Austria was the last nation to officially sign up for Global Entrepreneurship Week this year and we are especially grateful to the Business Council for International Understanding (BCIU) who with little noticed organized one of our global Featured Events  – a forum on “Entrepreneurship and Innovation for Central and Eastern European Competitiveness” which took place on November 15-17. At this event, business leaders, policy leaders and entrepreneurship experts exchanged thoughts on the role of entrepreneurship in the post-Communist transition. Stay tuned for more details and video.

This forum could not be timelier. The 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall on November 9th was a reminder of the importance of economic freedom to economic prosperity. Businesses and their financiers have moved 500 million people out of poverty and into a middle class. Nevertheless, as a recent article on The Economist highlighted, economic freedom has advanced over the past 20 years but it cannot be taken for granted. The key now lies in advancing a form of capitalism that puts entrepreneurs as the main growth drivers.

The fashion industry and its various associated industries in the C&EE (magazine publishing, cosmetics, fashion accessories, interior decoration and supplies, etc.) are an example of the importance of entrepreneurs for the economy. Representatives from these industries at the conference shared stories about the negative impact of the current financial downturn and the resulting restructuring. Even so, businesses have been able to recognize that some of the previously-considered absolutes in this industry, such as the buying patterns of distributors, had disappeared and bravely decided to completely change their outlook and business models to survive. Governments now have to work on a delicate balance in this regard; they must find ways to support new and growing business without creating an expectation the government will provide – a common theme we heard across the world at policy events.

Innovation and entrepreneurship are vitally important in Central and Eastern European (C&EE) nations. This region has great potential to encourage more people to turn their ingenuity and determination to create enterprises and thereby grow their economies. However, entrepreneurs need a stable environment in which to take risks and grow their businesses. Central and Eastern European governments can help unleash a new wave of entrepreneurship by setting appropriate economic rules and incentives. However, in doing so, they must avoid linear views about spurring economic growth and top down government programs.  Again a common theme we saw everywhere in the world this week is how can we help governments shake the natural public sector tendency to think “programs” and re-organizing and labeling their entrepreneurship efforts.  Role models welcome.

Around 100 people gathered for a drinks reception in Westminster on 17 November, held by the Associate Parliamentary Group on Business, Finance and Accountancy and Enterprise UK. Dignitaries included Dragon’s Den entrepreneur Peter Jones CBE, Rt Hon Pat McFadden MP, Minister for Business, Innovation and Skills and a panel of entrepreneurs.

The reception explored how the environment has changed for Britain’s entrepreneurs, and the progress of the Government’s Enterprise Strategy in a rapidly shifting business climate.

Scottish brewery founders James Watt and Martin Dickie and music promoter Aaron Kirkhouse will be hosting GEW activities at Glyndwr University this week.

Watt and Dickie, who founded the award-winning Brewdog, will judge an “Apprentice”-style competition where contestants will invent a Glyndwr Beer.  The winners will be announced on Sunday.

Kirkhouse (pictured right), who created Mint Gigs and once teamed with Simon Cowell at a Music for Heroes event, will be speaking to students at the university on Thursday in addition to judging a competition of his own.

For more information, read this article in The Leader.

On Monday and Tuesday in Vienna, Austria, the Business Council for International Understanding (BCIU) convened a forum on Entrepreneurship and Innovation for Central and Eastern European Competitiveness as part of Global Entrepreneurship Week 2009.

Coinciding with the anniversaries of the fall of the Berlin Wall and the “Velvet Revolution,” The forum brought together a cross-section of the region’s diplomats, policy makers, and established and up-and-coming entrepreneurs to discuss successful start-up sectors in Central, Eastern and South Eastern Europe. The event provided a unique opportunity for entrepreneurs, senior officials and business leaders to network, share perspectives about new strategies for growth and gain access to mentoring and funding resources.

The forum’s welcoming speaker, The Honorable William C. Eacho, III, President Obama’s newly assigned Ambassador to Austria, tapped his deep entrepreneurial background of investing in alternative energy and technology companies while CEO of private investment company Carlton Capital Group, LLC. Ambassador Eacho was joined by a diverse cast of participants including  the U.S. Ambassador to Macedonia, U.S. Embassy officials in Zagreb, Skopje and Belgrade; pioneering Hungarian entrepreneur Gabor Boraj of Graphisoft; and executives from FedEx, Amgen and the World Bank. Leading fashion industry figures from London, including Percy Parker of PPQ, Alexia Somerville and FLUX Magazine Editor Amechi Ihenacho, mentored young Viennese designers.

Senior management and regional representatives from the following organizations participated in panels and roundtables, including the ArcelorMittal Foundation; the Polish National Capital Fund; the Billion Minds Foundation; the World Fashion Association; Atlas Venture from London; 3TS Capital Partners based in Budapest and Vienna; and the Small Enterprise Assistance Fund. Several regional entrepreneurs and start-up companies also participated.

BCIU forum participants were welcomed to Vienna at a reception on Sunday evening at the official residence of Ambassador Eacho in Vienna.

The British Ambassador was invited as a guest to promote global entrepreneurship alongside Carl Schramm, the President and CEO of the Kauffman Foundation which is one of the United States’ largest foundations devoted to entrepreneurship. The British Ambassador for Italy, Edward Chaplin delivered a speech yesterday at La Sapienza University in Rome, which is thought to be the oldest public University in Rome, as part of the events taking place in Italy for Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW).

GEW 2009 saw the launch of the largest ever initiative aimed at promoting growth and entrepreneurship in Denmark. The Week took off on Monday when Danish Vice Prime Minister Mrs. Lene Espersen hosted a summit in Copenhagen. Mrs. Lene Espersen hosted a debate about the roles and responsibilities of different parts of society – the eco-system of entrepreneurship. 60 high level leaders from private businesses, the education sector, the consulting sector (public and private) and business organizations had been invited to join the summit and the debate. As part of the program Mr. Carl Schramm gave a video presentation on “Growth Opportunities during Times of Crisis”.

The main outcome was an agreement to a joint commitment to promote entrepreneurship and innovation from all key players, institutions and organisations in Denmark in order to ensure Denmark becomes one of the world’s most entrepreneurial economies by 2015. Today’s main event will be a conference on Women entrepreneurs with keynote speaker Dawn Gibbins, founder of Flowcrete Group and Barefoot.

The rest of the week will offer more than 100 events, advisory sessions, idea competitions, workshops and presentations across Denmark. These events are designed to appeal to a wide audience – from executives with growth ambitions to inventors in schools and students attracted to the idea of becoming entrepreneurs.

Global Entrepreneurship Week Romania launched START! Business, a year-long national entrepreneurship championship for student teams in 13 universities, at the Bucharest launch event on Monday.

The competitors are striving for the great prize: a seed grant to turn their pilot into a full-fledged business, and the Junior Achievers Scholarship for the European final of the competition, in July.

Global Entrepreneurship Week Romania began with a launch event attended by NGOs, entrepreneurs, media representatives, and young people eager to know more about business issues in Bucharest. Mr. Justin Berg, Deputy Chief Economic Section at the U.S. Embassy in Bucharest was a keynote speaker.

Junior Achievement entrepreneurship activities – including educational simulations in the classroom, local competitions, national and international workshops, meetings with entrepreneurs – will take place throughout the week all over Romania, directly involving over 15,000 young people.

Juan Ramón Nuñez, owner of an sound and lighting company operating in a deprived area of Buenos Aires, has been named the winner of an international competition for young entrepreneurs.

The 34-year-old was named as the winner of Youth Business International’s Entrepreneur of the Year competition at an event last night at St James’s Palace. HRH The Prince of Wales hosted the event, held to mark the first day of Global Entrepreneurship Week, and commended Juan Ramón on his achievement.

Juan Ramón was orphaned at the age of one and had to collect and sell cardboard to make a living before managing to set up first a community radio station, and then an audiovisual company. He was selected as the Entrepreneur of the Year by a high-profile judging panel which included Deborah Meaden, entrepreneur and star of BBC series Dragon’s Den.

The judges said: “We chose Juan Ramón because he displays a true entrepreneurial spirit of not accepting his lot, striving against adversity and identifying a market and then attacking that market through a scaleable business. He is a true inspiration and we wish him success in the future.”

Juan Ramón said: “This recognition is like a stepping stone for me. Its the start of a new phase in my entrepreneurial career.”

Juan Ramón, who suffers from acute heart problems, has been able to create a successful entrepreneurial career which has provided real benefits to his local community.

For four years – in the thick of the Argentine economic crisis – he saved every penny he earned as a scrap collector in order to set up a community radio station. Following its success, he was then able to launch his audiovisual operation with the help of Fundación Impulsar, a local organisation which gives funding and mentoring to young entrepreneurs in Argentina. His business, The Light of Sound has not only become a successful business venture, but also plays an important role in bringing the local community together.

Juan Ramón was competing against three other finalists in the competition: Ghadah Baaqil, a Saudi Arabian entrepreneur who established a centre for autistic children; Jorge Alberto Noverón, an eco-friendly architect in Mexico; and Philip Ross and Martin Izod, a pair of Scottish inventors who pioneered a safety door hinge.

In addition to Deborah Meaden, the judges on the panel were: Claire Young, runner-up in the 2008 BBC series The Apprentice; Rachel Bridge, the enterprise editor for The Sunday Times newspaper; Jake Meyer, a record-breaking mountaineer.

Juan Ramón will receive prize money of US$5,000 from Youth Business International. Fundación Impulsar will also receive US$5,000 in recognition of its work in supporting Juan Ramón.

Global Entrepreneurship Week 2009 will see the launch of the largest ever initiative aimed at promoting growth and entrepreneurship in Denmark. In partnership with 25 private and public organisations and institutions, the Danish vice Prime Minister Lene Espersen is spearheading the campaign “Maximize Your Potential”.

The Week opened on Monday when Mrs. Lene Espersen hosted a summit in Copenhagen. Mrs. Lene Espersen hosted a debate on the roles and responsibilities of different parts of society – the eco-system of entrepreneurship. 60 high level leaders from private businesses, the education sector, the consulting sector (public and private) and business organizations joined the summit and debate. As part of the program Kauffman CEO Carl Schramm delivered a video presentation on “Growth Opportunities during Times of Crisis”.

The main outcome was an agreement to a joint commitment to promote entrepreneurship and innovation from all key players, institutions and organisations in Denmark in order to ensure Denmark becomes one of the world’s most entrepreneurial economies by 2015.

The Week will offer more than 100 events, advisory sessions, idea competitions, workshops and presentations across Denmark. These events are designed to appeal to a wide audience – from executives with growth ambitions to inventors in schools and students attracted to the idea of becoming entrepreneurs.

Facts: “Maximize Your Potential”

• In Week 47, there will be more than 100 offers for those who dream of creating a business for themselves – or are building up an existing business. The week will include idea competitions for primary school pupils and Solution Camps where students, teachers and researchers will be invited to put forward solutions to specific challenges for Danish companies. For new companies and growth companies there will be springboards, workshops, presentations and advice.
• See the week’s programme at: www.uge47.dk
• Global Entrepreneurship Week is organised by the Danish Ministry of Economic and Business Affairs in conjunction with a broad range of partners. Read about the partners and their contribution to the campaign at: www.uge47.dk