The Global Entrepreneurship Network celebrated the achievements of 18 individuals and organizations at the GEN Compass Awards. These awards recognize excellence in entrepreneurship, policymaking, investor support programs and research – and honor those who are making a difference in helping entrepreneurs start and scale around the world.
“The winners of the Compass awards are heroes who have gone to extraordinary lengths in challenging conditions to remove barriers to entrepreneurship and create opportunities in their communities,” said Jonathan Ortmans, President of the Global Entrepreneurship Network. “They are leaders locally and role models for peers around the world.”
The ceremony took place as part of the Global Entrepreneurship Congress in Melbourne, Australia.
POLICY CHAMPION AWARD
Winner: The Honorable Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams, Minister of Small Business in South Africa. Minister Ndabeni-Abrahams is an inspirational leader who is increasing access to opportunities and finance for entrepreneurs of all backgrounds. The Minister hosted Global Entrepreneurship Week in 2022 and will be convening over 2,000 entrepreneurs, investors and policymakers from more than 50 countries at GEC+ Africa in Cape Town in 2024.
RESEARCH CHAMPION AWARD
Winner: GEN Australia, under the leadership of Managing Director Chad Renando.
GEN Australia, under Chad's leadership, exemplifies the qualities of the GEN Compass Research Award. His research directly informs polices and practice - through his mapping of incubators that helps policymakers identify gaps in business support, and through the extensive policy mapping exercises he has undertaken to help policymakers identify the overlaps and gaps in policy support across local, state, and national level across Australia. He has planned a central role in the relaunch of the GEN Research community and the relaunched GEN Atlas.
CHAMPION CATALYZER AWARDS
- Winner - Champion Catalyzer for Activities Overall: Global Entrepreneurship Week Algeria
- Winner - Champion Catalyzer for Activities Overall Per Capita: Global Entrepreneurship Week Bermuda
CHAMPION CATALYZER FOR PARTNERSHIPS
- Winner - Champion Catalyzer for Partnerships Overall: Global Entrepreneurship Week UK
- Winner - Champion Catalyzer for Partnerships Per Capita: Global Entrepreneurship Week St. Kitts + Nevis.
GEN ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
Winner: John Matlosa, Managing Director of GEN Lesotho
John Matlosa receives this award for extraordinary accomplishments - from launching GEN in Lesotho to bringing the Entrepreneurship World Cup to over five thousand entrepreneurs, awarding five hundred thousand dollars in local currency and attracting the attention of policy-makers, media and industry leaders.
GEN STARTER AWARD
Winner: Abdullah Abalkhail, founder of White Helmet, a company innovating inspection and tracking functions in the construction industry.
Abdullah receives this award for delivering a compelling pitch that won him the Entrepreneurship World Cup in 2022 and for strengthening ties with important partners and clients in the months since.
BRAND CHAMPION AWARD
Winner: Startup Macedonia for Global Entrepreneurship Week North Macedonia
Global Entrepreneurship Week North Macedonia receives this award for overall quality of design and elevating the 15th anniversary GEW brand campaign. This nominee has made Global Entrepreneurship Week one of the most recognized brands in the country; captivated audiences and raised awareness of GEN and its mission.
ECOSYSTEM CHAMPION AWARD
Winner: Cameron Law, Executive Director at the Carlsen Center For Innovation & Entrepreneurship
Cameron Law receives this award for being a mindful and engaged leader across local, national and global entrepreneurial communities. Based in Sacramento, USA, Cameron is a Right to Start ambassador and Global Entrepreneurship Week state coordinator always ready to support his community.
INVESTOR CHAMPION AWARD
Winner: Eli Velasquez, co-founder and managing partner at Investors of Color
Eli Velasquez receives this award for his storied contributions to the early-stage investor ecosystem across the globe. He is known for training angels and leading the establishment of new angel groups across Europe, Latin America and the United States. He is also the founder of Investors of Color, a U.S. network of Black, Latinx, and Asian investors.
ENTERPRISE REGISTRATION + REGULATION AWARD
Winner: Maria Luisa Hayem, Minister of Economy, El Salvador.
As Minister of Economy, Maria Luisa Hayem has overseen extensive digitalization of services to boost investment and trade facilitation. This includes over 424 simplified procedures, 195 procedures digitalized, and an average 60% reduction in time taken per procedure. One key measure of success is the reduction in authorization to start operations in a free trade zone from 270 days to just 15 days.
BARRIER BREAKER AWARD
Winner: GEN Israel, led by Ayla Matalon
GEN Israel receives this award for designing and hosting “Entrepreneurial Mixers” to open new opportunities and expand business networks for entrepreneurs from minority populations.
INSPIRATION + RESILIENCE AWARD
Winner: UNDP Syria
UNDP Syria receives this award for implementing strong programs, like the Entrepreneurship World Cup, to support entrepreneurs across Syria and for encouraging founders to go after their dreams despite armed conflict, political strife, a global pandemic and socio-economic challenges that have lasted a decade.
ENTREPRENEURSHIP WORLD CUP CAMPAIGN OF THE YEAR AWARD
Winner: Startupscale 360 for Entrepreneurship World Cup United Arab Emirates
Entrepreneurship World Cup (EWC) United Arab Emirates receives this award for creating an innovative EWC campaign through the development of a governance structure that allowed the securing of sponsorships, human capital and top media coverage for the competition and its national winners. This campaign identified top talented entrepreneurs in the country.
GLOBAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP WEEK CAMPAIGN OF THE YEAR
Winner: RKW/Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs + Climate Action for Gründungswoche Deutschland
RKW is one of the longest-standing Global Entrepreneurship Week host organizations and consistently hosts one of the largest campaigns. RKW encourages multiple sectors of stakeholders to engage, including wrap-around services and other major players in the ecosystem. With one of, if not the, most-well-funded and comprehensive campaigns, RKW and the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action raise the bar on how to lead a successful campaign.
GEN COUNTRY OF THE YEAR
Winner: GEN Jamaica
GEN Jamaica receives this award for outstanding all-around national and global leadership encompassing a strong board, brand and consistently impressive programs that elevate founders and their ideas.
ONE GLOBAL ECOSYSTEM AWARD
Recipient: Victoria State Government, for convening the global entrepreneurship ecosystem in Melbourne and hosting the Global Entrepreneurship Congress for the first time in Oceania.