Global Entrepreneurship Summit

Global Entrepreneurship Summit
GES 2016 · Public domain · source
Name	Global Entrepreneurship Summit
First	2010
Status	Active
Frequency	Annual / Biennial (varied)
Founded	2010
Organizer	U.S. Department of State; private partners
Participants	Entrepreneurs; investors; policymakers; civil society
Website	(official site)

Global Entrepreneurship Summit The Global Entrepreneurship Summit is an international entrepreneurship forum convened to connect entrepreneurs, investors, policymakers, and institutions from across the world. It brings together representatives from national delegations, multilateral organizations, startup accelerators, and corporate partners to showcase innovation, financing, and partnership opportunities. The summit aims to catalyze investment, promote cross-border networks, and highlight sectoral initiatives in technology, health, energy, and finance.

Overview

The summit assembles delegations from countries such as United States, India, United Kingdom, China, Kenya, Nigeria, Mexico, Brazil, Germany, France and institutions like the World Bank, International Monetary Fund, United Nations, Asian Development Bank, African Development Bank. Prominent organizations participating include Microsoft, Google, Amazon (company), Facebook, Mastercard, Visa Inc., Goldman Sachs, KPMG, Deloitte, Ernst & Young, Accenture. Leading academic institutions represented encompass Harvard University, Stanford University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, London School of Economics, University of Oxford, Indian Institute of Technology, University of Nairobi, National University of Singapore, Tsinghua University, University of Cape Town.

History and Development

Launched during the administration of Barack Obama with key diplomatic support from the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Agency for International Development, the summit built on prior initiatives like the President's Council on Jobs and Competitiveness and dialogues such as U.S.–Africa Leaders Summit. Early convenings drew partners from philanthropic foundations including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Rockefeller Foundation, Ford Foundation, Schmidt Family Foundation and venture firms like Sequoia Capital, Accel Partners, Andreessen Horowitz, Benchmark (venture capital firm). Host cities and organizers collaborated with local institutions such as the Government of Kenya, Government of India, Government of Morocco, Government of the United Arab Emirates, and regional chambers like the Confederation of Indian Industry and Kenya Private Sector Alliance.

Objectives and Themes

Summit objectives align with initiatives launched by entities including the World Economic Forum, G20, B20, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, and project partnerships with Cisco Systems, IBM, Intel, Oracle Corporation, SAP SE. Thematic tracks often mirror priorities of agencies like UNICEF, World Health Organization, International Finance Corporation and focus on sectors championed by firms such as Tesla, Inc. (clean energy), Pfizer (health), Moderna, Inc. (biotech), Shell plc (energy transition). Policy dialogues invoke frameworks from Paris Agreement, Sustainable Development Goals, and technical collaborations with labs like Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and CERN.

Notable Summits and Hosts

Notable editions included the inaugural summit held alongside delegations from Saudi Arabia and the U.S. diplomatic corps, later major events hosted by Istanbul partners and a high-profile summit in The Hague modelled after international conferences like NATO Summit and Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation. Other host collaborations involved Mumbai with industry groups such as Tata Group, Reliance Industries, and a regional showcase in Kigali with partners like Rwanda Development Board and African Union. Several summits paralleled multinational gatherings such as the UN General Assembly week and bilateral meetings like U.S.–India Strategic and Commercial Dialogue.

Key Participants and Speakers

Speakers have included heads of state and government such as Barack Obama, Narendra Modi, Justin Trudeau, Emmanuel Macron, Angela Merkel, and internationally recognized leaders from multilateral institutions including Christine Lagarde, Jim Yong Kim, Akinwumi Adesina, and Kristalina Georgieva. Industry speakers featured CEOs like Satya Nadella, Sundar Pichai, Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk, Sheryl Sandberg, Mary Barra, Tim Cook (occasionally represented by deputies), and venture leaders such as Peter Thiel, Marc Andreessen, Reid Hoffman. Civil society and investor voices included figures from Acumen Fund, Kiva (organization), Oxfam, Amnesty International, CARE International, and angel groups like AngelList.

Programs and Initiatives

Programming typically comprises pitch competitions akin to TechCrunch Disrupt demos, accelerator showcases similar to Y Combinator and 500 Startups, and fellowship tracks modeled on Erasmus Programme exchanges. Initiatives have partnered with microfinance institutions such as Grameen Bank and impact investors like Omidyar Network, Khosla Impact. Sector programs launched collaborations with science and health partners including GAVI, Global Fund, PATH (organization), energy initiatives with International Renewable Energy Agency and urban innovation programs with UN-Habitat and city networks like C40 Cities. Mentorship and training have involved incubators such as Station F, MaRS Discovery District, Plug and Play Tech Center, and regional innovation hubs like Silicon Savannah.

Impact and Criticism

Advocates cite outcomes including investment agreements with firms like SoftBank Group and partnerships with development banks such as European Investment Bank and Inter-American Development Bank, plus alumni startups scaling with later-stage funding from Sequoia Capital and SoftBank Vision Fund. Criticism has come from NGOs and commentators associated with Human Rights Watch and Transnational Institute over issues of inclusion, representation, and the summit's alignment with corporate sponsors like BlackRock and Bain Capital. Academics from London School of Economics and Massachusetts Institute of Technology have published analyses comparing summit impact to programs like Millennium Challenge Corporation and Power Africa, while journalists at outlets such as The New York Times, The Economist, Financial Times have debated efficacy, conversion rates, and geopolitical signalling. Operational concerns have been raised in relation to transparency advocated by organizations including Transparency International.

Category:Entrepreneurship conferences