Washington, D.C. – November 14, 2024 – Thousands of organizations will mark Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) November 18-24 by hosting events to celebrate, empower and inspire entrepreneurs. The theme for the 17th annual campaign is "Entrepreneurship is for Everyone," with activities planned around the world to encourage more people to explore the path of entrepreneurship.
"Inspired by communities of entrepreneurs and support organizations before them, people from all walks of life are now being introduced to how teams solve problems and create opportunities for themselves and their communities," said Jonathan Ortmans, president of the Global Entrepreneurship Network and founder of Global Entrepreneurship Week. "As digital tools and founder supports become more readily available, it is becoming easier to test ideas and find support to bring those ideas to reality. Global Entrepreneurship Week invites you to explore this potential for yourself."
The movement celebrates and empowers entrepreneurs in every country and community around the world – especially those who face structural barriers or who may have never considered the opportunities and possibilities of entrepreneurship. Each November, 10 million people take part in tens of thousands of activities, competitions and events that inspire and provide the knowledge, experience, and connections they need to succeed as entrepreneurs.
This year, the movement is being celebrated at 40,000 events during the week and beyond including at COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, the G20 Social Summit in Brazil, and the SME Assembly in Budapest, Hungary.
Global Entrepreneurship Week Highlights include:
- Inaugural APEXE Nations Report - G20 Pilot Launch: The Global Entrepreneurship Network and Startup Genome launched the inaugural APEXE Nations Report on the eve of Global Entrepreneurship Week at the G20 Social Summit in Brazil. APEXE, which stands for ‘Aptitudes and Policies for Exponential Entrepreneurship,’ offers a pioneering data-driven framework designed to help countries measure their startup ecosystem potential and effectiveness.
- Entrepreneurship World Cup Global Finals: 100 up-and-coming startups from 52 countries and territories competed in the Entrepreneurship World Cup Global Finals at Biban 24, the largest startup and SME event of its kind in Saudi Arabia. Winners received a share of USD 1 million in cash prizes.
- SBA Innovation Ecosystem Summit: The U.S. Small Business Administration ramped up to Global Entrepreneurship Week with its summit connecting incubators and labs to universities, accelerators, economic developers and investors to increase access to capital and resources for innovators nationwide.
- GEN Campus Cape Town, South Africa Launch: 22 on Sloane, the largest startup campus in Africa - and the first GEN Campus location to open in 2017 - will open a new hub in Cape Town. The campus will be opened by GEN president Jonathan Ortmans and Minister Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams from South Africa's Department of Small Business Development.
- FedEx Collaboration: FedEx is collaborating with GEN throughout Global Entrepreneurship Week to spotlight founders making a difference and initiatives available to support them.
- Alibaba Launches AI Sourcing Agent: In time for Global Entrepreneurship Week, Alibaba.com has launched an AI-powered B2B search engine called Accio designed for entrepreneurs and small businesses to access the global marketplace.
These are some countries to watch this Global Entrepreneurship Week:
- Jordan: More than 1,200 events across 12 cities in Jordan will reach 25,000 budding founders. The Queen Rania Center for Entrepreneurship leads the campaign with support from 265 partners.
- Brazil: Led by Sebrae, the Brazilian Micro and Small Business Support Service, the GEW campaign consists of 1,150 events across all regions. The agency is hosting hundreds of sessions for entrepreneurs and small business owners through Sebrae Play on topics including: innovation and technology, strategy and management, laws and taxes, digital marketing and sustainability.
- United States: Events are taking place across every state. The birthplace of Global Entrepreneurship Week thanks to the Kauffman Foundation, Kansas City sets the bar each year for broad community engagement. Indiana, the host of the 2025 Global Entrepreneurship Congress tops the event leaderboard in country with more than 100 events planned.
- Bangladesh: The Youth Entrepreneurship Summit 2024, jointly hosted by Daffodil International University and GEN Bangladesh is set to bring together over 1,000 participants, including aspiring and existing entrepreneurs, startups, educators, mentors, policymakers, and students from across the nation. More than 200 Global Entrepreneurship Week events will take place in Bangladesh.
- Germany: Led by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection and the RKW Competence Center with support from partners across the country, hundreds of events are taking place.
- United Kingdom: The Tata Varsity Pitch Competition 2024, powered by NACUE (The National Association of College and University Entrepreneurs), is a national initiative dedicated to both current students and recent graduates (those that graduated in 2017 or after) celebrating high potential, early-stage ventures coming directly out of colleges and universities across the UK.
- Armenia: The sustainability-oriented EPIC Jam Ideathon focuses on two growing industries in Armenia: wine and fashion. Over two days, participants form teams and work collaboratively, guided by industry-leading mentors, to develop practical, eco-friendly solutions – culminating in teams pitching their ideas to a panel of judges, competing for special prizes.
- Denmark: #GEWDenmark2024 puts the focus on green tech and maritime innovation. The campaign's launch event features Stephanie Lose, Minister of Economic Affairs, along with cutting-edge maritime technologies in an interactive expo and pitch competitions as startups vie for prizes totaling 100,000 DKK with inspiring presentations from industry leaders, pioneering startups, and experts from across Europe.
Additional highlights from early in the week include campaigns in Algeria, Botswana, Chad, Israel, Malaysia, Paraguay and Uzbekistan.
Collaborators across industries share support for founders during Global Entrepreneurship Week
Global Entrepreneurship Week is organized by the Global Entrepreneurship Network and powered by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation with support from strategic partners.
"We believe the opportunity to start and grow a business can be an amazing pathway to economic mobility for all," said Dr. DeAngela Burns-Wallace, President and CEO of the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. "When aspiring, early-stage, and established businesses are connected to peer networks, training, tools, and resources, we improve economic conditions for both individuals and communities."
Influencers like Richard Branson, a long-time supporter of Global Entrepreneurship Week, are also lending their voices and sharing their advice to budding founders throughout the campaign.
"In the same way that my good friend Freddie Laker helped mentor me in the early days of setting up Virgin Atlantic, a good mentor can be a guiding light on your business journey, helping you to spot new opportunities and navigate difficult decisions," said Branson. "if you don’t already have a mentor, make Global Entrepreneurship Week the time to start your search."
To view a list of events and participating organizations, or to learn more about Global Entrepreneurship Week, visit www.gew.co.
Join the conversation online using #GEW2024 and #EntrepreneurshipisforEveryone.