In the run up to Global Entrepreneurship Week the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation conducted a survey into the ‘millennial generation’ (18-34 year olds). Carl Schramm the Foundation’s CEO and president said that "this poll reveals a generation that is enthusiastic about entrepreneurship, and that is good news for the U.S. Fifty-four percent of the nation's millennials either want to start a business or already have started one. They recognize that entrepreneurship is the key to reviving the economy."
One of the most obvious examples of entrepreneurial spirit can be found in the students at business schools across the world where it is fostered. This week sees a celebration of anything and everything that is entrepreneurial with Global Entrepreneurship Week. In 104 countries over 40,000 events are taking place which “will address the concerns and anxieties of budding entrepreneurs; enabling many more people to create new opportunities and successful ventures that will continue to flourish all year round.”
Here is a look at just some of the ways in which business schools are marking the event.
Yesterday IE Business School in Madrid held a conference entitled ‘The Entrepreneur as Hero of the Global Recovery’. There were some seriously impressive speakers from Gustavo García Brusilovksy the CEO and co-founder of BuyVip.com who spoke on how Spain is becoming a start-up nation. To Carlos Dexeus who won the Private Equity Deal of the year in Europe for the sale of Kelkoo to Yahoo for $475M and who spoke on the relevance of Europe as a hub of entrepreneurial activity.
Successful IE Business School alumni spoke on ‘life after IE as a successful entrepreneur’, including a leading Spanish telecoms provider, founder of an e-commerce platform and a biotech start-up.
There were also a whole host of experienced venture capitalists, one Michael A. Jackson spoke on why he left Silicon Valley for Europe. Named as a “top young VC” by Forbes and “the most influential technology investor in Europe” by The Telegraph.
On Monday Aston Business School held an Ideas Generation Workshop for those who are keen to start their entrepreneurial journey but are struggling to pinpoint exactly where they believe their market lies. Hosted by serial entrepreneur David Bowzard who provides insightful techniques for those embarking on a new business venture.
This morning Aston Business School hosted a web chat dedicated to female entrepreneurs with advice from experienced female entrepreneurs Debra Blisson, Catherine Allen and the Network of Aspiring Women’s ‘Technology Woman of the Year’, Kay Hammond.
Cambridge Judge Business School is hosting part of the annual conference ‘Silicon Valley Comes to the U.K.’ from the 16th – 19th November. The event will see Silicon Valley business leaders discussing the events theme: ‘Economy 2.0: Re-writing the Rules’. Speakers include Megan Smith the Vice President of New Business Development at Google and Reid Hoffman Co-founder of LinkedIn. They will be meeting with policymakers to try and show how entrepreneurship can significantly contribute to growth of the British economy.
Master classes will take place at Cambridge Judge Business School on the 18th November on the future of technology and business models. And this Saturday the 19th top CEOs and investors will visit East London’s Tech City to offer panel discussions on technology and entrepreneurship with advice on product design, securing financing, building a company and leveraging the community in your business. Conversations will also take place with leading tech figures such as Raj Kapoor, co-founder and CEO of Snapfish, and Joi Ito, CEO of Creative Commons and head of the MIT Media Lab.
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