DoD Northeast Regional Training & Matchmaker Event

Small businesses throughout New England and New York gathered in Burlington, Vt. this week for a training and matching making event to connect with government agencies and prime contractors, as well as representatives from state, federal and local resources,

Hosted by the Vermont APEX Accelerator (Formerly VT PTAC) in partnership with the Department of Defense Northeast Regional Council, and sponsored by BAE Systems Inc. and the Vermont Agency of Transportation, the event featured networking opportunities, informative training sessions, and a series of ten-minute-long, pre-scheduled, and industry-code-matched one-on-one appointments.

“The matchmaker event was an invaluable opportunity for small businesses to network, learn, and gain business, and a chance for prime contractors and government agencies to fulfill purchasing requirements,” said Joanne Spaulding, Director of the Vermont APEX Accelerator.

Mr. Kareem A. Sykes, ITIL, Industry Engagement Manager (CTR), Department of Defense Office of Small Business Programs, briefed attendees on the cybersecurity educational training and tool benefits of Project Spectrum. Small- and medium-sized businesses are particularly susceptible to cyber threats due to funding and other resource limitations, and the DoD has cybersecurity education, awareness, and compliance resources to help.