World Entrepreneurship Day 2009

Here’s a fantastic opportunity for our young followers interested in gaining some entrepreneurial experience.

Check it out - Enternships

While this is mainly a UK-based organization, there are plenty of opportunities for home-based internships and internships in other countries (i.e. Amsterdam, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Bolivia, Peru, Netherlands, United States, Philippines, Canada, China, Singapore).

How it works:

1) Create a profile.

2) Upload your resume/CV.

3) Browse opportunities & get interviews.

Their FAQ is really helpful in understanding how it works.

Richard Banfield of Fresh Tilled Soil, our website sponsor, made the excellent point - who is going to start a US-based “Enternships?”

(contributed by Alberto de pablo)

Our SAGE team first sought out an organization that we could raise money for and help. So we decided to go with NextAid and the GO campaign.

We wanted to raise money for their Kawangware project which helps children and single mothers in the slums of Kenya, while helping them build better working conditions. (http://nextaid.org/kawangware.htm)

On World Entrepreneurship Day, we had a two part event - first an assembly in which we educated the Santa Monica High School campus about the devastating effects that are occurring in the Kenyan slums and the efforts that NextAid and the GO campaign are doing to help these children.

The second part was our International Fair where our Virtual Enterprise Class and the Project ECHO class researched over 35 different countries and learned about their major imports and exports, GDP per capita, business customs, and HDI’s (Human Development Index) . After we learned these facts we share them with at least 1,500 other students on our campus.

In addition, we teamed up with a SAGE team in Uganda. They sent us products, like wooden sculptures, jewelry, and also some paintings. (featured in picture above) We held a silent auction, from which we have raised over $750 for the Ugandan team.

We applied for the Youth Venture Grant and received $1,000 for start-up capital. We have also raised almost $400 for the NextAid and the GO Campaign organization.

(Contributed by Omar Diaw, WED Senegal Host Organizer - picture below)

On World Entrepreneurship Day, we were looking for the opportunity to change the paradigm in Senegal, to change not only the way young girls here think, but also the way our culture feels about what African women can do. We have started a cultural revolution in SENEGAL against how girls are perceived in our culture. We SIFE students believe that one of the world’s most important resources is its young people. Education not only gives them a greater voice in their own lives, but ensures a brighter future for themselves and their communities.

Therefore, on World Entrepreneurship Day, we educated 192 young girls (aged 15-22) in Senegal (Africa) on the skills of entrepreneurship. The results were remarkable.

We followed this dynamic curriculum:

• Course 1: How to Be an Entrepreneur?
• Course 2: The Challenges of Youth Entrepreneurship
• Course 3: What is Leadership?
• Course 4: How to be a Leader in Your Community
  

The most important lesson we shared with these girls was: ”Every entrepreneurial project requires preparation, discipline and teamwork”

After we finished our training we asked them to assess our courses and their feedback was amazing. Aida, a 14 year old girl, said:

“This freely given training will change my life forever cause I couldn’t imagine it was possible to learn such things like how to create a company and run it successfully!”

The impact on the young students was remarkable. Imagine some of them already have ideas of creating an enterprise with the help of their parents. We awarded them certificates co-signed by SIFE and USAID.

Community Awareness

A society that wants more entrepreneurs to ensure its survival and long-term growth must work to develop an entrepreneurial culture in its community because entrepreneurs contribute to greater wealth creation. The effectiveness of government policies to support the creation and the resumption of business will only bear full fruit if all the actors of economic development - among which are the educators in our country - work together to develop creativity and new attitudes of young people who are feel unsafe to take risks or make change… With our help, these young people will be better prepared to create sustainable businesses.

(our SIFE team with the School Principal)

Our personal success

With the precious support of the school administration and the teachers we were able to train the young girls in a very comfortable atmosphere. The training sessions we did with the young girls had a very profound transformational change on the young girls and on us as well. Overall, we have inspired these young girls and they have inspired us as well. We were kind of role models for them and as a result, felt a profound personal growth and transformational change within ourselves…

“This has been an experience that we’ll

never forget for the rest of our lives.”

– Omar Diaw, Senegal WED Host Organizer.

From Bill Grant, Program Manager of the Technology Management Program at the University of California, Santa Barbara:

“World Entrepreneurship Day was a perfect way for us to highlight our many strands of Entrepreneurial DNA on the campus of the University of California, Santa Barbara. We created a new annual lecture series around it called “The Tomorrow Makers” which includes the story of  our UCSB serial entrepreneurs and  international guests.”

Guest keynotes included the following distinguished technology entrepreneurs:

Michael Crandell

CEO & Founder, RightScale Inc.

Kara Swisher

Co-Executive Editor, Wall Street Journal

Co-Producer & Co-Host, D: All Things Digital,

A major high-tech and media conference

Robert Siegel (Panel Moderator)

General Partner at X/Seed Capital Management

Stephen J. Golden, Ph.D.

Chief Technical Officer, Co-Founder, Director

Alison Perry

Vice President of Finance/CFO

Inogen, Inc.

Davis Brimer

Co-Founder & CEO

Active Life Technologies

Rodney A. Ferguson, J.D., Ph.D.

Co-Founder and Managing Director,

Panorama Capital (2001-pres)

Alexander Manu

Chief Imaginator

InnoSpa International Partners

“On the occasion of the World Entrepreneurship Day on April 17^th, Entrepreneurship Development Centre Tuzla, University of Tuzla and  Business Start Up Center within the University of Tuzla organized the presentation and discussion “The role of entrepreneurship in development of Tuzla Canton and importance of entrepreneurship in economy crisis overcoming“

Attendants were representatives of the University of Tuzla, governmental and nongovernmental, representatives, experts from the field of entrepreneurship, successful entrepreneurs, and students.

Speakers emphasized the role of the entrepreneurship in development of Tuzla Canton and importance of entrepreneurship in overcoming economy crisis. Useful materials on entrepreneurship were given to attendants after the discussion.

Entrepreneurship Development Centre Tuzla, University of Tuzla and Business Start Up Center within the University of Tuzla will continue to implement projects from the field of entrepreneurship and every year we will celebrate the World Entrepreneurship Day in appropriate way, with aim to remind everyone on importance of entrepreneurship for development of the economy.”

(WED Story contributed by Mirela Arifovic of the Entrepreneurship Development Centre of Tuzla University in Bosnia & Herzegovina)

“In Kenya, rains have been minimal this year and predictions are it will be worse this year on food security. Currently over 10 million Kenyans are faced with hunger. On friday, my colleagues and I discussed how entrepreneurial strategies will be required to address food security issues in Kenya.

It has become common for the government to always appeal for donor assistance to assist the starving Kenyans and yet we have so much land that can be used to grow food crops! In the future, we hope to explore ways of assisting farmers in addressing the issue of food security.

The strategies must mix entrepreneurial strategies with social goals for long term and wider benefit to the public and not just private gain. This would entail availing credit and carrying out trainings to farmers and even issues of storage and market linkages. In financing, creating a fund that will help those with a wider public benefit will be given priority.”

(WED Story contributed by Mr. Carlos Chege from Kenya’s Center for Social Entrepreneurship & Accounting)

It is Monday morning after the inaugural World Entrepreneurship Day, and the stories continue to flow in! I think I can speak for all the entrepreneurial org’s that celebrated on Friday when I say how reluctant we are to let go of the inspiration & empowerment that was held on Friday worldwide. However, let us remember - we must celebrate & empower entrepreneurs everyday!

Here is one story that came from SIFE Egypt @ Ain Shams University, one of the greatest and oldest Egyptian universities. It was founded in 1950 and is home to more than 180,000 students and 5,000 staff members!

SIFE EGYPT’s Celebration on World Entrepreneurship Day, April 17^th, 2009

First: We thought it would be very important that as many people as possible should know what this day represents and how the world is celebrating …so our team (consisting of 11 members of teenagers participating in the carried activities) made circulars sharing:

• What the world is celebrating on the 17th of april,
• The meaning of entrepreneurship and importance of entrepreneurs’ services to the world.
• Plus some inspirational, success, and entrepreneurial quotes to brighten their day and make the recipient of these circulars rethink their careers to be one of the future entrepreneurs that the world is in need for.

This was distributed to 1,500 people of our community from teenagers to adults.

Second: we thought that talking with an entrepreneur and gaining from his experience and following his success story would be very valuable on such a day. So we went to a business owner (Copper Shaping), who started from scratch and became the owner of a big workshop and factory for copper and stainless shaping.

We interviewed him and partnered with a local egyptian magazine to publish the story so that all people would benefit from his experience and tackling with tough situations and life challenges. We as a team working on applying entrepreneurship and helping people start their own business have gained a lot that can facilitate our mission.

Finally thank you for giving us a chance to be a part of this world celebration and rejuvenation. We are hoping to contribute with all our efforts and energy for spreading entrepreneurship in our local community till next year’s day too.

WED-participants from Egypt have created this WED video to share with the world - their message is powerful, clear, and thought-provoking.

Fantastic job - YOU ladies are entrepreneurial heroes!!

World Entrepreneurship Day LIVE in action - it’s a worldwide celebration! Organizations from Mexico to Australia are hosting activities & events to RE-SPARK the innovative fire!

Here are a few outstanding examples of worldwide events happening today:

Canada ‘s Momentum Community Economic Development organization will host a dynamic networking event and educational keynote presentation for Canadian entrepreneurs.

California’s Santa Monica High School SAGE chapter will impact 2,500 students with an assembly, educational global trade fair, and a cultural carnival to increase global economic and social awareness.

Washington D.C.’s George Washington University will host their first GW Business Plan Competition on World Entrepreneurship Day, with oral presentations by the eight finalist teams (chosen out of over 200 teams that applied) to a panel of entrepreneurs and venture capital investors. They will be making an announcement about WED and the importance of entrepreneurship to the rejuvenation of our nation’s economy.

Tanzania’s Vision Saccos will host a large entrepreneurship conference offering training on microfinance and market research for their entrepreneurial members. They welcome any speakers, volunteers, and presenters from other countries.

Chicago’s “Diamonds in the Ruff” children organization will be “contacting all the youth that have come through the Diamonds in the Ruff Children’s Society, GEMS (Global Entrepreneurs and Management Scholars) program to find out the status of their businesses and to make sure they each recognize this day as the day they chose to make the World their marketplace.”

California’s UC Santa Barbara Technology Management Program will host three technology visionary keynotes in a dynamic “Tomorrow Maker” seminar.

Colorado’s University of Colorado will host Gov. Bill Ritter, who will announce information and communications technology (ICT) as a pillar of the Colorado economy, officially recognizing the importance of technological entrepreneurship to the state’s future prosperity alongside other pillars such as clean energy, tourism, education and transportation. They will close World Entrepreneurship Day with the announcement of the CU New Venture Challenge winners, the university’s first campus-wide business plan competition for students and faculty, with prizes totaling more than $12,000.

Chicago ’s Diamonds in the Ruff Childrens’ Society will celebrate “by contacting all the youth that have come through the Diamonds in the Ruff Children’s Society, GEMS (Global Entrepreneurs and Management Scholars) program to find out the status of their businesses and to make sure they each recognize this day as the day they chose to make the World their marketplace.”

In Kenya, youth unemployment is a key concern for Kenya as 75% of its population is youth and 80% of graduates are still unemployed. Last month, USIU SIFE held an entrepreneurship Conference to allow the youth to come up with those innovations necessary to enhance developments in the various sectors of the economy including technology, entertainment, clothing and design, etc. The winners of the Conference will be announced today to act as an incentive for more people to embrace entrepreneurship.

Cameroon’s Youth Business Cameroon says, “To be part of this wonderful initiative we’re going to organize an Entrepreneurship Development workshop involving students and unemployed graduates from Douala Universities and several other private Institutions in the town. Focus will be made on Agri-business and ICT.”

Virginia’s Bridgewater College plans to officially launch their new “Collegiate Entrepreneurs’ Organization” and hopefully announce a new Entrepreneurship degree concentration!

California’s Chapman University will host several interesting and innovative events that day to promote entrepreneurship both on our campus and in a global manner also via postings on websites.

Tennessee’s University of Tennessee @ Chattanooga will be inducting two local entrepreneurs into the UTC College of Business Entrepreneurship Hall of Fame. Their induction dinner is will include 250 guests, including students, faculty, and members of the community.

Mexico’s Foundation Innovapyme will be hosting an event to “drive and promote innovation in the small and medium enterprises they are linked to.”

Tanzania’s Africa Biofuel organization will be hosting an event to “provide leadership to the development of the green energy biofuel industry in East Africa and facilitate independence on fossil fuel for rural East Africa.”

Wisconsin’s School of Business is hosting a Cupid’s Cup Business Competition - see live webcasts! Their event coordinator says, “ Entrepreneurship leads to innovation — it answers questions and provides solutions to real and emerging needs,” says Anne Miner, professor of Management and Human Resources at the Wisconsin School of Business and director of the G. Steven Burrill Business Plan Competition. “Through this annual event students have the opportunity to come together and create answers to society’s most challenging problems. We are so excited to share with the world these innovative ideas that will drive the future of business.”

World Rejuvenation through

Entrepreneurship LIVE in action!

…made possible by our heroic event

organizers around the world - thank you!

Take a moment to share your opinion in our polls. Results will be buried in our entrepreneurial time capsule tonight!

Who is the greatest entrepreneur today (2009)?

• Is it Richard Branson Creator of the revolutionary Virgin brand? I heard the Virgin airplanes have WiFi…
• Is it Steve Jobs? He created a little thing called the iPod. And something called an iPhone. I’m sure you’ve heard of them.
• Is it Oprah? A new Twitterer as of today, she’s impacted the world in every way - started schools in Africa and a child abuser database; the list goes on.
• Is it Sergey Brin & Larry Page? Google, keepers of the world’s information, creators of Google Earth, Gmail, etc.
• Is it Mark Zuckerberg? Father of Facebook, pioneer of the new user interface…

Who is the greatest INVENTOR today (2009)?

• Is it Alexander Graham Bell? Inventor of the telephone, which has revolved into the cell phone, which has revolved into the iPhone.
• Is it Steve Wozniak? Inventor of the Personal Computer -  The vehicle by which so many other inventions have been created, connector of people around the globe, launchpad for all new technologies.
• Is it Jonas Salk? Inventor of the Polio vaccine, saver of millions of lives..
• Is it Dean Kamen? Inventor of the Segway human transporter, inventor of the first all-terrain electric wheelchair, too. Hopefully I won’t have to thank him for that one! Inventor of the first insulin pump..
• Is it Bill Gates? Inventor of Windows, the language billions of people around the world speak? Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, Excel, the list goes on.

Good luck! May the best entrepreneur & inventor win!

And HAPPY WORLD ENTREPRENEURSHIP DAY!