A small business expo focused on “underrepresented and underserved communities” will be held Saturday at Cuyahoga Community College.

The OH-11 Small Business Expo will take place from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. June 1 at Tri-C’s Eastern Campus, 4400 Richmond Road in Highland Hills. Several federal and local agencies and nonprofits focused on business development will participate. They include the U.S. Small Business Administration, the Cuyahoga County Office of Small Business and the Urban League of Greater Cleveland’s Entrepreneurship Center.

See: Cuyahoga County opens new office to help entrepreneurs  

The event is being organized by the office of U.S. Rep. Shontel Brown and targets her 11th Congressional District constituents. However, the event also is open to those who don’t live in the district. Attendees are asked to register for this free event using this online form.

Small business expo will offer resources and networking

The expo will include sessions on creating a business plan, marketing for small businesses and information about federal contracting. Panels will include those for first-generation entrepreneurs and advice from lenders. Attendees will have the opportunity to register their businesses as either a sole proprietorship or an LLC.

This is the second year the event has been held. More than 300 attended last year’s expo and more than 750 have already registered for this year’s event, according to Brown’s office. Brown said her office is holding the event to bring resources to the “many talented small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs in Northeast Ohio.”

“It is so important that we meet people where they are, especially people from underrepresented and underserved communities,” Brown said in a news release. “This event will be a one-stop-shop for information, resources, networking, and an opportunity to hear from peers who have made the leap and launched their businesses.”