GEN president to visit South Africa for launch of GEW 2016

Jonathan Ortmans

GEW is the largest gathering of innovators and job creators, who launch startups that bring ideas to life, drive economic growth and expand human welfare. Each November, a week is dedicated to inspire millions of people from more than 160 countries through local, national and global activities designed to help them explore their potential as entrepreneurs and innovators.

This year, GEW South Africa will launch on Friday, 11 November 2016, at the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) in Sandton. The launch will be hosted by Ortmans, the Minister of Small Business Development Lindiwe Zulu, Deputy Minister of Tourism Tokozile Xasa, and Premier of Gauteng Province David Makhura.

The schedule for Ortmans’ visit in South Africa includes meeting with GEN partners, key ecosystem players, entrepreneurs, and ecosystem knowledge experiences.

“The Global Entrepreneurship Network continues to expand its involvement in Africa in support of connecting the next generation of entrepreneurs to global markets and to rebrand the continent and permanently shift perceptions,” Mr Ortmans said. "Startups are critical to every economy in the world. Not only do startups create almost two thirds of all jobs in the domestic economy, they are hotbeds for innovation and are increasingly important to larger corporations and multinationals.”

Kizito Okechukwu, the Executive Head of SEA Africa, believes that public and private partnerships established within the ecosystem highlights a new chapter in the growth of South Africa’s entrepreneurship sector and in alignment with the Africa Union 2063 agenda and the National Development Plan of South Africa.

Entrepreneurs, innovators and leaders within the entrepreneurship ecosystem will have the opportunity to attend the launch by registering at www.za.gew.co. The GEW launch ceremony is supported by the Department of Small Business Development, Gauteng Provincial Government, City of Johannesburg, Absa, Transnet, Hollard, Seda, Sefa, Shanduka Black Umbrellas, SABS Design Institute, Microsoft, IDC, Telkom, Edcon and SEA Africa.

Organisations within the entrepreneurship space are encouraged to register their GEW activity on www.za.gew.co.