Last updated on December 17th, 2024 at 09:12 am

Business growth relies on technology—whether it’s streamlining operations, boosting productivity, or driving innovation in a rapidly changing economy.

But what happens when some businesses fail to embrace technology? Could they be falling behind, with implications for the broader economy?

This critical issue was addressed by Donna Ennis, co-director of Georgia Artificial Intelligence in Manufacturing (Georgia AIM), during the National Minority Supplier Development Council’s 50th anniversary conference. Ennis, alongside Sean Madhavaraman, a project manager with Georgia Tech’s Georgia Manufacturing Extension Partnership, highlighted how technology adoption can fuel business growth and strengthen economic competitiveness.

“Technology integration unlocks growth,” said Ennis. She emphasized that minority-owned businesses often lag behind their peers in areas like online presence and technology investment. For example, only 55% of minority business owners have an online presence compared to 75% of other business owners. Additionally, minority business owners spend, on average, half as much on technology—$50,000 annually compared to $100,000.

Ennis and Madhavaraman outlined how they work to address these challenges, providing support and solutions to help businesses adopt artificial intelligence and other transformative technologies. Their presentation, which received a standing ovation, resonated with the audience of 200 attendees.

The conference featured a range of discussions focused on advancing business growth, including CEO insights and conversations about investment and supply chain opportunities.

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