Six Ways You Can Be Involved in #GES2015Kenya

July 23, 2015

The 2015 Global Entrepreneurship Summit will be held in Nairobi, Kenya, onJuly 25-26. It will be the sixth annual gathering, which will convene more than 1,000 entrepreneurs at all stages of business development, business leaders, mentors, and high-level government officials.

Can’t go to the Global Entrepreneurship Summit in Kenya? We’ve got you covered. As we prepare for the sixth annual GES, here are six ways you can be involved and participate in the conversation from anywhere in the world:

1. Watch live events online at GES2015.org and on Periscope.

Many of the sessions will be streamed live online or will be available for on-demand viewing after they conclude. President Barack Obama will address the Summit.  Other speakers will include singer and philanthropist Akon and the recently announced 2015 Presidential Ambassadors for Global Entrepreneurship.  Go to www.GES2015.org for the schedule of events.

Also, follow @StateDeptLive and others on Periscope to get a behind-the-scenes look at the Summit and engage with U.S. government participants, entrepreneurs, and investors.

2. Follow #GES2015Kenya and #GES2015.

Follow #GES2015Kenya and #GES2015 on Facebook and Twitter to join the conversation with those in Nairobi.  On Twitter, follow @GES2015Kenya, @WhiteHouse, @StateDept, @CommerceGov, @USEmbassyKenya, @EconEngage, @Stengel, and @AmbCathyRussell for event coverage and the latest highlights.

On Facebook, like the GES2015Kenya and ShareAmerica Facebook pages, where you will find information about the Summit and great stories about the journeys of successful entrepreneurs.  Also watch for coverage and updates from the White House, the U.S. Department of State, and the U.S. Department of Commerce on the United States’ support --through many initiatives and programs -- for entrepreneurs around the world.

3. View and share photos from the event.

The U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi will be publishing photos to their Flickr pages.  Check these accounts out for behind-the-scenes coverage of GES!

4. Join a Facebook Chat on youth and entrepreneurship.

Women and youth entrepreneurs are a significant source of economic growth globally, yet they often face additional barriers in accessing services and resources to start and grow businesses.   That is why this year’s GES kicks off with a day dedicated to women and youth entrepreneurs. To address some of these issues, U.S. Special Advisor for Global Youth Issues Andy Rabens will answer your questions during a Facebook chat on July 23, 2015 at 2:00 PM UTC/10:00 AM EDT.Submit your questions now, and join the conversation on Thursday!

5. Connect with the 2015 Presidential Ambassadors for Global Entrepreneurship (PAGE).

President Obama launched and established PAGE in April 2014, and the initiative is chaired by U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker.   As part of their commitment to entrepreneurship, PAGE members develop Signature Entrepreneurship Initiatives designed to inspire entrepreneurs, expand networks and global exposure of existing entrepreneurs, or increase deal-flow between investors and entrepreneurs.  They also participate in public events – like GES - and lend their voices and platforms to connect with entrepreneurs at home and abroad.

The following PAGE members will join Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker in Kenya:

Steve Case, Chairman and CEO, Revolution, LLC
Brian Chesky, Co-Founder and CEO, Airbnb
Julie Hanna, Executive Chair of the Board, Kiva
Daymond John, Founder, FUBU and CEO, Shark Branding

6. Follow the 2015 GIST Tech-I Competition. 

You voted for your favorite finalists in the GIST Tech-I Competition, and they will head to GES 2015 where they will receive two days of intensive training in areas such as team building, go-to-market strategies, and financing.  This year’s 30 finalists represent 23 countries -- from Albania to Chile to Botswana. You can follow your favorite finalists, GIST, and Tech-I related activities at www.gistnetwork.org, and by following #StartTheSpark on social media.

Now, if you are attending GES in person, please share your insights!  Here’s how you can do so:

• Download the ‘GES 2015’ App for attendees. It is available in the apple store and the google play store to registered attendees and speakers.  Using the app, participants can engage one another, share photos, and have easy access to the conference agenda and other information.
• Tweet quotes and information from the various sessions you attend, and use hashtag #GES2015Kenya for remote audience followers.
• Solicit questions from remote followers, and pitch their questions to presenters.
• Share photos and videos to Instagram using #GES2015Kenya.

Although GES represents an incredible opportunity to bring together entrepreneurs, mentors, investors and a broad range of other actors, the conversation and effort surrounding global entrepreneurship is an ongoing one.

Creating connections that will help entrepreneurs succeed is important, and the State Department is working to promote entrepreneurship programs, such as new angel investment networks, delegations, and mentoring collaborations.  Visit www.state.gov/e, like the State Department’s Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs Facebook page, and follow @EconEngage to find out more.

About the Author: Ashli Savoy serves as Managing Editor of DipNote. She is on detail to support the Global Entrepreneurship Summit in Kenya

 This blog originally appeared on DipNote, the U.S. Department of State's Official blog. 

New Alliance Launched to Examine Global Accelerators

July 24, 2015

$2.3 million committed to improving the effectiveness of accelerator programs through research and analysis

The Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs (ANDE) and Emory University’s Social Enterprise @ Goizueta will announce the launch of the Global Accelerator Learning Initiative (GALI)—a first-time comprehensive market assessment and analysis of accelerators—at the Sixth Annual Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES). The announcement will be made by Randall Kempner, executive director of ANDE, during a moderated session on entrepreneurship on Saturday, July 25.

The partnership was created by U.S. Global Development Lab at the U.S. Agency for International Development, Omidyar Network, The Lemelson Foundation, and the Argidius Foundation to analyze the efficacy of accelerator programs. Although there are hundreds of accelerators that have been launched around the world, little research exists to understand early-stage acceleration and its effect on the companies accelerated, especially for small and growing businesses in emerging markets.

GALI builds upon the work done thus far by The Entrepreneurship Database program at Emory University (EDp) which has collected information on more than 3,500 enterprises and partnered with more than 60 accelerator programs to date. This public-private partnership has committed $2.3 million over three years to scale the program by collecting data on more than 10,000 firms globally.

“We’re delighted leaders from the academic, international development, and philanthropy worlds are coming together to take action and further strengthen business communities by ensuring careful investigation of and innovation for accelerator programs worldwide,” said Randall Kempner, executive director of ANDE.

Key questions that the partnership seeks to address for the sector include:

• Do accelerators actually accelerate growth of early ventures, attracting greater investments and increasing revenue for companies?
• What types of programs offered by accelerators have the highest impact on entrepreneurial success?
• What can we learn about the entrepreneurs who participate in accelerator programs?

As a result of GALI’s work, accelerator programs will have statistical data and market insight to better inform their own decision-making as they train the entrepreneurs who create the goods and services that benefit all sectors of society. This data will also be made available to researchers and practitioners for their own analyses. GALI hopes that this body of knowledge will provide greater understanding to all involved in the entrepreneurial ecosystem, from managers to policy makers.

For more information about GALI, please visit: www.andeglobal.org/accelerators.

The Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs (ANDE) is a global network of organizations that propel entrepreneurship in emerging markets. ANDE members provide critical financial, educational, and business support services to small and growing businesses (SGBs) based on the conviction that SGBs will create jobs, stimulate long-term economic growth, and produce environmental and social benefits. Ultimately, ANDE believes that SGBs can help lift countries out of poverty. ANDE is part of the Aspen Institute, an educational and policy studies organization. For more information please visit www.andeglobal.org.

Social Enterprise @ Goizueta (SE@G) is an Academic Center within Emory University’s Goizueta Business School that applies business acumen and market-based solutions to achieve meaningful and enduring societal impacts. SE@G is home to The Entrepreneurship Database program at Emory University (EDp). The program works with entrepreneurship accelerator programs from around the world to gather data from their application process and then re-surveys all applicants at six month intervals. www.socialenterprise.emory.edu

For more information about the work of our GALI partners, please refer to:
U.S. Agency for International Development (http://www.usaid.gov/globaldevlab) Omidyar Network (https://www.omidyar.com)
The Lemelson Foundation (http://www.lemelson.org)
Argidius Foundation (http://www.argidius.com/en/default.asp) 

2015 Global Entrepreneurship Summit Youth and Women Day

Press Release

2015 Global Entrepreneurship Summit Youth and Women Day

Friday, July 24

The Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) Youth and Women Day will convene 150 established youth and women entrepreneurs along with investors, speakers, and leaders in the entrepreneurship space. The select group of youth and women entrepreneurs will have an opportunity to share their success stories, take part in skills trainings, participate in a pitch competition, and hear from dynamic speakers including hip hop artist Akon, world renowned chef José Andrés, Fubu Founder Daymond John, Miss America 2014 Nina Davuluri, and UN Youth Envoy Ahmad Alhendawi.

These innovative entrepreneurs will be joined by high-level U.S. Government officials, including Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker, Administrator of the Small Business Administration Maria Contreras-Sweet, Acting Administrator of USAID Alfonso Lenhardt, Ambassador at-Large for Global Women’s Issues Catherine Russell, and Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Richard Stengel. 

The GES Youth and Women Day is supported by the U.S. Government in partnership with the Government of Kenya and the Global Entrepreneurship Network.

BACKGROUND:

The 2015 Global Entrepreneurship Summit Youth and Women Day builds upon the successful 2014 GES Youth and Women day in Morocco, the Startup Global Youth Summit at GES 2013 in Malaysia, and previous youth and women-related GES events in Dubai, Istanbul, and Washington, D.C.

The day will provide emerging youth and women entrepreneurs a platform to showcase their existing businesses and opportunities to form productive relationships that will help to scale up their ventures.

- FOR PLANNING PURPOSES ONLY -

Time: The opening plenary session will begin at approximately 8 AM Nairobi time, lasting until 9:45 AM.

Coverage: Limited capacity, available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Call Time: Members of the media interested in covering the Opening Plenary should gather in the GES Press Filing Center no later than 7:15 AM.

Access: Heavy equipment (e.g. video cameras or tripods) must arrive to the GES Press Filing Center between 6:45 AM and 8:15 AM, or between 1:00 PM and 2:00 PM on Friday, July 24. For all other/general access, the media shuttle will run continuously between the GES event site and the International School of Kenya approximately every 30 minutes, at the top and bottom of every hour.

Arrival: All media participants seeking access to the GES venue on Friday, July 24 – Sunday, July 26 must use the GES-provided media shuttle system, departing from the International School of Kenya. No individual may unilaterally arrive to the event site.

Required Credentials: All individuals must have GES accreditation to enter the shuttle system or the GES Press Filing Center.

Note:  Other media opportunities will be available throughout the day on Friday, July 24.  Additional media advisories will be forthcoming, and posted throughout the Press Filing Center.