Federal Contracting & Innovation: Vermont APEX Accelerator is hosting “Navy Week: Doing Business with the Navy and Marine Corps Small Business Workshop” (Aug. 26, Burlington) with DON Office of Small Business Programs reps plus SBIR/STTR and Mentor-Protégé guidance for local firms. Disaster Relief for SMBs: SBA says Northern Mariana Islands businesses have until Aug. 21 to apply for physical disaster loans after Typhoon Sinlaku, with 774 of 1,704 applications approved and about $66M approved so far. Local Recovery After Loss: Arlington, Texas-area storefronts Beirut Grill, Smash Toast and Folklore Grove Bookstore were destroyed in a multi-alarm fire, leaving owners scrambling to rebuild. Business Infrastructure Still Matters: A new look at phone systems argues small businesses can’t rely on personal cell lines in a mobile-first world—customers still want live calls, but need reliable routing and coverage. Tech Investment Push: Azerbaijan is rolling out a legislatively backed investment framework to help startups and foreign investors structure deals domestically and grow a tech sector beyond oil. SMB Growth via Training: A Boston-area startup investor launched “TekTrek,” taking 44 students to San Francisco for mentorship, coworking, and exec access to kickstart new ventures. Food Startup Expansion: India’s Bagel Brigade, founded in 2024, was selected for New York’s BagelFest and has expanded to a Texas store while planning Singapore. Policy for Veterans Entrepreneurs: A reintroduced Veterans Entrepreneurship Act would create a 3-year SBA pilot giving up to 250 eligible veterans access to approved entrepreneurial training.