be part of the Arkansas 250 and share this recognition with ASBTDC鈥檚 statewide team of more than 40 staff who are dedicated to helping Arkansans start and grow businesses,鈥� Fine said. 鈥淲e are grateful to our clients for choosing to work with us and to our many partners for prioritizing small business success.”

Arkansas 250 is a publication by Arkansas Business Publishing Group that recognizes the state鈥檚 most influential leaders in banking and finance, construction and real estate, economic development, education and health care, government and policy, industry leaders, legal, poultry and agriculture, quality of life, and contemporary legends.

鈥淚t is an honor to be included on such a prestigious list of Arkansans,鈥� Pakko said. 鈥淚t is gratifying to know that the work I do on economic analysis and forecasting is recognized and valued by the public and the business community, and I am grateful to the University of Arkansas at Little Rock for providing a platform for me to engage in the sharing of that information.鈥�

Arkansas 250 describes the honorees as:

Drale became the first female chancellor for 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock in 2019, at a time when the university faced unprecedented challenges. She has led an effort to rightsize the institution, balance the budget and improve efficiency, redirecting resources to institutional priorities.

O鈥橬eal serves as the vice chancellor for university advancement at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock, leading efforts to garner philanthropic support for the university. His leadership has resulted in multiple $20-plus million fundraising years, allowing 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock to provide students with the tools they need to succeed and make communities and the state better.

Beiner is the first permanent female dean at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock Bowen School of Law. As dean, she has helped start the law school鈥檚 Veterans Legal Services Clinic and Pro Bono Services Center and successfully sought approval and funding for the Center for Racial Justice and Criminal Justice Reform.

Fine leads a team dedicated to helping small businesses. Over the past year, the Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center opened an office at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff and launched the Arkansas Business Navigator Program. The team supports more than 9,000 jobs and has acquired more than $83 million in capital.

Pakko is chief economist and state economic forecaster at the Arkansas Economic Development Institute at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock. Before coming to Arkansas in 2009, Pakko was a research economist and officer at the Federal Research Bank of St. Louis. With AEDI, he prepares forecasts and conducts research about the Arkansas economy.

The post University Leaders Selected for Arkansas 250 appeared first on News.

鈥淪mall businesses generally lack the resources to defend themselves from cyber attacks,鈥� said Scott Anderson, executive director of Forge Institute and former Air Force Cyber Squadron commander and senior intelligence officer. 鈥淐ybercrime cost American small businesses more than $2 billion last year. Forge Institute is a resource that enables small businesses to fight back by developing appropriate defensive measures.鈥�

In August 2022, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced the creation of the Cybersecurity for Small Business Pilot Program, supported by $3 million in new funding to help emerging small businesses develop their cybersecurity infrastructure.

As part of the pilot program, Forge Institute received a $999,650.66 grant from the SBA to conduct outreach, respond, assess, and train Arkansas small businesses, including ASBTDC鈥檚 clients as requested. The Memorandum of Understanding serves as an addendum to a collaboration agreement established between Forge Institute and 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock signed in January 2021.

Laura Fine, state director for ASBTDC, underscored the importance of the pilot program and Forge Institute’s role in administering training courses.

鈥淎SBTDC is the state鈥檚 premier small business assistance provider,鈥� Fine said. 鈥淭his expanded collaboration with Forge Institute enables us to better serve the more than 5,000 small businesses we assist in Arkansas each year.鈥�

In addition to advising Forge Institute on areas where Arkansas small businesses need assistance in cybersecurity, ASBTDC will promote and raise awareness of Forge Institute services, including the Arkansas Cyber Defense Center, Emerging Threat Center, and the Forge Academy with its small business customers and partners.

鈥淭he Forge Institute mantra is 鈥楩orever One Step Ahead,鈥� and this collaboration with ASBTDC will help Arkansas鈥檚 small businesses stay one step ahead of bad actors looking to disrupt our economic security,鈥� Anderson said.

To learn more about the Arkansas Cyber Defense Center or sign up for a free assessment or training, visit .

The post Forge Institute Cements Collaboration with ASBTDC To Help Improve Cyber Resiliency for Small Businesses appeared first on News.