BusinessUSA was named as one of six winners yesterday for the 2014 Igniting Innovation Award, which recognizes government and industry individuals and teams who bring innovative thinking through their IT products, services, systems and solutions that benefit federal government and citizens.

Managed by the U.S. Department of Commerce and the Small Business Administration (SBA), BusinessUSA is the federal government’s official assistance resource for American businesses. The platform was launched in February 2012 to serve as a “one-stop-shop” that provides businesses and entrepreneurs with access to the full range of government services and resources available to them at every stage of development.

With thousands of federal, state and local resources, BusinessUSA makes it easier for businesses to locate, access, and utilize resources most relevant to their needs. The website also saves businesses valuable time by providing easy access to information and services through several customer service channels.

In fact, President Obama today called for the White House Rural Council, in coordination with the Commerce Department, SBA and other agencies, to utilize the BusinessUSA platform as part of a new “Made in Rural America” initiative. Specifically, the agencies were tasked with using BusinessUSA to better connect rural businesses with export and investment resources through coordinated support from across the government.

The 2014 Igniting Innovation Award was presented by the American Council for Technology - Industry Advisory Council (ACT-IAC), a public-private partnership in the government IT community. ACT-IAC selected BusinessUSA from a pool of over 80 candidates representing various governmental agencies and private industries.

Central to the success of BusinessUSA are alliances with state and local governments, as well as close collaboration with 24 federal departments and agencies that provide relevant services. In addition to the Commerce Department and SBA, the federal partnerships include: Agriculture, Defense, Education, Energy, Environmental Protection Agency, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Export-Import Bank, General Services Administration, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Housing and Urban Development, Interior, Justice, Labor, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, National Science Foundation, Overseas Private Investment Corporation, State, U.S. Trade and Development Agency, Transportation, Treasury, and Veterans Affairs.

For more information, visit www.Business.USA.gov or call: 1-800-FED-INFO (333-4636).