SBA Kicks Off National Entrepreneurship Week February 23 - March 1, 2008

WASHINGTON, Feb. 22 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The U.S. Small Business Administration will take part today in the kick-off of National Entrepreneurship Week to celebrate entrepreneurial education and youth entrepreneurship.

National Entrepreneurship Week celebrates the heritage of American entrepreneurship, its creativity and innovation, as well as efforts to encourage and prepare the next generation of business owners and leaders.

The SBA has teamed with the Consortium for Entrepreneurship Education (CEE) to cosponsor the second annual kickoff celebration by bringing an "entrepreneur tour" to Howard University and the George Washington University in Washington, D.C. The tour - aimed at connecting young people to the possibilities of entrepreneurship - will bring together aspiring student-entrepreneurs from area business schools, entrepreneurial centers and local chamber of commerce. The day's activities include speed networking, workshops on generating business ideas and starting and running a business, as well as presentations by successful young entrepreneurs and business leaders.

The Consortium for Entrepreneurship Education is a national membership organization composed of more than 90 agencies and institutions supporting entrepreneurship education. Their common mission is to infuse students with the entrepreneurial mindset while encouraging their members to work together to create educational opportunities, which will meet the demands of a global economy.

SBA Administrator Steve Preston will speak at a Capitol Hill for National Entrepreneurship Week reception night, Feb. 25.

On Feb. 27, the Youth Entrepreneurship Strategy Group (YESG) will host a public policy briefing on youth entrepreneurship during a breakfast at the Aspen Institute in Washington. Anoop Prakash, SBA Associate Administrator for Entrepreneurial Development, will give remarks. YESG's mission is to ensure that youth from all backgrounds have access to higher education and opportunities to explore their potential as future business owners.

The YESG team consists of national leaders from the fields of education, entrepreneurship, public policy, media and philanthropy. Launched in 2006, YESG was formed through a partnership with the Aspen Institute, E*TRADE FINANCIAL, and the National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE).

"The SBA welcomes this opportunity to support entrepreneurship education to prepare today's youth to become future business leaders," said Preston. "During this week-long event students around the country will have a chance to see, perhaps for the first time, that it is possible for them to run a successful small business, and that the SBA stands ready to help them achieve their entrepreneurial goals."

For more information on National Entrepreneurship Week events across the country, visit the Web site at http://www.nationaleweek.org/.

Co-sponsorship Authorization # 08-0630-32. SBA's participation in this cosponsored activity is not an endorsement of the views, opinions, products or services of any cosponsor or other person or entity. All SBA programs and services are extended to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis. Reasonable arrangements for persons with disabilities will be made if requested at least two weeks in advance. Contact: Cathy Ashmore, CEO, Consortium for Entrepreneurship Education, cashmore@entre-ed.org.