The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is teaming up with major technology companies to form the Small Business Technology Coalition, which is designed to connect small businesses with technology platforms and training.
“Whether they are selling quilts or cloud solutions, businesses need access to digital tools and capabilities to be competitive,” said Tracy Terrill, chief digital officer at SBA. “Our goal at the SBA is to ensure that entrepreneurs and small business owners are aware of digital resources designed to simplify administrative, legal, and technology challenges required to scale their businesses.”
The coalition, which was announced on Wednesday, will include technology companies such as Amazon, Box, Facebook, LegalZoom, Microsoft, Salesforce, and Zenefits.
“Small businesses play a vital role in the U.S. economy, but without IT departments or dedicated resources they often don’t have access or expertise to deploy the best technology to grow and scale their business,” said Karen Appleton, senior vice president of industries at Box.
The main focus of the coalition will be a series of knowledge-sharing sessions on issues such as cybersecurity, social media marketing, mobile content management, productivity solutions, ecommerce, mobility, and payments.
“With the launch of this coalition, America’s startups will also have the digital tools they need to take their first steps toward success,” said SBA Administrator Maria Contreras-Sweet.
