Around the world, policymakers and government leaders are demonstrating strong support for entrepreneurship during Global Entrepreneurship Week 2025. Their statements and initiatives highlight a collective commitment to fostering innovation, empowering youth, and building resilient economies through vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystems.
Ethiopia: Legal Reforms Fuel Entrepreneurial Spirit
Ethiopia’s reformist government has created a conducive environment for private sector growth, with a national emphasis on entrepreneurship. Minister of Labour and Skills Muferiat Kamil launched GEW Ethiopia under the theme ‘Together We Build,’ emphasizing that the government is actively promoting entrepreneurship through legal reforms and support programs. She highlighted that innovative entrepreneurs are increasingly starting businesses without reliance on government funding, thanks to the efforts of institutions like the Entrepreneurship Development Institute (EDI) and accessible credit schemes that look solely at ideas, not collateral.
United Kingdom: Backing Innovation and Growth
In the UK, Global Entrepreneurship Week 2025 launched with robust government and business support. Minister for Small Business and Economic Transformation, Blair McDougall, welcomed the entrepreneurial ambition driving the nation’s growth mission: “With bright ideas and a zeal for success, the UK's entrepreneurs are at the heart of this Government's growth mission, boosting business opportunities, creating jobs, and driving the economy. We are backing them all the way, making sure they have the support they need – including access to finance and support in adopting new tech and AI – to move from innovation to growth and commercialisation”. Leading founders and investors echoed these sentiments, calling on the government to set a more dynamic environment for startups and ensuring schemes like EIS and SEIS continue to help British entrepreneurs access capital and scale new ventures.
Sri Lanka: “Together We Build” – A National Mission
Sri Lanka’s Global Entrepreneurship Week 2025 was launched under the patronage of Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, who tied entrepreneurship directly to national transformation. The Prime Minister stated: “As the country moves towards a digital economy through a new transformation, all sectors must work together in the national mission of empowering local entrepreneurs.” The focus was set on innovation, unity, and coordinated action: “We need to move from isolated initiatives to a coordinated national movement to build mentorship networks, simplify regulations, facilitate investment and open global markets… Our priorities remain clear: ecosystems, education, inclusion and policy alignment and coherence”.
South Korea: Expanding Entrepreneurship for Regional Innovation
In Korea, the Ministry of SMEs and Startups hosted GEW 2025 under the theme, “80 Years After Liberation: Reimagining Korea’s Future Through AI and Entrepreneurship.” South Korea's Minister of SMEs and Startups, Han Seong-sook, reaffirmed the government's commitment to revitalizing youth entrepreneurship. Meeting with the Korea Youth Entrepreneurship Foundation near Gwanghwamun in Seoul, Minister Han emphasized that entrepreneurship serves as the foundation for innovation and economic growth, and that building a supportive startup ecosystem where young people can pursue bold ventures is a core government responsibility.
Minister Han highlighted several strategic priorities driving South Korea's approach to youth entrepreneurship. These include establishing a nationwide culture that celebrates and normalizes entrepreneurial thinking, identifying and nurturing promising young founders willing to take calculated risks, and fostering a virtuous cycle within the startup ecosystem through meaningful public-private partnerships
Cameroon: Unlocking Opportunities for SMEs
Cameroon marked its participation with a national focus on productive entrepreneurship, under the theme “Productive Entrepreneurship and Opportunities under the Subcontracting Law.” The Ministry of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises, Social Economy, and Handicrafts coordinated nationwide activities aimed at strengthening the SME sector, which employs over 70% of the workforce and contributes around 34% to GDP.
Cameroon's government announced that the event helped lay foundations for a more dynamic private sector by enhancing capacity-building and fostering innovative collaborations. Minister Achille Bassilekin III called for greater inclusion of youth and women in entrepreneurship, promoting the sector as a driver of sustainable economic growth.
Togo: Inclusive Growth and Youth Empowerment
Togo's 15th edition of GEW was initiated in Lomé, mobilizing over 1,500 participants. GEN-Togo, the Agency for the Development of Very Small and Medium Enterprises (ADTPME) and ON-IJD coorganise the event with support from the European Union and German cooperation agency GIZ. The government and support organizations emphasized strengthening the entrepreneurial ecosystem, particularly for youth and women-led SMEs. The event featured workshops on access to finance, innovation, and the role of entrepreneurship in inclusive development.
Bangladesh: Shaping Future Leaders
In Bangladesh, Daffodil International University took center stage as the national hub for GEW 2025. Under the theme “Empowering Tomorrow’s Innovators, Today,” the university hosted masterclasses, panel discussions, and innovation showcases. The Chief Guest was Professor Dr. Bidhan Ranjan Roy Podder, Honourable Adviser for the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education who emphasized the importance of early education in building an entrepreneurial foundation: “Our goal is to create a mental foundation from the primary level, where children learn to transform their creative ideas into initiatives that are productive for society," he stated. "This summit is a vital platform for nurturing that mindset and ensuring our youth are prepared to solve real-world problems."
Bermuda: Celebrating Talent and Innovation
In Bermuda, Global Entrepreneurship Week was officially launched with an inspiring address from Minister of Economy and Labour Jason Hayward at the third annual Wave of Opportunity Pitch Competition. Minister Hayward emphasized that GEW serves as a vital global platform celebrated in over 200 countries, aiming to inspire innovators and reinforce the entrepreneurial ecosystem. He highlighted Bermuda’s commitment to fostering a vibrant environment where entrepreneurs can transform bold ideas into successful businesses. The pitch competition, which featured nine promising entrepreneurs competing for a share of $125,000 in grants, exemplified Bermuda's core economic strategy to support small business development, enhance access to capital, and cultivate an environment where Bermudians can thrive.
Libya: Building a Knowledge-Based Economy
In Tripoli, the second Entrepreneurship and Innovation Conference brought together government, education leaders and ecosystem partners to promote initiative and innovation in the technical and vocational education sectors and to motivate young people to turn ideas into real projects that strengthen the national economy. Dr. Tahir bin Tahir, representing the Ministry of Technical and Vocational Education and chairing the conference’s High Committee, described entrepreneurship as a sovereign matter that demands the engagement of all stakeholders and called for ministries, chambers of commerce and industry to actively back innovative projects and help transform them into tangible businesses.
Myanmar: Fostering Investment in Women Entrepreneurs
Myanmar's Union Minister for Industry, Dr. Charlie Than highlighted the critical role entrepreneurship plays in enhancing the role of women in the economy and committed to support the work of the Myanmar Women Entrepreneurs Association (MWEA) in encouraging more women into the field, enhancing networking and collaboration among women entrepreneurs and fostering socio-economic development through investment in women-led businesses.
Canada: Supporting Young Entrepreneurs and Promoting Inclusion
In Canada, Minister of Women and Gender Equality and Secretary of State for Small Business and Tourism, Rechie Valdez, played a key role in highlighting the importance of entrepreneurship during GEW 2025. The week kicked off with a high-energy roundtable, co-hosted by Futurpreneur and representatives from the government and the entrepreneurial community.
Minister Valdez expressed her steadfast commitment to fostering a supportive environment for young entrepreneurs, emphasizing that entrepreneurship is crucial for Canada’s future economic prosperity. She praised the innovative efforts of young entrepreneurs who are revitalizing local communities and strengthening Canada's inclusive economy. The event was a chance for young business owners to share their real challenges and successes, underscoring the government's dedication to nurturing innovation, diversity, and resilience in entrepreneurship.
Together Policymakers Build
From Ethiopia’s supportive legal reforms to Cameroon’s SME empowerment, Togo’s inclusive growth initiatives, and Bangladesh’s focus on youth innovation, global policymakers are aligning efforts to translate entrepreneurial potential into tangible economic development. Their messages underscore that the spirit of entrepreneurship is not only vital for economic resilience but also a crucial driver for inclusive growth and social cohesion worldwide.