The Global Entrepreneurship Network has announced the finalists for the 2025 GEN Compass Awards, a celebration recognizing outstanding achievements in entrepreneurship, policymaking, investment, research, and entrepreneur support programs. The awards honor those making a difference in helping entrepreneurs start and scale around the world.
Nominees will be celebrated and the winners will be revealed during the Compass Awards Ceremony, taking place at the 2025 Global Entrepreneurship Congress (GEC) in Indianapolis, USA — a gathering of founders, investors, policymakers, and ecosystem leaders from 200 countries.
The Research Partnership Award recognizes organizations that, through collaboration, have provided actionable research leading to better-informed policies, improved entrepreneurship programs, or ecosystem development.
The nominees in this category are...
Johns Hopkins University
For promoting the entrepreneurial mindset in partnership with Enterprise Uganda through the SEE Change Initiative. By integrating personal agency training with business skills, their programs have driven founder success and their research has helped improve entrepreneurial support programs across Uganda.
Allan & Gill Gray Philanthropies
For advancing high-impact entrepreneurship across Africa. Their work with Stellenbosch University, Innovation for Policy Foundation, Utrecht University, and Rwanda’s Ministry of ICT has shaped policy and empowered ventures tackling poverty, inequality and unemployment.
Inter-American Development Bank
For its research advancing deep tech and silver ecosystems in Latin America through its partnership with AIR Capital and others. By fostering science-based ventures and actionable research, IDB has informed policies, improved entrepreneurship programs and catalyzed sustainable innovation addressing critical regional challenges.
AfriLabs
For advancing AI innovation across Africa through its partnership with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. By mapping AI startups and analyzing ethical policies, AfriLabs has informed policies, strengthened programs and fostered dynamic ecosystems for sustainable AI-driven development.
Startup Genome
For advancing global entrepreneurship through the APEXE Nations Report launched with GEN at this GEC, commitment to performance benchmarks through the Global Startup Ecosystem Report and providing insights to policymakers on optimizing innovation programs.