CDI Annual Conference: Scaling Community-Based ETA and EO

Community Development Investors (CDI) Annual Conference: Scaling Community-Based Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition (ETA) and Employee Ownership (EO)

April 10-11, 2026, Capital Hilton, Washington, D.C.

The annual conference for Community Development Investors (CDI) is designed to encourage community-based Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition (ETA) and Employee Ownership (EO). CDI is responding to the impending “Silver Tsunami” of retiring baby boomer business owners, which account for more than three million businesses. An estimated 60% of these businesses will change ownership over the next decade, yet 80% lack a succession plan. This generational transition presents an unprecedented opportunity to create wealth for new entrepreneurs from underserved communities.

CDI’s inaugural ETA and EO Conference will bring together entrepreneurship experts, ETA searchers, underserved MBA students, employee owners, philanthropy, lenders, and investors, including Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) and Small Business Investment Companies (SBICs). The conference will feature successful community-based ETA and EO transactions and breakout session in four tracks:

• TRACK 1 — Finding, Negotiating, and Closing Community Acquisitions
• TRACK 2 — Financing Community ETA Transitions
• TRACK 3 — Managing and Growing Companies After Acquisition
• TRACK 4 — Employee Ownership