So What Is Global Entrepreneurship Week — and Why Is It Important?

This week, Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) once again unites millions of innovators, job creators, business owners and companies under the celebration of entrepreneurship. 

With thousands events spread out over a seven day period in more than 170 countries (and 100 events here in Kansas City alone), GEW offers individuals—entrepreneurs, small business owners and even ambitious students—a chance to unleash their ideas and discover their potential, risk-free.

So why is Global E-Week important?

Because entrepreneurship creates jobs—and many of the new jobs in entrepreneurial economies come from firms less than five years old. In fact, in Kansas City, we know startups (defined as first-time employers with fewer than 20 employees) create 60% of all new jobs. Leaders around the world see GEW as a way to stimulate and support entrepreneurship and the ecosystem it needs to thrive.

But Global Entrepreneurship Week is more than an awareness campaign.

Through local, national and global activities, GEW gives aspiring, emerging and existing entrepreneurs a chance to be creative and build connections, to start companies and spur economic growth.

In Kansas City, GEW-inspired events will help aspiring and established entrepreneurs create new businesses, develop their entrepreneurial mindset, make connections—and even get funding to accelerate their businesses. 

>> Register to attend Global Entrepreneurship Week in Kansas City. It’s free! 

The Global in Global Entrepreneurship Week

GEW was originally launched in 2008 by former UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Carl Schramm, former president and CEO of the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. Since then, it has spanned the globe, with tens of thousands of partner organizations planning activities that directly engage more than millions people.

So why do millions people across the globe turn up at these events with millions more engaging online? Because, according to Jonathan Ortmans, president of GEW and senior fellow at the Kauffman Foundation, the world still needs more entrepreneurs.

GEW in Kansas City

Keep up to date with what’s happening during Global Entrepreneurship Week right here at home. Check the KCSourceLink GEWKC GEW events—and be sure to come back to our blog to see more details about GEW.