Description: While the gatherings of international organizations such as the World Bank, OECD and APEC have offered much attention to supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), there has been less dialogue and collaboration globally among senior government leaders on policies focused on new and young firms to encourage more high growth startups—a major driver of economic growth and job creation. The GEC Policy Summit explores this gap by sharing effective national approaches in assisting indigenous startups. Participants will hear from representatives from the White House and World Bank as well as nations like Israel, Italy, Chile and Brazil who will offer ideas of value to all leaders around the world working to find smart ways to unleash the creative potential of their nascent entrepreneurs.

1:30 pm         OPENING REMARKS

Jonathan Ortmans
Chair, Global Entrepreneurship Congress

1:45 pm         HELPING ENTREPRENEURS START STRONG
Panelists will discuss different government policy innovations to encourage and enable more startups as drivers of job creation, innovation and economic growth

Moderator:

Jonathan Ortmans
Chair, Global Entrepreneurship Congress

Panelists:

Ayla Matalon

Executive Director, MIT Enterprise Forum of Israel

Conrad von Ingel

Executive Director, InnovaChile

Alessandro Fusacchia

Chief Counselor to the Minister for Economic Development – Italy

Esperanza Lasagabaster

Service Line Manager, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, World Bank

Patrick Lim

Head for New Business Support, SPRING Singapore

Lesa Mitchell

Vice President of Innovation and Networks, Kauffman Foundation

3:00 pm         BREAK

3:30 pm       REMOVING BARRIERS TO SCALING UP
Panelists will discuss smart government strategies to facilitate faster scaling of existing high growth firms.

Moderator:

Randall Kempner
Executive Director, Aspen Network ofDevelopment Entrepreneurs

Panelists:

Daniel Isenberg

Executive Director, Babson Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Project

Fiorina Mugione

Chief of Entrepreneurship Section, Division on Investment and Enterprise, UNCTAD

Ricardo Michel

Deputy Director of the Office of Innovation and Development Alliances, USAID

Humberto Riberto

Secretary of Trade and Services, Brazilian Ministry of Development, Industry, and Foreign Trade

4:30 pm         GLOBAL DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS

An open discussion with representatives from other nations sending delegations to the GEC followed by a Concluding Panel highlighting what nations can take away from the Summit.

Facilitator:

Joe Leahy

Brazil Bureau Chief, Financial Times

Lesa Mitchell

Vice President for Innovation and Networks, Kauffman Foundation

Dan Isenberg

Executive Director, Babson Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Project

5:30 pm         CLOSING REMARKS: THE RISE OF RIO AS AN ENTREPRENEURSHIP ECOCYSTEM

Introduction

Diogo Brunnaci

Director of Government Relations, SAP

Eduarda La Roque
President of Instituto Pereira Passos, Municipality of Rio de Janeiro

Julio Bueno
Secretary for Development, Energy, Industry and Services, State of Rio de Janeiro