Ernst Delivers Remarks at 2026 Entrepreneur Expo

AMES, IOWA- "Thank you, President Cook, for the kind introduction and for hosting the Expo again at Iowa State this year. I want to extend a warm welcome to all of you for being here today.

I also want to say thank you to Senator Koelker for emceeing; Drew Oetting and Josh Carter, who will be joining me on the stage shortly; and all our federal, state, and private partners for traveling to be with us today. The Expo would not have been possible without collaboration with the Iowa SBDC and CIRAS APEX Accelerator, who have been integral in planning this event.

I am honored to be back at my fourth annual Entrepreneur Expo.

Over the past three years, we've brought out a wide variety of federal, state, and private organizations to the great state of Iowa to engage with entrepreneurs, innovators, and small business owners.

I am proud to say this event has connected state and federal partners with Iowa businesses that have gone on to win contracts.

For example, Jeremiah Terhark, Founder and CEO of Webspec Design, first attended the Expo in 2023. Through connections made at the Expo, Webspec has gone on to win contracts with the state of Iowa and Iowa State University.

This is just one of the many success stories from the more than one thousand folks who have attended this event over the years. Today, all of you will have a similar opportunity to pursue connections like these.

As Chair of the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee, providing these opportunities has been a top priority because Iowa small businesses are at the center of innovation-creating new products and technologies that support the warfighter and contribute to America's industrial base.

Now, more than ever, our nation needs Iowa ingenuity to provide solutions that support our country's military.

That's why this year's theme is "Made in Iowa: Ready for the Mission." The work done here in Iowa strengthens our national security, bolsters our defense industrial base, and supports our warfighters. No doubt Iowans are up for the challenge.

Through my work in the Senate, I understand how vital it is that our small businesses engage with the federal government and work together to support our national interests.

Earlier this year, I was proud to see my Small Business Innovation and Economic Security Act signed into law by President Trump.

This bill reauthorized the Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer programs and made crucial reforms to ensure taxpayer dollars serve America's innovation priorities, not special interests gaming the system.

The reauthorization also enacted heightened safeguards to protect critical technologies against Chinese espionage and introduced first-of-their-kind strategic breakthrough awards to scale the most promising technologies into production.

As Chair of the Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities for the Senate Armed Services Committee, I have always fought to protect American innovation and ensure your taxpayer dollars are not used to support our adversaries.

Thanks to months of hard work last year, Republicans delivered much-needed tax relief for job creators through the Working Families Tax Cuts.

This historic package protects 66,000 full-time jobs in Iowa and ensures Iowa's nearly 50,000 small businesses are permanently eligible for a 20 percent Qualified Business Income deduction on their taxes.

Other crucial provisions we made permanent are bonus depreciation for equipment investments and the immediate deduction of research and development expenses. This certainty is fueling growth and making sure folks like you keep more of your hard-earned money.

Your participation today sends a message loud and clear to Washington D.C., innovation here in the heartland is thriving, and small businesses are ready for the mission.

While this will be the last time I host the Expo, I know this event will continue to produce fruitful partnerships and results for our attendees. I look forward to hearing about your experiences and seeing the continued successes that come out of this event.

Now, I'm excited to introduce a good friend of mine and a fellow veteran, Jeremy Hayes.

Jeremy currently serves as the Chief Policy Officer for the Defense Innovation Unit, known as DIU at the Pentagon.

He is a former Army officer who served in Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom and was awarded the Bronze Star Medal.

Jeremy has worked for a number of senators over the years, including John McCain and Ted Cruz.

Most recently, I had the privilege of having him on my staff for his second tour of duty in my office, which tells you just how much I personally value Jeremy's knowledge and why I know you will, too.

With more than 25 years of experience in defense and government contracting, Jeremy understands the opportunities and challenges businesses face when working with the federal government.

After serving the last 12 years as your senator, I know how frustrating working with Washington can be.

Jeremy knows how to navigate the bureaucracy, cut through red tape, and make things happen.

He will share how the Defense Innovation Unit works with innovative companies like yours and what it looks for in potential partners.

Please join me in welcoming Jeremy Hayes to the stage."

Background: Since launching the Entrepreneur Expo in 2023, Senator Joni Ernst has hosted four annual expos connecting Iowa entrepreneurs and small businesses with federal, state, and private-sector partners. As Chair of the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee, Ernst organized this year's Expo around the theme "Made in Iowa: Ready for the Mission," highlighting opportunities for Iowa innovators to strengthen America's defense industrial base, support the nation's warfighters, and compete for government contracts.

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