Not every MBA student heads to business school with the start-up itch, but the numbers who do are growing. In fact, 28 percent of business school applicants plan to start their own business, up from 19 percent just five years ago today, according to the most recent Prospective Student Survey Report from the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC).
Researchers from GMAC have been live-tweeting these and other statistics from events taking place as part of Global Entrepreneurship Week 2015. GEW, which occurs during the third week of November, launched in 2007 with 37 participating countries and has grown to 160 countries. Thousands of events are scheduled all over the world and more than 10 million people are expected to take part in GEW2015, which began yesterday and continues through November 22nd.
U.S. Entrepreneurs Lobby for National Entrepreneurs’ Day
In 2010, a group of entrepreneurs started a campaign to establish National Entrepreneurs’ Day (NED) as a holiday to celebrate the American entrepreneurial spirit and its impact on the country and innovation. The group—led by Amir Tehrani, an entrepreneur who co-founded the Legacy Foundation to unite entrepreneurs with philanthropic goals, and David Hauser and Siamak Taghaddos, co-founders of entrepreneurs’ phone platform Grasshopper—has successfully petitioned President Barack Obama to proclaim National Entrepreneurs’ Day as a holiday ever since 2010.
This year, a resolution has been introduced to Congress to designate the third Tuesday in November as National Entrepreneurs’ Day (which, not coincidentally, would mean it falls during Global Entrepreneurship Week each year). To help push the resolution through the House and get it introduced into the Senate as well, organizers are spearheading a campaign on social media to garner support.
Ticking off a list of reasons entrepreneurs deserve recognition—like the 2.3 million jobs created by entrepreneurs or entrepreneurial businesses in the U.S. in 2013[i]—the campaign’s organizers are encouraging people to vote, as well as to tweet their support for entrepreneurs and entrepreneurship with the hashtag #VOTE4NED.
GEW2015’s Themes: Investors, Women, Youth, Cities
This year, the Global Entrepreneurship Network, of which GEW is a part, has proposed some central themes designed to help frame the events and activities held around the world as part of the week’s line-up. GEW partners—who include the European Business Angels Network, the U.S. Small Business Association, Youth Business International and the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, among many others—will work with entrepreneurs to start and scale new ventures through a wide range of activities, competitions and events.
Today’s GEW events are intended to focus on the role of early-stage investors in the entrepreneurial process and ecosystem. Tomorrow, events will center around the theme of women and entrepreneurship, looking at topics like women in tech and how to increase the participation of women in STEM fields. Events on Thursday, meanwhile, will include partner activities geared specifically toward inspiring the next generation of young entrepreneurs. And on Friday, events and activities will center around cities—specifically efforts by policymakers around the world to support a rich entrepreneurial ecosystem with necessary resources.
Also new this year is GEN’s launch yesterday of Startup Compete, an online platform to connect entrepreneurs, mentors and advisors for networking and competitions.
“Hundreds, if not thousands, of competitions are taking place over the next seven days alone as part of Global Entrepreneurship Week,” GEN President Jonathan Ortmans said in a statement. “This platform makes it simple for organizers, but more importantly, it helps budding entrepreneurs sharpen their skills and make connections that can turn a small idea into a global brand.”
For more information on GEW events in your country, state or city, visit the GEW website.
[i] Global Entrepreneurship Monitor 2013 United States Report