Every November, Global Entrepreneurship Week brings together millions of aspiring and inspiring entrepreneurs to celebrate innovation and creativity through tens of thousands of activities in more than one hundred countries. Founded by the Kauffman Foundation, GEW has been embraced by some 40,000 organizations worldwide. Following are thoughts expressed by leaders of just some of those organizations that participate in building economies and improving lives through GEW.
"Global Entrepreneurship Week is one of those big ideas that gives us an opportunity to show the world the power of entrepreneurial training for high school students. We had an opportunity during Global Entrepreneurship Week to have students in a Baltimore classroom talk to students in a classroom in Ireland about the process of developing their first business plans. It was a compelling exchange. The message for the week is always about education, and inspiration, and networking."
Amy Rosen, president and chief executive officer, Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship
"We are committed to fostering entrepreneurship and innovation in Chile. We have set a very ambitious target of transforming Chile into a developed country during this decade. To get to that end, we have to promote productivity, innovation, and entrepreneurship."
Juan Andres Fontaine, minister of economy, Chile
"Entrepreneurship is not a done deal. Rather, it is a lively and living issue. We are convinced that if we're able to inspire and channel the entrepreneurship in our communities in the right ways, and talk authentically about what entrepreneurship means, we can do greater things than we ever imagined possible."
Alfa Demmellash, chief executive officer and co-founder, Rising Tide Capital
"Global Entrepreneurship Week is a worldwide initiative aimed at awakening, stimulating, and motivating the entrepreneurial spirit, creativity, and capacity for innovation, especially among younger generations. Entrepreneurship has, as a result, new reasons to be considered the cornerstone of countries' economic and social progress."
Anibal Cavaco Silva, president, Portugal
"We have been involved with Global Entrepreneurship Week in the United States and around the world. It gives a combined rallying cry for creating businesses, employing people, sustaining economic growth, and solving problems."
Jack Kosakowski, executive vice president and chief operating officer of JA Worldwide;
president and chief executive officer of Junior Achievement USA
"It has been the risk takers, the doers, the makers of things who have carried us up the long, rugged path toward prosperity and freedom."
Hillary Rodham Clinton, United States Secretary of State
"China is building an innovation-oriented country. We particularly need to unleash everyone's innovative and entrepreneurial spirit. Millions of Chinese youth participate in hosted Global Entrepreneurship Week activities."
Yan Jungi, vice chairwoman of the National People's Congress of China
"Whether we are letting the world know about entrepreneurship or just furthering entrepreneurship within an organization, there is something for everyone to embrace during Global Entrepreneurship Week."
Siamak Taghaddos, co-founder and chief executive officer, Grasshopper Group
"In Denmark, we now will focus on renewed growth and entrepreneurship. We have to encourage every person with an idea, the right motivation, and the will to become an entrepreneur to pursue his or her dreams. I see Global Entrepreneurship Week as one way of making this happen."
Brian Mikkelsen, minister of economic and business affairs, Denmark
"In this new decade, we face many challenges. However, by learning from each other and sharing new ideas, young entrepreneurs across the world are prepared to solve these problems."
Karen Mills, administrator, United States Small Business Administration
"We wanted to have a big landmark event on campus that could attract a lot of attention and a lot of support. Global Entrepreneurship Week resonated with us, and we've embraced the idea. Students want something that's real, something they can control, and entrepreneurship definitely provides that path."
Howie Rhee, managing director, Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Fuqua School of Business, Duke University
"As the director for entrepreneurship in the Netherlands, I'm certainly looking forward to the next Global Entrepreneurship Week and the burst of energy the young entrepreneurs will bring to our society."
Rinke Zonneveld, entrepreneurship director, Ministry of Economic Affairs, Netherlands
"We want to get kids involved from not just the business school, but, more importantly, engineering and communications, and our Marine school, and law, and medicine. We want all those kids together in the same room to listen to that entrepreneur's story. We want to plant the seed. You don't have to know everything when you start."
Susan Amat, executive director, The Launch Pad, University of Miami
"Global Entrepreneurship Week provides a year-long mechanism for people to get involved in entrepreneurship and a focal point for the movement."
Rex Northen, executive director, Global Cleantech Open
