Willemstad, Curacao – The Global Entrepreneurship Network is pleased to announce the re-opening of Startup Huddle in Willemstad, Curacao to support the growth of the local startup community while crowdsourcing advice and support for its entrepreneurs. Startup Huddle Curacao first launched in early 2020, and programming paused shortly thereafter due to the pandemic. With an event on October 21, 2022, Willemstad re-joined a global network of more than 60 Startup Huddle chapters world-wide.
In addition to providing direct support to entrepreneurs, the Startup Huddle program addresses a critical element of success for all entrepreneur ecosystems – connectivity. According to GEN research, startup communities with higher levels of local connectedness translate to an increased number of startups – and that founders with high levels of connectivity grow their revenue twice as fast as those with lower levels.
“Startup Huddle in Curacao not only provides a way for fellow entrepreneurs and business owners to meet one another, it also provides an opportunity for the community to open up to one another, allow themselves to be vulnerable to their peers and realize that the community has their back and is willing to help them,” said local organizer Heather de Paulo. “It creates a collaborative and supportive vibe in the community and creates the feeling of fellowship.”
At each Startup Huddle event, local founders give six-minute presentations outlining challenges facing their companies. Each presentation is followed by a 20-minute conversation with an audience of peers, mentors, educators and advisers who provide constructive criticism focused on finding solutions and increasing founder know-how. With new founders cycling through each gathering, and previous presenters joining the audience to give back, the community continues to expand while connections deepen.
“I'm excited to host Startup Huddle because I love the atmosphere each meeting creates when fellow entrepreneurs and business owners get together, open up to each other and mastermind together,” said de Paulo. “What's amazing is that not only does the presenter end the session with great ideas on how to move his or her business forward, but those attending also benefit from the suggestions since many of them can be applied to any business.”
Startup Huddle Willemstad is supported by Curacao Coworking and Cafe Barista. To learn more about Startup Huddle Willemstad or to join a local event, visit www.startuphuddle.co.
About Startup Huddle
Run by the Global Entrepreneurship Network in partnership with local organizers, Startup Huddle is a program designed to help one entrepreneur at a time while strengthening the local ecosystem. Entrepreneurs discover challenges to the solutions they face through purposeful engagement with a broad array of voices from their local community. Currently, there are local Startup Huddle chapters in more than 50 cities around the world. For more information, visit www.startuphuddle.co.
About the Global Entrepreneurship Network
The Global Entrepreneurship Network operates projects and programs in 200 countries to make it easier for anyone, anywhere to start and scale a business. By fostering deeper cross border collaboration and initiatives between entrepreneurs, investors, researchers, policymakers and entrepreneurial support organizations, GEN works to fuel healthier start and scale ecosystems that create more jobs, educate individuals, accelerate innovation and strengthen economic growth. For more information, visit www.genglobal.org.