The second Annual AEO Talks: CBC Small Business Power Luncheon 2025 took place at The Hamilton Live in Washington, D.C., on September 25, 2025 bringing together policymakers, entrepreneurs, investors, and community leaders to examine the future of small business ownership and economic opportunity. Latestsale.com, the AEO 2025 Social Impact Media Partner, attended the exhilarating convening in-person.
African American Alliance of CDFIs Pledge to Expand Access to Capital
Hosted during CBC Week, the event highlighted the work of the African American Alliance of CDFIs in expanding access to capital and helping businesses scale and grow. Discussions explored how artificial intelligence, cryptocurrency, and alternative financing models are reshaping entrepreneurship, reinforcing the idea that the future of enterprise is being redefined through greater access to capital. Speakers also examined trade policy, tariffs, automation, and digital transformation, while debating how digital power can be harnessed responsibly without increasing inequality or accelerating job displacement. Further insights covering alternative finance as also highlighted by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) – Innovative Finance for Agrifood Systems, demonstrate how fintech, blended finance, impact investing, and other innovative financing mechanisms are helping expand access to capital and support small business development.
Throughout the luncheon, participants emphasized the importance of protecting economic progress while creating new pathways to innovation, ownership, and long-term growth.