This November, Global Entrepreneurship Week is working with early-stage investor groups and associations around the world to highlight the important role that business angels play in helping new firms start and scale – driving innovation, jobs and economic growth around the world.
Global Business Angels Day (GBAD) on Thursday, November 20, 2014 provides an opportunity for angels to build and strengthen their regional entrepreneurial ecosystems, helping to enhance connections with startup communities and policymakers alike, while providing invaluable knowledge sharing and resources for all those who work with entrepreneurs. GBAD is a chance for all early-stage investors to connect with community leaders as well as local media through events and competitions, local programs for entrepreneurs, policy research and growing regional networks.
WHY GET INVOLVED?
Global Entrepreneurship Week is recognized in 150 countries with roughly 7 million people participating in events, activities and competitions that are building one global ecosystem. A visibly active business angel community during Global Entrepreneurship Week benefits early-stage investors in a number of ways, including:
• Increasing the public understanding of business angel activities and their value to the community
• Expanding the ranks of early-stage investors and angel groups into new locations and emerging markets
• Enhancing recognition for the entrepreneurial successes of startups financially backed by business angels
• Amplifying the voice of angel groups and associations in shaping governmental policies that support early-stage investing
• Identifying opportunities to collaborate on research within the angel market – i.e. deal screening processes enabling multiple “checks and balances”
• Strengthening the connective tissue among all parts of the local, regional and national startup ecosystems
HOW CAN YOU GET INVOLVED?
• Communicate. Help us amplify the visibility and awareness of GBAD and early stage investors everywhere by contributing to a global dialogue through:
-Writing op-eds about the importance of business angels for your local and/or national media
-Writing blogs for your own website or other popular sites
-Answering a Q&A from the GEW team
-Spreading the word about #GBAD and #GEW2014 through social media
• Organize. Plan and hold an event or competition during GEW that we can all highlight on November 20, 2014. It can be as simple as holding a networking reception or as involved as a pitch session or competition. Make sure to register your event.
• Encourage. Encourage partners and others in your network to host their own events related to early-stage investing or even startups in general during GBAD or any other day during GEW.
• Participate. Attend an event, become a judge in a competition, provide mentoring and more during GEW, especially on November 20.
• Look Ahead. While GBAD is happening in November, you should consider joining other business angels at the Global Entrepreneurship Congress in Milan, Italy in March 2015. More details to come at http://gec.co.
