Global Entrepreneurship Week November 2019

#GEW19STEVENAGE #GEW2019 'Supporting Your Entrepreneurial Journey'

'#GEW19STEVENAGE - Stevenage connects you to a network of support for taking those next steps, no matter where you are on your entrepreneurial journey.'

This November, Global Entrepreneurship Week will bring over 10 million people together this year to celebrate entrepreneurship and start-up culture and the removal of barriers, with over 35,000 events planned in over 170 countries.

The UK is the home of the GEW movement and this year the GEWUK campaign team is using the huge global network to connect UK entrepreneurs to their counterparts around the world.

The Global Entrepreneurship Network will be celebrating 12 years of helping millions of people to unleash their ideas to start and scale new businesses through Global Entrepreneurship Week. The campaign began in 2008 and continues to ensure entrepreneurs, investors, policymakers, researchers, support organizations and others collaborate to advance economic growth and innovation in more than 170 countries around the world. GEW aims to reach new audiences and connect participants to a network that can help them take the next step, no matter where they are on their entrepreneurial journey.

Earlier this year, the Global Entrepreneurship Network announced the four global themes for #GEW2019 to include:

 • GEW Ecosystems | #GEWecosystem
GEW Ecosystems aim to inspire communities to collaborate, and share their networks and markets to help their rising start-ups thrive, sharing knowledge and connecting local ecosystems to build healthy and thriving entrepreneurial communities.

• GEW Inclusion | #GEWinclusion
Entrepreneurship is a positive force that drives innovation, creates wealth and improves lives in communities, cities and countries alike. But not everyone has the same opportunity. Anyone, anywhere should be able to realize their dream and start a business quickly, inexpensively, and without barriers and race, age, gender, or where one lives should not be an obstacle to entrepreneurship. This theme celebrates diversity in all forms, including women and youth in entrepreneurship.

• GEW Policy | #GEWpolicy
Startup ecosystems are led by their entrepreneurs but government plays an important role in helping them flourish by removing barriers, resetting the regulatory environment and emphasizing connections and catalytic events.

• EDUCATION | #GEWeducation
Education can inform and expose people of all ages to entrepreneurship and therefore, providing the right information and tools to those with an interest in entrepreneurship can foster creativity and skills to grow sustainable businesses and improve not only local entrepreneurial ecosystems, but also strengthen the skills of the local work force. GEW Education works to share resources, raise awareness and provide skills training to potential entrepreneurs around the world. This theme celebrates the tools and programs communities use to foster entrepreneurship.

As part of the celebrations for GEW in Stevenage, Stevenage Borough Council have partnered with business support organisations across Hertfordshire including; Wenta and the btc Stevenage, the Herts Growth Hub, Herts Chamber of Commerce, the FSB, Better Business or All, Young Enterprise, Prince’s Trust, North Herts College and the University of Herts to support its entrepreneurial community with a whole week of activities in recognition of the four global themes and tackle the barriers to entrepreneurship to ensure businesses in the area, can connect to a network of support for taking those vital next steps on their entrepreneurial journey.

Discover the week's activities and events here

Stevenage Borough Council will also be launching its Annual Business Grant Scheme on the 21st November to support businesses in the area to accelerate and succeed!

Cllr Lloyd Briscoe, Portfolio Holder for Economy, Enterprise and Transport at Stevenage Borough Council said:

“We are delighted to be supporting GEW 2019 and are working with our partners to continue to support an enterprising and innovative economy for Stevenage.This November, as part of GEW 2019, we are supporting a number of activities to assist our businesses to collaborate and connect to the wider Global Entrepreneurship Network. This also includes equipping them with the essential tools and skills to foster entrepreneurship to grow sustainable businesses, with high value job creation. As a co-operative council, we will continue to work with partners to provide an effective ecosystem, where businesses in the area have access to flexible and tailored business support and guidance, the training and skills they need to support a skilled workforce, as well as access to finance at crucial stages of growth to strengthen the wider business community.”