This week, U.S. Senator John Curtis (R-UT), member of the Senate Small Business Committee, brought together entrepreneurs, manufacturers, educators, innovators, and community leaders from across Utah and the federal government for a small business and innovation expo hosted at Davis Technical College in Kaysville, Utah—emphasizing Utah’s leadership in entrepreneurship, advanced manufacturing, and technology innovation.
“Our event highlighted the creativity, determination, and forward-thinking leadership that continue to make Utah one of the most attractive states in the country to do business,” said Senator Curtis following the event. “Our state’s economic success reflects its pioneer spirit: willingness to take risks and invest in our communities. By bringing together business leaders and federal agencies, we sparked new partnerships and meaningful conversations about the future of commerce in Utah.”
During his opening remarks, Senator Curtis highlighted Utah’s strong entrepreneurial culture, noting that small businesses make up 99 percent of all companies in the state. Drawing from his own experience helping build Utah-based company Action Target, Curtis reflected on the challenges and rewards of growing a business from the ground up. Curtis also pointed to the growing importance of supply chain resilience, advanced manufacturing, energy security, and emerging technologies amid increasing global competition from adversarial nations like China.
The Senator also discussed recent congressional efforts to support innovation through the reauthorization of the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs, commonly referred to as “America’s seed fund.” These programs help small businesses develop technologies that address federal priorities in areas such as defense and health care.
Curtis additionally highlighted the RAMP for Innovators Act, bipartisan legislation he introduced with Senator Chris Coons (D-DE) designed to help small businesses bridge the gap between innovation and commercialization. A key section of this legislation was included in the Small Business Innovation and Economic Security Act, which was signed into law in April. Read more about the legislation here.
In addition to representatives from Small Business Administration, Department of War, NASA, and five other federal agencies, the event included speakers and booths from the Utah Small Business Association, Utah Manufacturers Association, 47G, Silicon Slopes, and the World Trade Center Utah, among many others.
