Washington, D.C. - November 16, 2025 - Millions of people and thousands of organizations around the world will join forces this week for Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) 2025, taking place November 17–23, as events across every continent celebrate, inspire, and empower the next generation of entrepreneurs.
An annual movement dedicated to making entrepreneurship accessible to all, Global Entrepreneurship Week shines a spotlight on opportunities for new and aspiring founders in every country and community—particularly those who face structural barriers or who may have never considered the possibilities that come with starting and growing a company. From classrooms to coworking spaces, this week’s activities open doors for anyone who has ever asked, “Could I build something of my own?”
The 2025 theme, “Together We Build,” highlights the collective power of community, collaboration, and shared ambition. It invites people everywhere to explore what’s possible when mentors, peers, partners, and supporters come together to bring ideas to life and build something greater than themselves.
In his opening address, Jonathan Ortmans, co-founder of Global Entrepreneurship Week and president of the Global Entrepreneurship Network, which organizes the campaign globally, underscored the role that entrepreneurship plays in uniting a divided world.
“We face a time in our world's history where too many nations have too many things to fight about,” he said. “Entrepreneurs are in many ways the new diplomats, because something we have in common across all national boundaries is a passion to solve, to build, to create, to form teams, and to form communities.
“We hope that during Global Entrepreneurship Week, we can celebrate this entrepreneurial spirit and find new ways to support, collaborate, and connect.”
Adding his voice of encouragement, Mark Cuban—American investor, philanthropist, and founder of CostPlusDrugs—shared a simple message with aspiring entrepreneurs participating in Global Entrepreneurship Week:
“Go out and change the world – you can do it.”
Now in its 18th year, Global Entrepreneurship Week will be marked by tens of thousands of events worldwide, each designed to spark inspiration, foster connections, and empower individuals to take the next step forward in their entrepreneurial journey.
Global Entrepreneurship Week Highlights include:
- CoCreate Europe: SMEs from across Europe convene in London for CoCreate Europe, the flagship SME-focused trade event by Alibaba.com. GEN is partnering with Alibaba to conduct the CoCreate Pitch competition with $300,000 in prizes up for grabs – including a special track dedicated to athlete entrepreneurs, powered by the International Olympic Committee.
- Startup20 Summit + Presidential Awards: A global gathering under South Africa’s G20 Presidency, convening entrepreneurs, policymakers, and investors to advance inclusive entrepreneurship and innovation. The two-day summit will include keynotes, policy dialogues, and awards recognising startups in GreenTech, AgriTech, EdTech, HealthTech, and FinTech.
- GEN Founders Academy Global AI Impact Accelerator: Three GEN Founder Academy: Global AI Impact Accelerator sessions for startups and small businesses will take place in Germany, South Africa and the United Kingdom. Powered by PayPal and conducted in partnership with Google, these interactive learning experiences are designed to help founders and business owners learn how to leverage and experiment with artificial intelligence tools to accelerate growth and revenue.
- FedEx Collaboration: FedEx is collaborating with GEN throughout Global Entrepreneurship Week to spotlight founders making a difference and initiatives available to support them.
- Wells Fargo Collaboration: Wells Fargo joins Global Entrepreneurship Week for the first time through an initiative to highlight diverse initiatives to support aspiring new founders.
This is just a snapshot of what's happening around the world. Explore more Global Highlights and view all events to find one near you. Don't see your event listed on the calendar? Add yours.
Countries to Watch this Global Entrepreneurship Week:
- Germany: Led by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action of Germany and RKW Competence Center, Global Entrepreneurship Week in Germany is powered by 1,200 partner organizations addressing challenges in Germany's economy.
- Jordan: Led by the Queen Rania Center for Entrepreneurship, this campaign is consistently one of the most significant campaigns in the Middle East, reaching 50,000 people at 1,200 events.
- Sri Lanka: Led by the Information and Communication Technology Agency of Sri Lanka, Global Entrepreneurship Week has created an inclusive platform and contributed to a one-year 18% increase in the number of registered new businesses.
- Bangladesh: Led by Daffodil International University in Bangladesh, this national campaign empowers entrepreneurs across 64 districts.
- China: Led by the Shanghai Technology Entrepreneurship Foundation for Graduates, China's campaign has been one of the top in the world since 2008.
- Brazil: Led by Sebrae, this campaign annually includes more than 7,000 events.
- Algeria: Led by GEN Algeria, this campaign reaches 249,000 people annually through 600 events across the country.
- Bermuda: Led by the Bermuda Economic Development Corporation, this campaign makes a big impact on a tiny island, reaching 22,000 people through more than 30 events annually.
- Pakistan: Led by GEN Pakistan, this campaign has expanded annually to include 1,500 events.
Join the Conversation Online
Global Entrepreneurship Week is more than a global movement. It’s a global conversation - and your voice has the power to shape it. We invite you to post on social media using #GEW2025 and #TogetherWeBuild to:
- Inspire others who are wondering if they, too, can build something of their own
- Spotlight the work happening in your city, community, or organization
- Celebrate the people who stood by you along the way
- Show the world what it looks like when communities build together
- Strengthen the global conversation about opportunity, innovation, and inclusion
Learn more about how to add your voice to the online dialogue.
Thank You to the 11,000 Organizations Leading the Movement Worldwide
Global Entrepreneurship Week is organized by the Global Entrepreneurship Network and powered by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation with support from strategic partners, including FedEx and Wells Fargo, as well as more than 11,000 organizations acting as national campaign hosts and event organizers around the world. To learn more, visit www.gew.co.
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