GEN Founders Summit

Session Description 

Join fellow entrepreneurs from around the world for an exclusive session dedicated to harnessing the collective power of peer networks. This interactive summit will introduce the GEN Starters Club - a revolutionary monthly engagement platform that transforms one-time connections into a sustainable global community of practice.

What You'll Experience

• Success Stories That Inspire - Hear from three remarkable founders representing different regions and industries as they share how peer connections through GEN programs accelerated their growth and opened unexpected opportunities.
• The Launch of Something New - Be among the first to join the GEN Starters Club, featuring virtual meetups, specialized industry subgroups, and exclusive benefits for active community members.
• Real Connections, Real Impact - Participate in our live "Find 3 Founders" networking commitment exercise and help shape the future direction of our global founder community through interactive polling.
• Your Voice, Your Network - Contribute to our founder needs assessment and discover how you can both receive and provide support within our growing ecosystem.
   

Session Recap

Join Steven A. Rodríguez from the Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN) and a panel of experienced founders – Pablo Perez, Erika Gutierrez, and Konstantin Berezin – as they share their personal journeys and highlight how GEN programs have been instrumental in their success. This dynamic session offers insights into the power of networking, the value of global opportunities like the Entrepreneurship World Cup, and how GEN supports founders from various backgrounds and stages. Discover how connecting within the GEN ecosystem can lead to unexpected collaborations, market expansion, and invaluable learning experiences.

1. Brief Summary

This session at the GEN Founder Summit featured Steven A. Rodríguez from the Global Entrepreneurship Network introducing a panel of founders who have significantly benefited from GEN programs. Pablo Perez from Chile, Erika Gutierrez from Peru, and Konstantin Berezin from Israel shared their diverse experiences, highlighting how GEN provided opportunities for global exposure, valuable connections, and support in validating their ventures. The discussion emphasized GEN as a platform for building long-term relationships, accessing non-dilutive funding through the Entrepreneurship World Cup, and connecting with peers and experts across different markets. Attendees were encouraged to leverage the GEN network, participate in programs, and provide feedback to help shape future offerings based on their needs.

2. Outline

• Welcome and Introduction of the Panelists from GEN

• Panelists share their backgrounds and initial engagement with GEN

• Discussion of the Entrepreneurship World Cup (EWC) as a key GEN program

  • Annual global competition with $1.5 million in prizes

  • Non-dilutive funding opportunity for founders at all stages

  • Experience of reaching the Top 100 at the global finals in Riyadh

• Sharing experiences with other GEN initiatives

  • GEN Founders Club (WhatsApp groups, meetings)

  • GEC+ Puerto Rico

  • Startup Huddle program (local meetups connecting new entrepreneurs with experienced ones)

• The critical value of the GEN network for connections and long-term relationships

  • Connecting with peers globally

  • Exploring market entry and validation in different regions

  • Finding collaboration opportunities

  • Connecting with investors and other ecosystem players

• GEN as a continuously improving platform and ecosystem

• Encouragement for attendees to apply to the Entrepreneurship World Cup

• Interactive exercise: Asking founders to provide feedback on needed topics and programming via sticky notes

• Concluding remarks and encouragement to connect during the conference

• Announcement for the next session on entering the US market

3. Notable Quotes

• "The GEN for me is a is a platform for with the two major things I think First of all of sharing the experience of each other each of other trying to validate our ideas in different cultures in different countries and second there's ways of connection to the to the to the other guys..." – Konstantin

• "...the main thing I I got to to catch up of this experience is the the First things is the worst value thing in in the life for me is the long-term relationships. Long-term relationship has to start in some way in a moment that is in the connection in a ecosystem. So GEN provide you this ecosystem..." – Erika

• "You miss 100% of the shots you don't take. So why are you not taking the shot?" – Steven A. Rodríguez (quoting Michael Jordan)

4. Key Takeaways

• Leverage the GEN Network: The GEN ecosystem is a valuable platform for connecting with other founders, investors, and potential partners globally. Proactively connecting can lead to unforeseen opportunities and collaborations.

• Build Long-Term Relationships: The most valuable outcome of participating in GEN programs and events is often the long-term relationships built within the ecosystem. These connections go beyond short-term gains and provide ongoing support and opportunities.

• Validate and Adapt Globally: Use the network to discuss and validate your business ideas, products, and services with people from different cultures and markets. This helps understand potential challenges and opportunities for scaling internationally.

• Apply for the Entrepreneurship World Cup (EWC): This annual competition offers a chance to win $1.5 million in non-dilutive funding and provides global exposure and connections, even if you don't win. Reaching the Top 100 allows you to attend the global finals and significantly expands your network. The deadline to apply is June 30th.

• Provide Feedback to Shape GEN Programs: GEN is committed to servant leadership and building programs based on founders' actual needs. Share your challenges and what topics or support you require to help GEN create valuable future offerings.

5. Resources Mentioned

• Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN): The overarching organization providing the platform and ecosystem

• Entrepreneurship World Cup (EWC): An annual global competition with $1.5 million in non-dilutive prizes, open to all stages

• GEN Founders Club: A way to stay connected throughout the year, including WhatsApp groups and meetings

• Startup Huddle: A program within the GEN ecosystem where experienced entrepreneurs help those just starting through monthly sessions. Local chapters exist or can be started

• Investors Track: Sessions specifically designed to connect founders with investors present at the conference

6. Action Items

• Connect with other founders and attendees during the conference, especially with people from different regions and backgrounds

• Apply for the Entrepreneurship World Cup (EWC) by the deadline of June 30th

• Write down your ideas and needs for future GEN programming on the provided sticky notes and leave them for collection

• Attend sessions that align with your goals, such as the Investors Track or sessions on specific market entry (e.g., the US market session at 10:15 in room #1)

• Stay connected with GEN through the GEN Starters Club (which attendees are already part of) to receive information about future programming and events