About Startup Nations

Startup Nations is a global community of public sector officials and policy advisors focused on unearthing the most effective ways that governments can empower entrepreneurs in their economies and increase rates of new firm formation. Startup Nations members test and share local experiences in implementing programs, enacting regulatory changes, and using other policy levers to unleash growth entrepreneurship.

Startup Nations offers members:

• The Startup State: A weekly briefing on the key entrepreneurship policy announcements, research, commentary, and ecosystem insights from around the world.
• Member calls: Bi-monthly online field calls as well as an online calendar, member directory, and WhatsApp Group to present new policies, share updates and events, request support, and network with other members.
• GEN Atlas: The world's largest entrepreneurship policy compendium, featuring 500 case studies from 100 countries and policy deep dives on popular policy interventions, including startup acts, entrepreneur visas, employee share ownership schemes, fund of funds, and more.
• The Startup Nations Ministerial: A cabinet-level annual meeting during the Global Entrepreneurship Congress to engage political leadership in the global dialogue on entrepreneurship.
• The Startup Nations Summit: The annual meeting of the policymaker community, normally held during the Global Entrepreneurship Congress.
• Tools: Including the Policy Hack Playbook and the Public Policy Lean Canvas to help members hack innovation policies with their peers. 

Government representatives view Startup Nations as a platform for sharing ideas about what works for government – and what does not – based on trusted relationships with peers and the connection to GEN’s research projects, data, and network.

Startup Nations members also have the opportunity to connect and work with GEN country Affiliates to implement innovative approaches to support entrepreneurs in their ecosystems.

Membership criteria

Startup Nations welcomes new members from around the world. Applications are considered on a case-by-case basis within 30 days of being submitted. There is no membership fee.

Membership is open to ministers, advisors and officials in government ministries / departments, executive agencies and other government-backed organizations that hold responsibility for entrepreneurship policy at a national or sub-national level. Membership is also open to international bodies that work with governments on entrepreneurship policy, including but not limited to the World Bank, the OECD, UNCTAD, EU, ASEAN, APEC, African Union, Startup Genome, Allied for Startups, and Engine. 

Members are required to: 

• Approach the network with a spirit of openness - actively engaging when possible by sharing updates, insights and opportunities, and providing support to other members;
• Participate in at least one member call per year.

Members are encouraged to: 

• Attend the Startup Nations Summit at GEC each year;
• Secure cabinet-level representation at the Startup Nations Ministerial at GEC each year;
• Contribute one or more blog post per year for the GEN website.

Members remain part of the network as long as they are active and engaged. Membership is reviewed annually. 

Apply to join Startup Nations