Global Entrepreneurship Congress

What Global Entrepreneurship Congress does

Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN) is a Washington, DC-based non-profit organization founded in 2008 that operates a global entrepreneurship support platform across 200 countries. Its mission is to make it easier for anyone, anywhere, to start and scale a business, and it serves four primary constituencies: founders, investors, policymakers, and ecosystem builders. Membership is free and the organization explicitly warns against third parties charging fees on its behalf.

GEN operates a platform-plus-programs architecture organized around four pillars: GEN Founders (250,000+ member community), GEN Invest (capital matching and funding mobilization), GEN Policy (evidence-based policy sharing), and GEN Ecosystems (cross-border ecosystem connection). Flagship events include the Global Entrepreneurship Congress (GEC), which gathers thousands of delegates annually, and Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW), which engages 10 million people across 40,000+ events each November. Supporting programs include 60+ Startup Huddle chapters, GEC+ regional deep-dives, the Entrepreneurship World Cup, GEN Campus startup villages, GEN Space for space entrepreneurship, the Small Business Grants Program ($15M+ administered since 2020), and co-development with UNCTAD on Global Enterprise Registration. Digital platforms include GEN Connect (Founder, Investor, Mentor, and Ecosystem Connect), GEN Atlas (policy portal), GEN Research Library, the GEN Speakers Bureau, and Builders Studio, an AI-powered venture-building tool built in partnership with Builders + Backers.

GEN is funded primarily through tiered corporate partnerships (Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze) with marquee sponsors including the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, Wells Fargo, Alibaba, FedEx, Monshaat, PayPal, GoDaddy, Mastercard, OECD, European Commission, World Bank, Techstars, and others. As a non-profit, no revenues are publicly disclosed. Leadership includes founder and President Jonathan Ortmans, co-founder and President Elizabeth Gore, Executive Vice President Mark Marich, CFO Alan Simensky, and a global board. The organization publishes annual impact reports documenting 2.24 million entrepreneurs supported annually, $4M+ in funding mobilized for entrepreneurs, and 300+ policymakers engaged.

Name

Global Entrepreneurship Congress

Legal name

Global Entrepreneurship Network

Website

https://genglobal.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN) is a Washington, DC-based non-profit founded in 2008 that operates free-membership entrepreneurship programs across 200 countries, serving founders, investors, policymakers, and ecosystem builders through flagship events, digital platforms, and a tiered corporate sponsorship model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Corporate Partnerships: GEN operates through tiered corporate partnerships (Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze) with organizations including Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, Wells Fargo, Alibaba, FedEx, Monshaat, PayPal, GoDaddy, Mastercard, and others. Partners contribute expertise, experience, and energy to support GEN's global mission.
2. Program Sponsorships: GEN receives support from partners and sponsors for specific programs including the Small Business Grants Program (administered $15M+ in grants since 2020), Entrepreneurship World Cup, and various regional events.
3. Membership and Community: GEN membership is free. Warning explicitly states: 'GEN membership is free' and cautions against organizations charging fees for membership applications or certificates.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels12 records

Core offering

Global Entrepreneurship Network operates a non-profit membership-based platform-plus-programs architecture spanning four pillars: GEN Founders (community of 250,000+ entrepreneurs), GEN Invest (capital matching and cross-border deal sharing), GEN Policy (evidence-based policy sharing including GEN Atlas portal), and GEN Ecosystems (global ecosystem connection). Core offerings include the Global Entrepreneurship Congress (annual flagship event with thousands of delegates from 200 countries), Global Entrepreneurship Week (40,000+ events reaching 10 million people each November), and supporting programs such as Startup Huddle, Small Business Grants Program, and the AI-powered Builders Studio venture-building platform.

Product overview

Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN) operates a platform-plus-programs architecture spanning multiple pillars: GEN Founders (empowering innovators with 250,000+ members), GEN Invest (capital matching and funding mobilization), GEN Policy (evidence-based policy sharing), and GEN Ecosystems (global ecosystem connection). Core flagship events include the Global Entrepreneurship Congress (GEC) gathering thousands from 200 countries, and Global Entrepreneurship Week reaching 10 million people annually. Supporting programs include Startup Huddle (60+ local chapters), GEC+ regional events, GEN Exchange webinars, GEN Campus startup villages, GEN Space for space entrepreneurship, the GEN Starters Club, and the Small Business Grants Program ($15M+ distributed). GEN also offers AI-powered Builder Studio for venture building support, the No Bad Ideas card game, GEN Atlas policy portal, GEN Research library, Global Enterprise Registration (with UNCTAD), Startup Nations Ministerial, and the Entrepreneurship World Cup pitch competition. GEN Connect provides the networking infrastructure via Ecosystem Connect, Founder Connect, Investor Connect, and Mentor Connect platforms.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• 2.24 million entrepreneurs supported annually
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability2 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and secondary.

• Ewing Marion Kauffman FoundationflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerPlatinum tier partner contributing to GEN's mission of supporting entrepreneurship ecosystems globally. Kauffman Foundation is a major supporter of entrepreneurship research and policy.
• Wells FargoflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerPlatinum tier partner supporting GEN programs and initiatives for entrepreneurs.
• AlibabacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGold tier partner providing strategic support for global entrepreneurship initiatives.
• FedExcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGold tier partner supporting entrepreneurship through programs like the FedEx Entrepreneur Fund and Boost Camp Program.
• Monshaat (Saudi SME Authority)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGold tier partner from Saudi Arabia supporting entrepreneurship ecosystem development.
• PayPalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGold tier partner supporting fintech and entrepreneurship initiatives globally.
• GoDaddysecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerSilver tier partner supporting small business and entrepreneurship programs.
• Hello AlicesecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerSilver tier partner focused on supporting small business owners.
• MastercardsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerSilver tier partner supporting entrepreneurship through payment and fintech initiatives.
• Youth Business International (YBI)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerSilver tier partner supporting young entrepreneurs globally.
• OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEcosystem partner supporting entrepreneurship policy research and development through the Centre for Entrepreneurship, SMEs, Regions and Cities.
• European CommissioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEcosystem partner supporting policy development and entrepreneurship initiatives in Europe.
• UNCTAD (United Nations Conference on Trade and Development)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-developer of the Global Enterprise Registration initiative with GEN, helping governments simplify administrative procedures for entrepreneurs.
• World BankcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBronze tier partner supporting entrepreneurship ecosystem development and policy initiatives globally.
• TechstarssecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerBronze tier partner in the startup ecosystem supporting accelerator programs and mentorship.
• Startup GenomesecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerBronze tier partner contributing to global startup ecosystem research and reporting.
• Builders + BackerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner bringing AI-powered venture-building support to entrepreneurs worldwide through the Builders Studio platform.
• ENDEAVORsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerBronze tier partner supporting high-impact entrepreneurship globally.
• JA WorldWide (Junior Achievement)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization focused on youth entrepreneurship education serving 10 million+ young people annually.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation: The Kauffman Foundation is GEN's platinum-tier sponsor and itself runs entrepreneurship research, policy, and ecosystem programs (including Kauffman FastTrac and ESHIP). It is comparable because it provides the same mix of founder education, policy research, and ecosystem-building that GEN delivers, though as a U.S.-centric philanthropy.
• Startup Genome: Startup Genome produces the Global Startup Ecosystem Report and operates ecosystem-development programs for governments and investors. It is a direct GEN partner (Bronze tier) and is comparable because both organizations sell benchmarking, policy research, and ecosystem reports to governments and investors worldwide.
• JA Worldwide (Junior Achievement): JA Worldwide is a GEN partner and itself a global entrepreneurship education organization reaching 10M+ young people annually. It is comparable as a youth-focused entrepreneurship education and program-delivery network — overlapping with GEN Starters Club and GEW youth programming.
• Endeavor: Endeavor is a global high-impact entrepreneurship support organization selecting and supporting founders across emerging and developed markets. It is comparable because both operate multi-country networks that select founders, connect them to investors and policymakers, and run mentoring programs — Endeavor competes for similar sponsors, founders, and policy relationships.

Broad incumbents

• Techstars: Techstars operates a global network of accelerators, mentorship programs, and the Startup Champions program. It is a GEN partner today but is comparable because it delivers startup support and ecosystem-building services across multiple countries, directly overlapping with Startup Huddle, GEN Founders, and GEN Invest.
• Y Combinator: Y Combinator is the world's largest startup accelerator, running batch programs, demo days, and a global founder community (YC). It is comparable to GEN because both occupy the global startup-support category — YC as the dominant accelerator layer and GEN as the broader ecosystem layer — and they increasingly compete for the same founders and partner mindshare.
• OECD Centre for Entrepreneurship, SMEs, Regions and Cities: OECD CFE is an intergovernmental policy and research unit publishing global SME and entrepreneurship data and indicators. It is a GEN ecosystem partner and is comparable because both produce entrepreneurship policy research and convene policymakers globally, often for the same ministries.
• World Economic Forum (WEF): WEF runs the Annual Meeting in Davos and an entrepreneurship/Start-up Programme engaging founders, investors, and heads of state. It is comparable as a global convening platform that links policymakers, investors, and ecosystem builders — overlapping with GEN's GEC and GEN Policy functions.

Emerging players

• Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs (ANDE): ANDE is a global network of organizations that support small and growing businesses in emerging markets, with chapters and convenings across dozens of countries. It is comparable as a membership-based entrepreneurship support network focused on emerging markets and ecosystem builders — overlapping with GEN Ecosystems, GEN Invest, and chapter-level activities.
• StartupBlink: StartupBlink operates a global startup ecosystem map and ranking covering 1,000+ cities and countries. It is comparable to GEN Atlas as a data-driven ecosystem benchmarking and ranking platform used by governments, investors, and ecosystem builders — competing for the same policy and investor attention.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/unleashingideas
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCGCFAFwEI58cbqTB7N0I5Sg
• Facebookfacebook.com/unleashingideas
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/713428
• Instagraminstagram.com/genhq
• TikToktiktok.com/@unleashingideas

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Global Entrepreneurship Congress