On June 9, 2026, Colorado Mesa University’s Davis School of Business hosted the two-day 2026 United States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship (USASBE) Rural Entrepreneurship Symposium, bringing together educators, entrepreneurs, investors and community leaders to explore the role entrepreneurship plays in rural communities like those on Colorado’s Western Slope.
“The USASBE Rural Entrepreneurship Symposium at Colorado Mesa University reminded me why place matters in entrepreneurship education. Our presenters brought the research. Our local community brought the proof,” said Ben Williams, executive director of the Davis School of Business.
The two-day symposium featured tours of businesses in Grand Junction, Fruita and Palisade, educational sessions on topics including economics, capacity development and entrepreneurial resources, and a keynote address from Jamie Finney, a sixth-generation Coloradoan and rural-focused investor from Durango. Finney co-founded Howdy Partner, a venture capital fund with $45 million under management and more than 50 startups in its portfolio.
By hosting the symposium, the Davis School of Business raised more than $25,000 for student scholarships and school initiatives. The event also showcased the strength of entrepreneurship across the Grand Valley to attendees from institutions including Babson College, Old Dominion University, Purdue University, East Carolina University, the University of Maine and several colleges and organizations from Colorado and neighboring states.
“Perhaps one of the defining characteristics of rural communities is innovation and resilience — not because it's trendy, but because we're 100 miles from the next town. If we don't fix it ourselves, it's not getting fixed,” said Williams.
The symposium brought together stakeholders from K–12 and higher education, economic development organizations, entrepreneurs and community leaders to share best practices, discuss challenges, highlight solutions, and build relationships that will continue to advance entrepreneurship throughout rural Colorado.