b'InsightsLeveraging Technology to Innovate and Deliver Results: Insights from Sanjay Gupta, Former Chief Technology Officer, U.S. Small Business Administration By Michael J. KeeganEditors note: Since this conversation, Mr. Gupta has taken on a new role at the U.S. Department of Justice. We wish him all the best.Since 1953, the mission of the U.S.For example, given the increase in SBA loan and grant Small Business Administration hasapplications, we needed to expand and accelerate the use of been to maintain and strengthen thealgorithm-based decision support systems. It was important nations economy by enabling thefor us to use these solutions, so we could increase our establishment and vitality of smallthroughput. On the cybersecurity side, weve implemented businesses and by assisting in thea cybersecurity strategy that leveraged the use of artificial economic recovery of communitiesintelligence and machine learning for anomaly detection after disasters. By expanding access tocapabilities. This has been immensely beneficial given the capital, counseling, federal contracts, disaster assistance, andshift to working in a virtual environment. Over the last entrepreneurial education, SBA gives small business ownerscouple of years, weve pursued serious outreach to vendors the tools they need to create jobs and grow businesses. and partners who offered their assistance. These included SBA may be one of the smaller cabinet level agencies,Fortune 50 companies and startups. I served as a point of admits Sanjay Gupta, but it has played a very significantcontact for this outreach effort, and it was a very invigorating role in the nations largest economic recovery response in theexperience for me. wake of the COVID-19 global pandemic. Since coming to SBA, I have led major transformations. For Gupta, technology has been a critical enabler in makingIn 2017, I launched the SBA Cloud Initiative, which was this happen. The agency strives to leverage technologicalan eighty-two-day cloud journey with no funding. The advances and innovation to deliver more effectively itsbig impact of that was in fall of 2017 when three major mission. He joined me on The Business of Governmenthurricanes, Harvey, Irma, and Maria hit landfall. Our Hour to provide insights into SBAs cloud journey anddisaster response mission went immediately into high gear. digital technology strategy. We also discussed his leadershipWe ramped up to nearly six thousand people in less than approach, key challenges, and SBAs response to the pandemic.sixty days. We were able to leverage our cloud computing The following is an edited excerpt of our discussion,environment to accelerate our disaster recovery response. complemented with updated and additional research.In 2018, I led a ninety-day Trusted Internet Connections (TIC) Would you tell us more about your role and themodernization initiative with the Office of Management and portfolio under your charge?Budget (OMB), Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and the General Services Administration (GSA). I worked The chief technology officer is responsible for the agencysclosely with them to showcase how we were reaching and overall technology strategy. What are we trying to accomplish?meeting the objectives of the Trusted Internet Connections How are we trying to get capital into the hands of the smallusing our cloud-based cybersecurity model. In 2019, I had business entrepreneurs and startup communities? It is aboutthe opportunity to lead a similar ninety-day continuous identifying innovative solutions that help SBA answer thesediagnostics and mitigation modernization initiative with questions and meet its mission.36 www.businessofgovernment.org The Business of Government'