With 10 events in two cities for an expected 600 participants, Sierra Leone’s first ever Global Entrepreneurship Week celebration will feature discussions and workshops on three overarching themes: entrepreneurial culture, social entrepreneurship, and the intersection of digital technology, innovation and entrepreneurship education. AYV TV – Sierra Leone’s most popular television station in the country – will cover the events.
Organized by GEN Sierra Leone and its partners – Limkokwing University, Sensi Tech Hub, and Cordaid Business Clinics – the November 13-17 weeklong program will highlight to the public the importance and value in creating entrepreneurship, the country’s burgeoning startup infrastructure, and entrepreneurial opportunities. GEN Sierra Leone’s acting managing director, Francis Stevens George, will appear on two television and two radio programs to discuss the importance of and the steps necessary for building a vibrant and thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem. He has also written a three-part series of newspaper articles on the importance of building an ecosystem, and value creating entrepreneurship, which will be published next week.
The Freetown Pitch Competition will feature Melvin Foday Kamara and spotlight some of Sierra Leone’s most innovative start-ups. Sponsored by Mutzig, Africell, and Innovation SL, and hosted by Limkokwing University, the preliminaries will be held between Monday the 13th and Wednesday the 15th. The 2017 GEW Sierra Leone Entrepreneur of the year will be selected in front of an anticipated audience of 300 on Thursday, November 16th, and will receive a ticket to the 2018 Global Entrepreneurship Congress in Istanbul, Turkey.
Participants in the week’s live events in Freetown and Makeni, who, in addition to entrepreneurs and investors, are expected to include corporate leaders, government officials, members of parliament, diplomats, donor agency officers, and students. They will have the opportunity to:
- Meet and network with local start-ups and entrepreneurs
- Learn how to spot Business Opportunities
- Lean how to define a business problem and build a value proposition
- Learn and share insights to start and grow firms from one of the most successful Sierra Leonean entrepreneur.
- Meet with corporate leaders to build relationships
- Meet with donor agencies supporting entrepreneurship activities in Sierra Leone
- Gain valuable information from leaders in the field on the key elements of the ecosystem that encourage business growth and promote innovation.
- Contribute to the construction of the entrepreneurial ecosystem of Sierra Leone.
For more information about the schedule of events please see: https://www.facebook.com/GEN-Sierra-Leone-315350692161370/
For information about partnership, sponsorship and speaking opportunities please contact Tanneh Kumba Koroma at gewsl2017@innosl.com.
