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Startup investment
event headed to LR
The Northwest Arkansas Council and Arkansas Economic Development Commission have partnered to bring Onward FX, a startup venture capital event, to Little Rock on Oct. 30.
Esperanza Massana Crane, director of the commission's small business and entrepreneurship development division, said the state is proving to be a place where founders can build, scale and thrive.
"The new statewide Onward FX initiative will create opportunities for our entrepreneurs to connect directly with top-tier investors while also showcasing Arkansas' growing innovation economy," Crane said.
Onward FX, formerly called VC Immersions, has helped create more than 500 founder-investor meetings, according to a council news release.
Serafina Lalany, executive director of the council's entrepreneurship program, said the previous events have given founders the chance to connect with investors who can change the trajectory of their companies.
"These are high-value conversations with decision-makers who understand your business and are ready to explore real opportunities," she said.
The October event includes 24 firms representing $4 billion in assets. Those interested in attending can apply until September 8 at onward.nwacouncil.org/fx.
-- Dylan Sherman
Stellantis to revamp
Jeep Cherokee as EV
Stellantis NV is bringing back the Jeep Cherokee as a bigger, electrified SUV after a nearly three-year hiatus, plugging a crucial hole in its U.S. lineup as it seeks to reverse a sales slump and navigate a market challenged by tariffs.
Jeep is trying to claw back share in the SUV market after six consecutive years of United States sales declines. Former Stellantis Chief Executive Officer Carlos Tavares discontinued the Cherokee in 2023 as part of a plan to move production from Illinois to Mexico.
The vehicle has been off the market since, leaving Jeep with a hole in the 3-million-unit-a-year compact-SUV segment dominated by Toyota's RAV4 and the Honda CR-V.
For its 2026 model year, Jeep stretched the Cherokee's dimensions, pitting it against larger SUVs such as the Toyota Highlander and Honda Pilot. Stellantis hopes to draw shoppers from across the SUV spectrum, including the critical compact category.
"For any automaker worth their salt, it's impossible to not have a car in that segment right now, because that's what everyone is buying," said Edmunds.com analyst Joseph Yoon.
-- Bloomberg News
Arkansas index rises
25.49, closes 901.41
The Arkansas Index, a price-weighted index that tracks the largest public companies based in the state, closed Friday at 901.41, up 25.49 points.
The index was developed by Bloomberg News and the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette with a base value of 100 as of Dec. 30, 1997.