USBCI Joins Utah APEX Accelerator at the 2026 Vendor Fair & Matchmaking Event

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Official release

Source material from Utah Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity. The wording below is the issuer’s statement.

On Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026, the Utah Small Business Credit Initiative (USBCI) participated alongside sister programs in the Governor’s Office of Economic Development (GOED) as a featured resource partner at the 2026 APEX Vendor Fair & Matchmaking Event held at Salt Lake Community College’s Miller Campus.

Hosted by the Utah APEX Accelerator, the annual vendor fair brought together over 500 small business leaders, prime defense contractors, and procurement officials. The event facilitated more than 200 one-on-one matchmaking sessions, allowing small business owners to pitch their goods and services directly to federal, state, and local buyers.

For USBCI, the fair provided a vital touchpoint to connect growing small businesses with the working capital and equipment financing needed to fulfill large-scale government contracts.

Pairing Contract Opportunities with Capital Readiness

Securing a government contract often requires significant upfront investments in workforce expansion, equipment, or working capital. USBCI ensured that entrepreneurs pursuing procurement opportunities were informed about state and federal loan participation programs that help them scale.

During the four-hour event, Director Paul Jolley and Program Specialist Rafaela Eguiguren met with local business owners, lenders, and regional technical assistance providers, including representatives from the Salt Lake Small Business Development Center and the Department of Veterans Affairs. APEX Accelerators Regional Manager Alex Quayson-Sackey also connected on-site with the USBCI team to highlight collaboration among state economic development programs.

Key Event Outcomes for the USBCI Ecosystem:

Connecting small business suppliers with both buyer matchmaking opportunities and USBCI financing pathways.

Collaborating on-site with technical assistance contractors to prepare entrepreneurs for both lender underwriting and contract fulfillment.

Strengthening Utah’s local supply chain by helping small businesses secure capital to bid on and win prime contracts

To learn more about USBCI loan enrollment programs or technical assistance, visit business.utah.gov/usbci. For government procurement support, visit https://business.utah.gov/apex/.

Release text attributed to Utah Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity. Consult the official publication for any subsequent corrections or updates.