Obama hosts female and minority entrepreneurs
President Obama toured a series of displays at the White House on Tuesday that showcased business ideas from entrepreneurs from around the country. The event - billed as "Demo Day" at the White House - focused on minority and women's entrepreneurship.
"We've got to make sure that everybody's getting a fair shot. The next Steve Jobs might be named Stephanie or Esteban. They might never set foot in Silicon Valley. We've got to unleash the full potential of every American - not leave more than half the team on the bench," the president said.
Mr. Obama marveled at an app called Duolingo that helps teach users a foreign language. "If I really wanted to spruce up on my Spanish ... I've got to download Duolingo," he said. "Of course, right now I'm not allowed to have a smart phone."
The president said he took Spanish in high school, but remembers it as a painful experience. "My accent is terrific," he explained, "but I have the vocabulary of a two year old."
Other inventions included an app that helps builders order new hardware, a wireless biometric monitor and a travel app, similar to TripAdvisor, for military families.
Mr. Obama said the economy could not unlock its full potential unless women and minorities were full participants in business. "Ideas can come from anybody and anywhere and can be inspired by any kind of life experience. And we've got to judge those ideas on their merits and make sure they're not filtered by misperceptions about who people are or who's capable of dreaming something up," the president said.
Tuesday marked Mr. Obama's 54th birthday. The audience in the East Room sang happy birthday as the president shook hands with entrepreneurs situated on the riser behind the podium.