Summer 2021 | Insights to Opportunity
www.houstontx.gov/obo | Page 7
CALENDAR OF EVENTS Applications Open for Liftoff Houston: Wednesday, July 7 at 1 p.m.
Texas Business Inclusion and Diversity Expo (TexBID): Thursday,
is Launch Day and the opening of the application period for the City of Houston’s Annual Liftoff Houston Startup Business Plan Competition. This program, sponsored by Capital One Bank, and in partnership with OBO and the Houston Public Library, will award more than $30,000 in seed money to aspiring business owners in the categories of Service, Innovation and Product. Fan Favorites will also be selected. There is also an Educational Pathway for those who do not qualify to compete. For more details, go to www.liftoffhouston.com or follow @liftoffhouston on Facebook and Twitter.
July 15 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Leverage your certifications and grow your market by learning how to do business with various Texas cities, government agencies, and corporations. The TexBID Expo will feature small business success stories, business panels, reverse pitch session with major Texas corporations, and a networking session with business resource providers and chambers of commerce. Ready to maximize your MWSBE certifications? Register now at https://tinyurl.com/ TexBIDExpo. For more information, contact Porscha.Jackson@houstontx.gov.
Small Business Administration Grant Funding: Tuesday, July 27 at 2 p.m. Learn about the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and the Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs. These programs award grants that range from $100,000 to $1.5 million to small businesses to encourage innovation and the commercialization of innovations. SBIR grants allow small businesses to explore their technological potential and create new innovations. STTR requires that the small business formally collaborate with a research institution. For more information or to register for the event, contact Porscha. Jackson@houstontx.gov.
WHO WE ARE
DIRECTOR: Opportunities Available in Private Sector Continued from page 1 of expanding your client base and the opportunities that exist in private sector supplier diversity programs, especially with the renewed commitment from many corporations over the past year to diversity, equity, and inclusion in how they conduct business. We are actively working with corporate supplier diversity personnel to bring you information about available opportunities and how to access them. We kicked off this enhanced focus with our engagement of the Rice Management Company in their development of Houston’s Innovation District. Watch for more to come! Finally, I am excited about our new OBO Advisory Board appointees whose breadth of experience
in business and developing our local workforce makes them perfectly poised to address the needs of the small business community, particularly minority and women-owned businesses, and disenfranchised individuals in the Houston area. As usual, I encourage you to stay healthy and safe, and to continue to prioritize the health and safety of your employees and customers.
Sincerely,
Insights to Opportunity is produced by the City of Houston’s Office of Business Opportunity (OBO). OBO is committed to cultivating a competitive and diverse economic environment in the City of Houston by promoting the success of small businesses and developing Houston’s workforce, with special emphasis on historically underutilized businesses and disenfranchised individuals. Executive Editors: Marsha E. Murray, Esq. Lalla V. Morris, Esq. Managing Editors: Pearl K. Cajoles, Enzo Mungu Copy Editor: Dr. Porscha Jackson Contributing Writers: Angel Rodriguez, Damita Roberts, Julie Garay, Niyonsaba Magnifique Layout Designer: Damita Roberts Any information in this newsletter does not constitute the Office of Business Opportunity’s endorsement of any business or organization.
Marsha E. Murray Director
Marsha E. Murray was appointed by Mayor Sylvester Turner and confirmed by City Council to serve as the Director of the City of Houston’s Office of Business Opportunity (OBO) in April 2020, after having served as OBO’s Interim Director.
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