abstract
Finance Forum 2025

The Big Opportunity of Small Businesses: New Pathways to Success

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Small businesses are essential to the US economy employing over 40 percent of workers, accounting for nearly half of GDP, and creating two out of three net new jobs. If we are to expand into new industries, cultivate the next generation of entrepreneurs, and support emerging fund managers, it will take collective action from the entrepreneur all the way to the federal government to unlock essential early risk capital, develop investment-ready enterprises, and co-invest alongside community financing institutions to catalyze this market. Join this panel in exploring collaborative models that work up and down the value chain to create the next wave of small businesses, and the unveiling of the new MI Partnerships Portfolio.

*{16:50} 140,000 monthly small businesses that have the intent to hire.

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    Moderator

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    Troy Duffie

    Director, Financial Markets, Milken Institute

    Speakers

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    Samantha Berg

    Co-CEO, NextStreet
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    Kim Folsom

    Founder, Chairperson and CEO, Founders First Capital Partners
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    Lauren Grattan

    Chief Community Officer, Mission Driven Finance
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    Shaolee Sen

    Head of Small Business, Corporate Responsibility, JP Morgan Chase & Co.