The MED Week Conference was held in September 2022

Register below to view videos from keynote speakers and sessions.

About National MED Week

From September 18 – 24, 2022, the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) will host the 2022 National Minority Enterprise Development (MED) Week Conference, which will be held in-person for the first time in two years! MBDA’s National MED Week Conference is the federal government’s foremost annual gathering and celebration of the minority business community. The Conference is a forum for minority entrepreneurs, business owners, and stakeholders to engage with the community and learn about current industry trends, key resources, and tools to grow and improve their business. MED Week also features the MED Week Awards Ceremony, where individuals and organizations are honored for exceptional commitments and contributions to minority business growth. The MED Week Awards are the highest national recognition a minority business enterprise (MBE) can receive from the Department of Commerce.

In September, President Joseph R. Biden Jr. will issue a proclamation declaring September 18-24, 2022, National Minority Enterprise Development Week. This year’s MED Week will be the first since President Biden’s enaction of the Minority Business Development Act of 2021, mandating MBDA’s elevation to a pivotal government leader and prioritizing the success of America’s MBEs like never before.

The 2022 National MED Week conference theme, “Power in Capital, Strength in Equity” highlights MBDA’s and the Biden Administration’s mission to break down the minority business community’s greatest barrier: access to capital, contracts, and markets. Equitable access will empower minority entrepreneurs and businesses and, ultimately, create a stronger economy for all Americans.

National MED Week Agenda

Hilton National Mall the Wharf

  • Monday, September 19

    1:00 pm - 5:00 pm
    Registration

  • Tuesday, September 20


    POWER IN CAPITAL

    8:00 am - 4:00 pm
    Registration

    8:30 am
    Welcome & Keynote

    8:45 am
    Keynote Remarks: Deputy Commerce Secretary Graves

    9:00 am
    MBDA's Investment in Access to Capital

    9:45 am
    From States to Small Businesses: The $10B State Small Business Credit Initiative

    10:30 am
    Networking Break

    10:45 am
    Curing the Cost of Capital: Minority Banking Roundtable

    11:15 am
    How Minority Chambers Impact Capital Formation

    12:00pm
    Networking Lunch

    1:15pm
    State of the MBDA Address

    1:30pm
    To Venture or Not to Venture: Diverse Venture Capital Funds

    2:15 pm
    Networking Break

    2:45pm
    Removing Barriers to Financial Inclusion: Project Reach Roundtable for Economic Access and Change

    3:45 pm
    Breakouts

    Top 3 Ways to Improve Business Credit

    How MBEs and Partners Benefit from CDFIs

    How to Buy and Sell a Business with No Money

    4:15 pm
    Breakouts

    Building Next Level Businesses w/ Goldman Sachs

    You've Been Denied for a Loan, Now What?

    Can Off Balance Sheet Financing Help Your Clients?

    Power in Finance: Franchising

    6:00 pm
    MBDA Welcome Reception

  • Wednesday, September 21


    STRENGTH IN EQUITY

    8:00 am- 5:00 pm
    Registration

    8:30 am
    Welcome

    8:45 am
    Fireside Chat w/ US Deputy Commerce Secretary

    9:15 am
    The Equity Commitment

    10:00 am
    Evolving and Expanding: The State of Minority Business

    10:30 am
    Networking Break

    10:45 am
    Keynote Remarks: US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo

    11:00 am
    Breakouts

    Navigating the Federal Government Contracting Landscape

    Demystifying Federal Funding and Contract Vehicle

    Evolving Infrastructure: MBEs and the Electric Vehicle Boom

    Broadband Infrastructure Opportunities

    12:00pm
    Networking Lunch

    1:30 pm
    State of the States: How States Engage with MBEs on Infrastructure

    2:30 pm
    Doing Business with Primes and Teaming Opportunities for MBEs

    3:15pm
    Networking Break

    3:30 pm
    Breakouts

    Supply Chains Remanufactured: Advanced Manufacturing in the US

    New Inclusive Strategies to Advance Clean Tech and Energy

    Going Global: MBEs Doing Business in Global Markets

    Accountants and Accounting: Creative Contract Funding Solutions

    6:00 pm
    2022 MED Week Awards Ceremony

  • Thursday, September 22


    NATIONAL TRAINING CONFERENCE

    9:00 am - 1:00 pm
    MED Week Matchmaking

    9:00 am - 4:00 pm
    National Training Conference
    (MBDA Business Centers & Grantees only)

 
 
Buy MBE Day Logo
 
 

Saturday, September 24, 2022

Since 1983 MBDA has led the National Minority Enterprise Development Week (MED Week) observance to recognize the achievements and economic contributions made by Minority Business Enterprises (MBEs). This year’s MED Week celebration will culminate with the 3rd Annual Buy MBE Day on Saturday, September 24, 2022!

Buy MBE Day helps generate awareness, support, and revenue to the millions of minority-owned firms across the country by:

  • Encouraging engagement with MBEs representing companies owned and operated by African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Native Americans, Hasidic Jews, and Pacific Islanders.

  • Motivating individual consumers as well as private and public sector buyers to intentionally show their commitment to minority businesses by shopping with them in person and/or online.

  • Demonstrating appreciation for the contributions ethnic minority entrepreneurs make to their local economies.

  • Spotlighting how MBEs improve the quality of life in their neighborhoods.
    Inspiring success throughout the MBE community.

Thank you to our Sponsors!

Registration

Simply register for The National MED Week 2022 Conference by clicking on the “Register Here” button below.

Once on the registration page, follow the instructions to fill out the form with the necessary information.

Once you complete the registration, a confirmation email with details on the event will be sent to the email address provided.

It’s important that you provide an active email address to receive further information about MED Week, along with helpful tips and guidelines for attending.

 

Contact the Organizer:
Antavia F. Grimsley, CGMP

Program Manager, National Minority Enterprise
Development Week and Buy MBE Day
agrimsley1@mbda.gov

An official website of the U.S. Department of Commerce, Minority Business Development Agency. Visit MBDA.gov.