WASHINGTON, Oct. 12, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) will host its Small Business Cyber Summit during Cybersecurity Awareness Month this October, with free educational webinars for small business owners on Wednesday, Oct. 18 and 25, and Nov. 1. This year's summit is part of the Biden-Harris Administration's renewed commitment to unlocking digital tools to help our economy and small businesses grow while strengthening our country's cybersecurity apparatus.

The cybersecurity series supports America's 33 million small businesses with tools, tips, and resources from the federal government and subject matter experts to bolster their cybersecurity infrastructure, in addition to exploring new trends, challenges, and opportunities facing entrepreneurs.

"The rapidly evolving and interconnected world continues to present new challenges for small-business owners, and it is our objective to empower them with timely and turnkey tools they can integrate now. Through our SBA Cyber Summit, the goal is to bolster the confidence and the know-how of our resilient U.S. small businesses to deal with these cyber challenges head-on," said SBA Associate Administrator of the Office of Entrepreneurial Development Mark Madrid.  

Registration for this event is open to the public. Sign up at https://bit.ly/SBACyberSummit2023 and follow the summit on social media with the hashtag #SBACyberSummit.

  The list of keynote and panel speakers includes: 

• Isabella Casillas Guzman, SBA Administrator (keynote address)
• Dilawar Syed, SBA Deputy Administrator
• Mark Madrid, SBA Associate Administrator for the Office of Entrepreneurial Development (OED)
• Lisa Gevelber, Managing Director of Grow with Google and Chief Marketing Officer, Google Americas Region
• Drenan Dudley, White House Office of the National Cyber Director - Assistant National Cyber Director
• Diedra Henry-Spires, SBA Senior Advisor to the Administrator
• Jen Easterly, Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA)
• Vint Cerf, Google Chief Internet Evangelist ("Father of the Internet")
• Farooq A. Mitha, Department of Defense Director for Office of Small Business Programs (OSBP)
• Craig Newmark, Craig Newmark Philanthropies
• Derrick Davis, Department of Defense Director for Industrial Cyber Security (OSBP)
• Christopher Schroeder, Next Billion Ventures Co-Founder
• Karen Evans, Cyber Readiness Institute Managing Director
• Christina Hale, SBA Assistant Administrator for Office of Women’s Business Ownership (OWBO)
• Kelvin Moore, SBA Chief Information Security Officer
• Ying McGuire, CEO of the Minority Supplier Development Council
• Aikta Marcoulier, SBA Regional Administrator for the Rocky Mountain region
• Jacob Blacksten, Delaware Small Business Development Center Digital Solutions Manager
• Earl Gregorich, Greenville Area Small Business Development Centers Area Manager
• Vincent Rendony, UTSA SBDC Center for Government Contracting Project Manager
• Sergio Alvares, Vermont Small Business Development Center (VtSBDC) Statewide Advisor, Strategic Projects
• Scott Taber, Michigan Small Business Development Center Cybersecurity Awareness Program Specialist
• Patrick Brown, DaStor Director of Strategic Partnerships
• Connor Swalm, Phin Security CEO
• Chris Marchak, Lyons Insurance Risk Management Advisor
• Nicholas Vigneur, CEO of CyberNik LLC
• Jack Sterling, CloudHound Owner
• Mike Snively, AT-NET Services
• Jim Johnson, South Carolina SBDC Consultant
• Maria Shelton, Ardian Technologies Inc.
• Nathalie Molina Niño, Known Holdings
• Ashely Podhradsky DSc, Dakota State University VP Research and Economic Development
• Kelly Perdew, Moonshots Capital Managing General Partner
• Blake Hall, ID.me Inc. CEO
• Randal D. Pinkett, BCT Partners Co-Founder
• Jack Bienko, SBA Cybersecurity Education Director
• Additional small business owners and experts participating in interactive sessions

To learn more about how to secure your small business, visit https://www.sba.gov/business-guide/manage-your-business/strengthen-your-cybersecurity

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About the SBA's 2023 Small Business Cyber Summit 

The summit will feature various speakers, including SBA Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman, SBA Deputy Secretary Dilawar Syed, SBA Associate Administrator Mark Madrid, SBA Resource Partners, Small Business Development Centers, the SBA Small Business Digital Alliance, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), the FBI, business chambers, state government partners, experts from the public and private sectors, major technology platforms and award-winning business coaches.


Comprised of digestible and compact segments, attendees will have the opportunity to network and access practical tips, problem-solving strategies, industry trends, threat avoidance, and small business testimonials to learn how to help small business owners defend themselves against cyberattacks. 

Cyberattacks are a growing threat to small businesses and the U.S. economy. According to the FBI's Internet Crime Report, the cost of cybercrimes against the small business community reached $3.31 billion in 2022. 

Small businesses are attractive targets because they have information that cybercriminals want, and they typically lack the security infrastructure of larger businesses. 

Surveys have shown that a majority of small-business owners feel their businesses are vulnerable to a cyberattack. Yet many businesses cannot afford professional IT solutions, have limited time to devote to cybersecurity, or do not know where to begin. The SBA Cyber Summit will address these formidable challenges with turnkey solutions. 

About the U.S. Small Business Administration 
The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow, expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit sba.gov. 

Christine Saah Nazer
U.S. Small Business Administration
202-756-0304
christine.saahnazer@sba.gov

Han Nguyen
U.S. Small Business Administration
202-756-0304
han.nguyen@sba.gov