By Doug Kelly
Earlier this week, the American Edge Project (AEP) was honored to attend the 40th anniversary celebration of the CelebASIAN conference hosted by the U.S. Pan Asian American Chamber of Commerce (USPAACC).
For over four decades, USPAACC—under the visionary leadership of CEO Susan Allen (shown in center of photo)—has been a cornerstone of support for Asian-American entrepreneurs, helping them access the tools, networks, and opportunities they need to build their version of the American Dream.
A corporate and immigration lawyer by trade, Allen has made it her life’s work to grow USPAACC into a dynamic force for economic progress. Her leadership has launched, expanded, and energized thousands of successful partnerships across dozens of industries.
This year, American Edge was proud to sponsor the 11th annual “What’s Your Pitch?” competition—a highlight of the conference that gives emerging Asian-American entrepreneurs a platform to pitch their ideas to a panel of judges. Think “Shark Tank,” but with less flash and more real-world opportunity. Ten small business leaders presented innovations ranging from sustainable tableware to artificial intelligence (AI)-powered real-time translation tools for over 30 languages. Sophie Zhai, Vice President of Business Development at Universal Processing, moderated the pitch session and is shown in the photo.
Beyond the pitch competition, the three-day CelebASIAN 2025 conference offered a dynamic lineup of panels and sessions focused on unlocking business opportunities and accelerating innovation. Highlights included roundtables with corporate and government procurement leaders, the WISE (Women Initiative for Strategic Empowerment) forum, a C-Suite breakfast, and the Chief Procurement Officers Forum. The conference also featured sessions on supplier development, healthcare innovation, and entrepreneurship in emerging sectors—demonstrating the powerful role Asian-American businesses play in shaping the future of the U.S. economy.
AEP is thrilled to have USPAACC as part of our coalition to strengthen American innovation. Together, we’re working to ensure the United States wins the global tech race—by accelerating innovation, expanding economic opportunity here at home, and making sure the next wave of American-made technology reflects our values and advances our leadership on the world stage.