The State Science and Technology Institute (SSTI) will hold its annual national conference in Little Rock May 2-4.
This will be the first time the nonprofit organization has held its national conference in Arkansas. The SSTI conference, launched in 1996, has grown to become the nation’s most prominent gathering of tech-based economic developers.
This year, the conference is expected to draw more than 250 professionals and policymakers from more than 40 states and Washington, D.C., all of whom are active in the fields of science, technology, innovation and entrepreneurship.
The Arkansas Research Alliance (ARA) formed a coalition of corporate and public organizations to recruit the conference to the Natural State.
“Arkansas is the perfect host state for SSTI, as we and our local partners offer a rich alchemy of resources and services to drive the state’s growth into a new-age economy focused on talent and innovation,” said Bryan Barnhouse, ARA president and CEO.
Local partners include the University of Arkansas, StartupJunkie/Conductor, the Walton Family Foundation, Northwest Arkansas Council, Winrock International (Innovate Arkansas), the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Hytrol, Entergy Arkansas, Arkansas Blue Cross/Blue Shield and LiveRamp.
Carter Malloy, founder and CEO of AcreTrader, a Fayetteville-based company that recently raised $60 million in series B venture funding, will serve as the conference’s keynote speaker.
“Bringing the conference to Little Rock and sharing the story of what is happening in Arkansas with others will give people from throughout the country the opportunity to see the progress that’s being made in the state,” said Dan Berglund, SSTI president and CEO.
This year’s topics will include regional innovation strategies, university-industry partnerships, talent attraction and development, venture development organizations, capital access strategies and more. The conference will be held at the Little Rock Marriott downtown, beginning at 2 p.m. on Monday, May 2, and running through 12 noon on Wednesday, May 4.
In recent years, the conference has been held in Providence, Salt Lake City, Chicago and Columbus, Ohio. For more information on this year’s event or to register, visit 2022.ssticonference.org.
READ ALSO: ICBA ThinkTECH Demo Day Showcases Top Fintech Startups
