Recent economic challenges have taught us two things:

• Our economies are interdependent and susceptible to recession, unemployment and deflation; and
• We can't afford to lose more businesses, more capacities, more jobs or more money

Since small businesses have created 80% of the new jobs in the past two years, and locally owned businesses have at least three times more economic impact, we believe that investing in and developing healthy local businesses is the key to building a resilient local economy.

...but how? How do we pull ourselves out of recession, create sustainable jobs with good wages, increase innovation from the private sector and ensure that our time and resources are being used to build an economy that works for us?

These are the questions at the heart of the Local Capital Summit, convening August 31st in Denver.

What is Local Capital?

When we say, 'local capital,' we don't just mean financial capital - but also, business capacity, shared assets and human resources. Local Capital includes all of the resources, expertise and capacities available in our community. The Local Capital Summit is an opportunity to mobilize these resources for our communities and economies now. (learn more about local capital)

Local businesses can't wait for large government bailouts to restore economic stability. We can, however, work together to address the challenges of being in business. The local capital summit is an opportunity to share and co-create innovative strategies for:

• managing sweat equity
• accessing short-term loans
• accelerating payment of receivables
• introducing affordable health benefits
• engaging greater community support
• exchanging offerings with other local businesses

...and more!

Participant-driven Format

The Local Capital Summit is a different kind of conference. Instead of filling the schedule with big keynote speakers, we want to hear from YOU - the business owners and community leaders who are already creating new ways to access local capital. Using a modified open space format, the Local Capital Summit provides the space and time for in-depth conversations and collaboration building between participants. Here's how to get involved:

1. Reserve your seat now. We're keeping registration fees low and space is limited, so now's the time to register.
2. Submit a session. This can be a presentation you'd like to make, a conversation you want to convene, a question you want to ask of others. You can suggest a panel of speakers, too. Suggest topics now so we can create the schedule and plan for space.
3. Vote on sessions. See the session topics already posted and vote on the ones you'd like to attend. This helps us arrange which sessions get priority time slots and which room they'll be held in. Vote now.

During the summit, you'll be able to learn from other entrepreuers, make connections with other people, and even have the time to have the conversations you want. Bring your own ideas, experience, concerns and questions.