WASHINGTON, D.C. (September 18, 2009) Coinciding with the Congressional Black Caucus, an exciting forum will explore how space entrepreneurship presents economic and development opportunities to emerging minority-owned businesses.
The forum will be held at the Rayburn Building’s Science and Technology Committee Room (Room 2318), September 23rd from 2:00 – 4:oopm. The event is free and open to the public.
An expert panel will discuss the future of private space commercialization and entrepreneurship including congress and NASA representatives as well as space industry speakers from Space Adventures, Space X, Futron, Bigelow Aerospace, X PRIZE, JAKA Consulting Group, and the Google Lunar X PRIZE JURBAN Team.
To kick-off the forum promptly at 2:00pm, Representative Donna Edwards will introduce the keynote speaker, Gen. Charles F. Bolden, Jr., the 12th NASA administrator who will share opening remarks about the future of the commercial space industry.
Coordinated by JAKA Consulting Group & the Google Lunar X PRIZE Jurban Team, in cooperation with Representative Donna F. Edwards (MD-4), member of the House Diversity Innovation Caucus, the forum will feature representatives from Congress and the private sector to discuss current and future opportunities for minority-owned businesses in addition to success stories and funding strategies.
“President Obama’s commitment to science, research, and technology are critical as we begin the important 21st century reinvention of our nation’s space program,” says Congresswoman Donna F. Edwards (MD-4)….. “It is clear that space entrepreneurship has the potential to become a multi-billion dollar industry for African American businesses. Drawing on President Obama’s leadership, it was important for me to organize this event to create a forum for African American businesses to learn about the industry, available opportunities now and in the future, and to discover ways of getting involved in the ever-growing world of the space industry.”
Moderated by Ken Harvey, former Washington Redskins linebacker and president of JAKA Consulting Group, the forum is an exciting opportunity for participants ranging from business professionals, research faculty, and high school/college students to learn about the emerging business and economic opportunities for minority businesses in the space and technology sector.
Dr. Jayfus T. Doswell, director of the Google Lunar X PRIZE JURBAN team, says “Now is the time in our history to reach beyond our comfort zones and explore new horizons, build new frontiers, and travel to new heights to achieve innovative products and services that deeply penetrate the competitive space commercialization marketplace. The time is now. Space is available.”
For more information and to register please visit http://www.juxtopia.org/jurban/ by clicking the Space Entrepreneurship Forum link or call 703 772-3118..
