NUS Enterprise and ACE have come together to co-host GEW in Singapore for the third consecutive year. This year, NUS Enterprise and ACE are bringing together more than 35 local partner organizations to organize a variety of activities. "The government cannot manufacture entrepreneurs. What we can create is a vibrant, self-renewing environment that encourages, nurtures and facilitates entrepreneurship. For those of you who aspire to be entrepreneurs, there are many avenues to get help." "I am confident that we will raise a new generation of Singaporeans who are innovative and entrepreneurial who will create value for our society, and drive our future economic growth," said Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports at the opening ceremony of GEW 2009 at HDB Hub. Some 400 entrepreneurs, students interested in entrepreneurship, business angels and venture capitalists attended the event.
In his speech, Dr Balakrishnan noted that entrepreneurial skills and mindsets are important for Singapore's continued economic success. He urged more youths to step out of their comfort zones and build their entrepreneurial capacity, to be creative, enterprising and innovative.
For one week, millions of young people around the world join a growing movement of entrepreneurial people, to generate new ideas and to seek better ways of doing things. Countries across six continents come together to celebrate Global Entrepreneurship Week, an initiative to inspire young people to embrace innovation, imagination and creativity. To think big. To turn their ideas into reality. To make their mark. Visit our global website
From 16 - 22 November 2009, Global Entrepreneurship Week connected young people everywhere through local, national and global activities designed to help them explore their potential as self-starters and innovators. Students, educators, entrepreneurs, business leaders, employees, non-profit leaders, government officials and many others participated in a range of activities, from online to face-to-face, and from large-scale competitions and events to intimate networking gatherings. Last year, there were over 32,000 events run in 88 countries, attended by more than 7.5 million people.
Through this initiative, the next generation of entrepreneurs are inspired and can emerge. In doing so, they will begin to acquire the knowledge, skills and networks needed to grow innovative, sustainable enterprises that have a positive impact on their lives, their families and communities.
Like many great movements, Global Entrepreneurship Week started with an idea. The notion to inspire innovation in youth began with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Carl Schramm, president and CEO of the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation.
The Week quickly grew into a worldwide movement to unleash the ideas of tomorrow’s entrepreneurs. In 2008, its inaugural year, the Week involved more than 3 million participants, 80 countries, 25,000 activities, and 8,800 partners.
