Each year, the GEC is designed to help participants see how collaborative communities around the world can help entrepreneurs in their efforts to launch and scale. The 2015 GEC in Milan wants to showcase how entrepreneurship is effectively supported at the urban level.
Many say the best location to establish an entrepreneurial venture is where you can find talent. Others think that the best city to set up a new business is where the customers are. Some believe that the best location is where entrepreneurs can find investors who can help the startup grow. A more recent argument says that in today’s world, location does not really matter for things like reaching markets or investors, so the best location is where the entrepreneur simply enjoys living.
Do you think your city should be recognized for attracting entrepreneurs that are playing important roles in creating jobs, building economic resilience, and introducing innovative solutions that improve the competitiveness of your country at large?
You don’t need to be from proven places like San Francisco or London to nominate your city. The GEC Cities Challenge jury is especially interested in hidden treasures among second tier cities that are rapidly boosting entrepreneurship, attracting talent, and leveraging “public” assets, etc.
If your city has more than 50,000 inhabitants, and entrepreneurship is at its core, this is your chance to make it known to the world through a special appearance on the GEC program and/or an expo booth.
GEC Cities Challenge Process
· A call for nominations will be released among the Global Entrepreneurship Week host organization network by November 30, 2014.
· The final deadline for submitting nominations is December 30, 2014, by which time all nomination requirements must be submitted online via the istart.org platform:
http://gec2015cities.istart.org/
· Following the submission deadline, the jury will evaluate the nominated cities to choose up to three (3) winning cities based on the following criteria:
o Entrepreneurial solutions emerging in various aspects of city life.
o Extent to which actual entrepreneurs are leading the ecosystem.
o Metrics available to show the city’s healthy entrepreneurship pulse.
o Impact of entrepreneurship on the city’s social and economic situation.
o Potential for sustaining entrepreneurial momentum.
o Clear identification of the city’s success factors as an entrepreneurial place.
· The jury’s decision will be announced to the winners by January 30, 2015.
Nomination Requirements
GEW hosts must submit answers to these questions:
o In one sentence, what is entrepreneurship for you?
o What measures show your city’s success in entrepreneurship? (e.g. number of new businesses, number of startup gatherings, public opinion about the entrepreneurial path, etc.) Please specify whether there is official data, and which organization keeps track of this measure.
o Who are the “feeders” contributing to the entrepreneurship ecosystem of your city (e.g. Mayor’s office, universities, chambers, etc.)?
o When did a startup community begin to develop in your city?
o Who are the rock star entrepreneurs in your city?
o Do policymakers in your city support the entrepreneurial ecosystem that is flourishing there, or is it flourishing despite policies/lack of government support?
o What have been the top three programs/initiatives/developments that have proven most favorable to new firm formation in your city?
o If you could nominate a person to be invited to present your city at the Global Entrepreneurship Congress in Milan, who would that be (name, title, organization)?
o Please submit a video of up to three minutes showing your city’s entrepreneurial vigor. (This video may be distributed to the GEC audience and in GEC media communications).