The Bermuda Economic Development Corporation [BEDC] is gearing up for the 2022 Global Entrepreneurship Week [GEW] celebrations which will be taking place during the month of November.
A spokesperson said, “Launched in 2008, GEW is celebrated worldwide from November 14th – 20th. It has grown to include over 170 host countries, 50,000 partner organizations with millions of activities planned worldwide. Bermuda has participated in GEW since the start and has been recognized globally at the Global Entrepreneurship Congress for hosting the most events per capita – and this year, there will be plenty on offer to get involved in.
“The celebrations of entrepreneurship will kick off on Friday, October 28th, with the Tech Week Event titled Power Up with Web 3.0 – Leveraging Web 3.0 to Step Up Your Entrepreneurial Game. The panel discussion featuring Stephanie Smellie, Web 3.0 Advisor & Consultant, Sean Stapley, Senior Partner & Co-Founder at Penrose, and Karee Luna, Founder of Hai Tyde’s What the NFT?, focuses on how entrepreneurs can leverage this technology in their businesses and learn to position themselves for the future!
“The BEDC continues its partnership with Driven Society to bring Bermuda entrepreneurs InspireCon. On Thursday, November 3rd, join us for a day-packed lineup of talent, including Arianna Rose, Brandon Pankey, Soleil Laurent and Songe LaRon. Born in Bermuda in 2019, InspireCon is an international event series focused on entertainment and enrichment, where ideas are born, cultivated, and released to effect change in our communities.
“On Friday, November 4th, entrepreneurs are invited to the Festival of Entrepreneurship. This year we celebrate the resilience of Bermuda’s small business owners and entrepreneurs. Celebrating Resilience will be a gathering of like-minded entrepreneurs and community leaders focused on the continual growth and support of Bermuda’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.
“On Saturday, November 12th, the BEDC Business Awards will take place; to celebrate the achievements, growth & resilience of Bermuda’s entrepreneurs. This event will feature local businesses that the public has nominated in recognition of their success within the last year.
“The Rocket Pitch Competition is always an exciting time with entrepreneurs from six categories this year, including Pitch Pink, Pitch Town, Pitch Tech, Pitch Green, Youth Pitch and Pitch Food & Beverage, battling out to see whose idea will come out on top and take home the $5,000 cash award and a start-up package of services to help them launch their business. Applications are being accepted for the competition until Sunday, October 23rd, by 11:59pm, so don’t miss out on the chance to win start-up capital for your business.
“On Wednesday, November 16th, youth entrepreneurs are invited to join us as we bring together Bermuda’s Youngest CEOs for an evening of networking, inspiration, and encouragement. This event aims to bring together Bermuda’s youth entrepreneurs, budding CEOs, and youth who have an interest in entrepreneurship.
“On Thursday, November 17th, for the first time, BEDC will be hosting a special event for men only. The event, Next Man Up, will be a space for Men in Entrepreneurship to come together, learn and grow as small business owners and CEO’s. This event will include canapés, drinks, networking, and a panel discussion on topics including worklife balance, health & wellness, and more!
“This year, BEDC Presents Inspi[Her], the 2022 Women’s Entrepreneurship Weekend Retreat that you don’t want to miss! The Women’s Entrepreneurship Weekend Retreat, November 18th – 20th, is an event that brings together women for a celebration of entrepreneurship, empowerment, and connection. The conference will include international and local speakers. Women are invited to enjoy a dynamic event that includes networking opportunities, a full-day conference, vision board workshops, pampering & wellness sessions, and more.
“Lastly, Cyber Monday Bermuda is an online initiative aimed at encouraging residents to Shop Local Online and to support the development of local e-commerce businesses in Bermuda. The BEDC invites Bermuda to shop online and #chooseBermuda on November 28th for Cyber Monday 2022.”
Jamillah Lodge, Director of Communication & Development for BEDC and GEW Project Manager, said, “We are eager for another exciting year of great events for Global Entrepreneurship Week. We are grateful to have so many opportunities lined up to showcase Bermudians’ entrepreneurial spirit. We continue to see many entrepreneurs succeed and bring their visions to life, and we want to inspire people to make their business ideas a reality and celebrate those that have already started on that journey. We encourage anyone interested in starting their own business, or those who want to support small businesses and entrepreneurs, to come out and take part in the events put on during the month of November and beyond.”
The spokesperson said, “GEW Bermuda’s partners and supporters are organizations and people that share the goal of inspiring entrepreneurs to embrace innovation, imagination, and creativity for the greater benefit of Bermuda. They come from the private sector, government, and even the third sector. We want to thank all our sponsors and partners for their continued support of Global Entrepreneurship Week Bermuda and a special thank you to our major sponsor’s this year, Bacardi Limited and the Bermuda Tourism Authority.
“The line-up of amazing events continues to grow as sponsors and partners continue to come on board. To view all events, learn more, or to get involved, please visit www.gew.bm, email [email protected] or call 292-5570.”
