2010 SEED Conference

PRESS RELEASE, Feb. 27, 2010


New Haven, CT— Local entrepreneurs, business professionals, and community organizations gathered at the end of this month in an endeavor to ensure the continued economic development of the New Haven area. Operating against the backdrop of a struggling national economy and shrinking capital pool, small businesses across the country are faced with an unprecedented number of challenges to their growth and expansion. The Small Enterprise & Entrepreneurship Development (SEED) Conference sought to better support the city’s growing population of entrepreneurs and small business owners by providing education and facilitating communication within the larger New Haven community.

The SEED Conference was held on February 27, 2010, on Yale University’s Old Campus. Hosted by the Elmseed Enterprise Fund, the conference aimed to provide local entrepreneurs with a unique opportunity for skills-building and professional development while connecting them to the wealth of business resources that exists locally. In addition to receiving training in a variety of topics relating to business management and expansion during hour-long workshops, participants were also able to network with and utilize services from New Haven’s many business support organizations at the Resource Fair. “The Conference acted as a jumping off point for networking and resource-sharing that will hopefully last throughout the year, and bring much-needed support to the inspiring entrepreneurs we work with every day,” said Elizabeth Bershad, CEO and co-Executive Director of Elmseed. The conference opened with keynote speaker Chris Bartlett, who was named the 2009 Connecticut Small Business Person of the Year by the Small Business Administration, and our workshop topics included Small Business Expansion, Starting a Small Business, Marketing, Accounting, Legal Strategies for Small Business, and Technology. “We were pleased by the success of last year's small business development conference and the positive feedback we received from entrepreneurs who felt the event had helped further their business goals, so we are looking forward to hosting a similar conference this year with more speakers and expanded workshop selections,” said Heather Soleau, Chief Operating Office and co-Executive Director of Elmseed.

All workshops and activities were conducted in both English and Spanish to bring together an increasingly diverse group of small entrepreneurs operating in the New Haven area. The event provided a forum both for uniting the city’s business community and for assisting local entrepreneurs to attain the skills and resources necessary to start and grow small businesses.

Special Thanks to our Sponsors: The 2010 SEED Conference is presented by the Elmseed Enterprise Fund, in association with JUNTA for Progressive Action, Yale Office of New Haven and State Affairs, and the Economic Development Corporation, with community partners First Community Bank of New Haven and the Community Foundation for Great New Haven.