Approximately 400 small business owners, transportation stakeholders, and academic leaders gathered at U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) headquarters on Sept. 10 for a one-day event providing an overview of the Pathways to Entrepreneurship Program: Powering Small Businesses in Emerging Transportation Markets pilot program that will launch next year.
The USDOT Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) launched the program to engage historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs), empower small and disadvantaged businesses seeking to pivot into new and emerging transportation markets, and educate aspiring HBCU students with an entrepreneurial mindset who are eager to explore new transportation markets and consider transportation career options.
“I am pleased with the overwhelming success of the Pathways to Entrepreneurship pilot program event because it exemplifies our commitment to providing small and disadvantaged businesses with access to high-level, high-quality resources and knowledge to grow their businesses and ultimately create wealth,” Tyra Redus, USDOT Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization director, said. “We are excited about the next phase of the Pathways to Entrepreneurship program.”
The OSDBU will use feedback from attendees to decide on the structure and duration of the program.