D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser on Wednesday hosted the second annual DC Small Business Expo to celebrate Small Business Week and to provide new and experienced entrepreneurs in the city with the resources to operate their businesses.
During the expo, which was held at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library in Northwest, entrepreneurs were able to consult with over two dozen industry experts and leaders and enjoy a day full of panel discussions, maker space demonstrations, computer training and rooftop networking.
“We’re always looking at how we can make it easy for people to start and grow a business in D.C.,” the mayor said. “We know there are people in the District who ask themselves, ‘Should I or shouldn’t I finally take this leap, follow this dream, start this business…’ The answer is: Yes! You should. And we want you to do it right here in D.C. Starting and growing more businesses, especially businesses owned by D.C. residents is critical to our comeback.”
The expo was supported by the District’s Department of Insurance, Securities, and Banking, the Department of Small and Local Business Development, and the D.C. Public Library. During the event, Bowser announced that 100 recipients received the fiscal year 2023 Robust Retail grants in the individual amounts of $5,000 administered by DSLBD.
Additionally, the mayor said the city reached a new record — $1.18 billion — in fiscal year 2022 in spending with small businesses.