Startup & Small Business Mini-Conference

Join us for a fast-paced, high-impact morning designed to help startups and small businesses in Greater Augusta launch stronger, grow smarter, and scale faster.

Whether you're building from scratch or ready to level up, these sessions deliver the tools and insights you need—all in just 3 hours.

• 💡 From Idea to Income - Turn concepts into companies with strategies for validating your idea, building your MVP, and getting to market faster.
• 💰 Get the Bag - Learn how to access funding—from loans and grants to angel investment—and what makes your business investor-ready.
• 🏛️ Make the Government Your Customer - Get practical steps to pursue federal, state, and local contracting opportunities, plus an overview of certifications that open doors.
• 🤖 Tech Up to Scale Up - Explore how small businesses are using digital tools and AI to work smarter and grow more efficiently.

🎟️ Free to attend | Registration required
Perfect for entrepreneurs, small business owners, and changemakers across Greater Augusta.

Let’s build better businesses—together.

👉 Reserve your spot now. Space is limited!

Info: Focus: Early-stage entrepreneurs and aspiring founders
Content:
Idea validation techniques
Lean startup methodology
MVP development (Minimum Viable Product)
Interactive Element: Real-time pitch practice with feedback

Why this matters: Many aspiring founders in Greater Augusta have ideas but lack structured guidance to launch.

Info: Focus: Small business owners
Content:
Types of funding (microloans, angel, grants, crowdfunding)

How to prep a strong pitch and financials
Introduction to angel investor networks
Overview of SBIR/STTR and rural business development grants
Interactive Element: Mock investor pitch

Why this matters: Access to capital is a top barrier for Greater Augusta-based entrepreneurs.

Info: Focus: Growth-stage businesses, veteran- and women-owned firms
Content:
Overview of WOSB, SDVOSB, and other certifications
Finding and bidding on contracts
Federal contracting with DOD and Augusta-based opportunities
Live demo of SAM.gov and certifications process
Interactive Element: Review SAM.gov and Grants.gov

Why this matters: Greater Augusta's proximity to military bases and federal agencies makes this a huge opportunity, especially for veteran and military spouse entrepreneurs.

Info: Focus: All business owners, particularly tech-curious or digital-ready
Content:
Low-code tools for operations
AI in marketing, customer service, and analytics
Cybersecurity basics for small business
Local support resources
Interactive Element: Digital tool demos and AI "hot seat" Q&A

Why this matters: As Augusta grows its cyber and innovation sectors, tech literacy is essential for small business competitiveness.

Host or Publisher Leatherback Labs