"GEW supports the emergence of a new class of global entrepreneurs with access to research, programs and networks they need to succeed.”
Washington, DC (PRWEB) September 29, 2014
A record 150 countries and millions of people around the world are preparing for a massive celebration during one week in November that builds and strengthens entrepreneurial ecosystems at the local, national and global levels. For the seventh year, Global Entrepreneurship Week events will inspire entrepreneurs to launch and grow new startups while also exploring programs and policies to help new firms start and scale. GEW runs from Nov. 17-23 this year.
Founded in 2008 by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, Global Entrepreneurship Week has quickly grown to include more than 25,000 events, activities and competitions during one week in more than 150 countries.
"There is a growing understanding from world leaders that entrepreneurs are the cornerstone of economic growth and a corresponding demand to foster a more entrepreneurial mindset in communities and countries around the world,” said Jonathan Ortmans, president of Global Entrepreneurship Week. "GEW supports the emergence of a new class of global entrepreneurs with access to research, programs and networks they need to succeed.”
Activities range from events that inspire and educate young minds to competitions that help founders sharpen their skills to roundtable discussions that advance research and policy in the field. Highlights of Global Entrepreneurship Week 2014 include:
- Get in the Ring: A fast-paced global pitch battle between winning startups seven global regions (North America, South America, Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, Northern Europe and Southern Europe) with the grand finale taking place in Rotterdam, The Netherlands on Nov. 21.
- Startup Open: A global competition for startups that have launched since GEW 2013. Startup Open recognizes 50 of the most promising ventures from around the world with the grand prize winner announced during GEW 2014.
- Women's Entrepreneurship Day: Female entrepreneurship takes center stage this year as Women’s Entrepreneurship Day launches on Nov. 19 at the United Nations and hundreds of related events happening in Belgium, China, Mexico, Qatar, South Africa and dozens of other countries.
- Global Entrepreneurship Summit: The latest summit in the series launched by President Barack Obama in 2009, GES will take place on Nov. 20 - 21 in Marrakech – the first African city to host it.
- Global Startup Battle: Thousands of founder teams in 250 cities go through intense 54-hour Startup Weekend boot camps to take a company from concept to creation and then compete against one another in a virtual Global Startup Battle.
- Startup Nations Summit: Built to facilitate the exchange of ideas among startup-savvy policy advisors and startup community leaders, the Startup Nations Summit serves as the finale of Global Entrepreneurship Week on Nov. 23 in Seoul, Korea.
- Creative Business Cup: Young startups with revolutionary ideas and strong market potential in the creative industries from more than 25 countries square off in the global finals in Copenhagen, Denmark.
To learn more about these and other events and see a list of participating countries and supporting organizations, visit http://www.gew.co.
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About the Kauffman Foundation
The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation is a private, nonpartisan foundation that aims to foster economic independence by advancing educational achievement and entrepreneurial success. Founded by late entrepreneur and philanthropist Ewing Marion Kauffman, the Foundation is based in Kansas City, Mo., and has approximately $2 billion in assets. For more information, visit http://www.kauffman.org, and follow the Foundation on http://www.twitter.com/kauffmanfdn and http://www.facebook.com/kauffmanfdn.
About Global Entrepreneurship Week
During one week each November, thousands of events and competitions around the world inspire millions to engage in entrepreneurial activity while connecting them to potential collaborators, mentors and even investors. In six years, Global Entrepreneurship Week has expanded to 150 countries—building and strengthening entrepreneurial ecosystems around the world. Powered by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and sponsored by Dell, the initiative is supported by dozens of world leaders and a network of roughly 10,000 partner organizations. For more information, visit http://www.gew.co, and follow @unleashingideas on Twitter.