USASBE Announces Strategic Collaboration with East Carolina University

The United States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship (USASBE) is pleased to announce a new strategic collaboration with East Carolina University (ECU), marking an exciting step forward in USASBE's continued growth and commitment to serving the entrepreneurship education community.

Beginning July 1, 2026, USASBE and ECU will launch a three-year collaboration focused on advancing entrepreneurship education, supporting student success, strengthening rural entrepreneurship initiatives, and expanding opportunities for faculty, educators, and program directors. As part of this collaboration, USASBE will proudly introduce the USASBE Powered by ECU brand, recognizing ECU's commitment to helping advance the organization's mission.

As USASBE continues to grow, the organization recognized the value of working with a strategic collaborator to help strengthen organizational capacity, enhance member programming, and support long-term sustainability. After a lengthy RFP process and review of proposals, ECU’s proposal was an exceptional fit for USASBE. ECU's commitment to innovation and entrepreneurship makes it a natural fit to help expand USASBE's impact as we continue to invest in the future of entrepreneurship education.

“I am thrilled to work with Jennifer Capps and the Board of USASBE. Our relationship with USASBE has been a strategic priority for years,” said Dr. Joshua Aaron, director of the ECU Miller School of Entrepreneurship and the J. Fielding Miller Distinguished Professor. “This serves to strengthen that relationship even further. The combination of the premier organization for entrepreneurship educators and the momentum of the Miller School will be powerful indeed.”

Importantly, this collaboration complements, rather than replaces, USASBE's long-standing relationships with universities, corporate supporters, conference sponsors, and Special Interest Group (SIG) sponsors. USASBE remains committed to providing meaningful visibility and engagement opportunities for all sponsors and collaborators. Conference sponsorships, SIG sponsorships, and institutional engagement opportunities will continue to be promoted and recognized as they always have, ensuring a vibrant and inclusive community where many organizations can collectively contribute to USASBE's mission.

"This collaboration represents an investment in USASBE's future and our members," said Jennifer Capps, USASBE CEO. "By bringing together our shared strengths, we can expand opportunities, increase our impact, and continue delivering exceptional value to the entrepreneurship education community at all levels of the organization. We are privileged to have ECU as our organizational level strategic collaborator. The boldness of Pirate Nation and their willingness to explore innovative ideas blends so well with our culture. What an exciting time to be a part of USASBE!"