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1.00 0.25 0.50 0.75 1.00 1.25 1.50 1.75 2.00 U.S. Small Business Administration Administrator Isabel Guzman inspects a propeller during a tour of the EMC2 Center in Indianapolis, Friday, July 26, 2024. (IIB Photo/Marek Mazurek)
For Isabel Guzman, leader of the U.S. Small Business Administration under President Joe Biden, 16Tech’s Emerging Manufacturing Collaboration Center is a perfect example of small businesses embracing technology.
Guzman was in Indianapolis on Friday as part of the SBA’s “Made in America” tour and toured the EMC2 space, which he said is something the administration envisions for small business innovation.
“The Biden-Harris Administration is focused on investing in manufacturing, innovation and American success,” she said. “Indiana has done a fantastic job receiving these important and historic ‘Invest in America’ grants in manufacturing, hydrogen and innovation in general.”
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While touring co-working and manufacturing spaces for startups and small businesses, Guzman touted the SBA’s track record of providing technology-focused grants to small businesses, including Small Business Innovation Research Grants and Technology Transfer Grants.
The EMC2 center itself, as part of a public-private partnership to help small businesses develop and test new products, is receiving $3 million in funding from the Indiana Economic Development Corporation when it becomes operational in 2022. Some of that funding will flow from an SBA grant, and David Watkins, IEDC’s vice president of entrepreneurship and small business, said the SBA is one of IEDC’s best federal partners.
Guzman also toured high school students engaged in the hackathon and spoke with Spencer Mae Croft of Rogue Agriculture, which is developing AI drones that can spray crops more efficiently.
During his travels around the country, Guzman has seen small and medium-sized businesses increasingly using AI, a technology often used by larger companies to create marketing materials and provide customer support.
“They’re already working on this,” Guzman says. “There’s research that shows that small businesses aren’t as productive as larger businesses, mainly due to challenges with technology adoption and employee training. We’ve been focusing on both of those areas to help small businesses adopt technology and have a level playing field.”
Guzman pointed to the SBA’s Digital Alliance as a place where entrepreneurs can access tools to help.
In addition to smaller manufacturing incubators like 16Tech, Guzman said larger companies have made big investments in Indiana in recent years and he’s excited about the ripple effects those investments will have.
“It’s still about strengthening the overall economy,” Guzman said. “These are good-paying jobs that small businesses benefit from, and people have money. All of these investments, wherever they’re made, have a ripple effect throughout the local economy.”
She added that the SBA works to ensure small businesses have a level playing field with larger businesses.
During his trip to Indianapolis, Guzman also visited Black-owned businesses Country Kitchen and Tease Me Cafe, the latter owned by Indiana Fever legend Tamika Catchings.
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