On September 21, a half-day conference was organized by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the U.S. Department of State. The conference was attended by 50 representatives from the private, academic, and not-for-profit sectors, which have been supporting and promoting entrepreneurship across the globe. The event was entitled, ‘Successful Approaches to Fostering Entrepreneurship,’ and it helped initiate a new Entrepreneurship Toolkit. The participants got a unique opportunity to share experiences, research, and discuss the best approach to support the entrepreneurs in the early stages of their venture. The event and toolkit are branches of the State Department-led Global Entrepreneurship Program (GEP) launched by Secretary of State Clinton during the Presidential Summit on Entrepreneurship in April 2010.
The United States recognizes the value of entrepreneurship, not only in the country, but also in other countries. It realizes that entrepreneurship provides job opportunities and has positive effect on trade. The program is very beneficial as it helps the United States to identify and promote entrepreneurs throughout the world.
The Entrepreneurship Toolkit has been developed by USAID’s Business Growth Initiative in conjunction with the GEP; it aims to help GEP partners design, implement, and monitor successful entrepreneurship development programs, around the world. The participants will be able to gain access to information about the best practices in entrepreneurship, case-studies, and links to development partners, and will also help answer some important questions. it will also provide them with relevant study materials. The toolkit will be open to changes, and is made flexible in order to adapt to the changing entrepreneurship scenario. Today, entrepreneurship has emerged as a strong economic force that helps provide global job opportunities, thereby having a great influence on the economic and political stability of a country. The United States already has expertise and a wide experience in entrepreneurship, and can thus help other countries, in the same field.
At present, the GEP coordinates the efforts and resources of 125 U.S. and foreign partners in six areas of activity that are imperative for the development of entrepreneurship. These areas are: identifying promising entrepreneurs, training them, connecting them to local and international networks, increasing access to financing, encouraging a supportive regulatory and policy environment, and celebrating the success of entrepreneurs. Though initially the program only had countries with Muslim majority, as its pilot, but now it is aiming to help other countries as well.
Visit this link to gain more information on, and to access the Entrepreneurship Toolkit.
