Enterprise Week

Categories:: Special Interest
Tags:: Educational Work
Where:: United Kingdom
Date change rule:: Week starting with the 2nd Monday of November
Holiday emoji:: 💡

Enterprise Week, also known as Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW), unites aspiring business leaders and investors every second Monday of November. This week-long event sparks innovation, provides mentorship, and connects young entrepreneurs with a global network. Join workshops, pitch competitions, and networking events to launch your next big idea.

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History
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Businesses
FAQs
Importance
Observe

Expected Enterprise Week Deals

Enterprise Week is less about consumer deals and more about fostering growth and connections for entrepreneurs. Look for free webinars, discounted online courses, and mentorship programs offered by organizations like the Small Business Administration (SBA) and SCORE. Many co-working spaces, such as WeWork, may offer free trial days or special rates for new members during this period. Tech companies like Stripe and Canva often provide resources and special offers for startups. We will update this page with confirmed live events and resources as November approaches.

Platform Guide for Enterprise Week

Tag National Today (linkedin.com/company/nationaltoday) and use #EnterpriseWeek. Share insights on entrepreneurship, career growth, and innovative business ideas.

X/Twitter

Mention @NatlToday and use #EnterpriseWeek. Follow real-time updates from events, share inspiring founder stories, and engage in discussions on innovation.

YouTube

Subscribe to @NationalToday for holiday video content. Watch inspiring interviews with entrepreneurs, pitch competition highlights, and educational content on business development.

Enterprise Week Hero

Steve Blank

Steve Blank is a Silicon Valley entrepreneur, academician, and author best known for developing the Customer Development methodology, which launched the Lean Startup movement. His work has profoundly influenced how startups are built and funded, emphasizing iterative product development and customer feedback.

History of Enterprise Week

The term ‘entrepreneur’ derives from the Old French word ‘entreprendre,’ meaning ‘enterprise’ or ‘undertaking.’ It crossed the English Channel to Great Britain ‌in the 15th century, but it wasn’t until 1852 that it took on the meaning we know today: a person who organizes and operates a business and assumes much of the risk. Global Entrepreneurship Week (G.E.W.) is an international observance that was born in 2008 out of Enterprise Week U.K.

After the idea crossed the Atlantic as Entrepreneurship Week U.S.A. in 2007, the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation made it an annual week-long celebration of young entrepreneurship in the global marketplace in 2008. When the establishment was announced in 2007, representatives from 37 countries were present, including Jonathan Ortmans, president of G.E.W.; Carl Schramm, former president and C.E.O. of the Kauffman Foundation; and Gordon Brown, former prime minister of the United Kingdom.

Every year, for a week, entrepreneurs, investors, and policymakers from every continent connect with innovators and job creators to help launch their startups. The G.E.W. experience helps them plot their entrepreneurial careers with the insight of those who have strived for similar success before them, whether through local, national, or global activities.

With thousands of events in a variety of formats, from large-scale competitions to cozy seminars, the air is constantly abuzz with the excitement of new possibilities. A diverse range of entrepreneurship support organizations are also present at G.E.W. events, making it a great place to start your search for potential collaborators, mentors, or investors.

Enterprise Week timeline

2000 B.C.

Old Money

Silver bars are used as currency to trade for a variety of commodities in Ancient Iraq.

1397 A.D.

First Bank

Giovanni Medici establishes the iconic Medici Bank in Florence, the largest of its kind at the time.

1695

Rule Britannia

The Bank of England is the first to issue permanent banknotes.

1983

Crypto

American cryptographer David Chaum conceives the idea of digital currency.

How Businesses Can Celebrate Enterprise Week

Local businesses can actively participate in Enterprise Week by hosting workshops or informational sessions for aspiring entrepreneurs in their community. Consider offering free mentorship hours, sponsoring a local pitch competition, or providing discounted services to new startups. Highlighting your commitment to fostering local innovation can build goodwill and attract new talent.

Enterprise Week FAQs

When is Enterprise Week?

In 2026, Enterprise Week (Global Entrepreneurship Week) runs from Monday, November 9, through Sunday, November 15. It’s a pivotal time for innovators and investors worldwide.

How many countries participate in Enterprise Week?

Enterprise Week, or Global Entrepreneurship Week, involves over 180 countries worldwide. Millions of participants engage in events designed to foster entrepreneurship and innovation each year.

What is the goal of Enterprise Week?

The primary goal of Enterprise Week is to inspire individuals everywhere to explore their potential as entrepreneurs. It aims to connect them to potential collaborators, mentors, and investors, fostering a vibrant global startup ecosystem.

Who organizes Global Entrepreneurship Week?

Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) is primarily overseen by the Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN). GEN is a year-round platform of programs and initiatives aimed at creating one global entrepreneurial ecosystem.

How to Observe Enterprise Week

Become an entrepreneur
The world needs entrepreneurs! It all starts with an idea that has the potential to change people’s lives. Attend a G.E.W. event and learn about how to get your business idea funded, set up, and running.
Help spread the word
The organizers of G.E.W. have made available an online toolkit that can help boost your start-up, idea, or activity’s online footprint. It can also help local communities empower people to become entrepreneurs.
Celebrate a local business
Do you know of a small-business owner in your community who could benefit from an entrepreneurial investment? Why not encourage them to take part in G.E.W. events to find investors willing to take their business to the next level?

Why We Love

Working for yourself
The greatest motivation for Americans to become entrepreneurs is being their own boss.
The American Dream
Almost nine of every 10 millionaires in the United States began from scratch as entrepreneurs.
Follow the leader
Unfortunately, the United States ranks only sixth in the world in terms of business development, with Canada holding the top spot.
Work, work, work
According to estimates, an entrepreneur works 66 hours per week on average.
A winning formula
The most common reason startups fail is because of poor market research.

Why Enterprise Week is Important

The winning spirit
An entrepreneur is a “risk-taker.” By experimenting with products and services, entrepreneurs benefit society by providing employment and helping to speed up the pace of economic change.
It celebrates human curiosity
Entrepreneurship is the mechanism by which our society’s brightest stars are incentivized to bring their best ideas to the fore. By keeping the wheels of progress turning, entrepreneurs are constantly helping to upgrade our world.
Innovate to accelerate
Entrepreneurship is the soul of innovation, and it can quickly step in to address people’s real needs. For instance, when the unemployment rate hits an all-time low, entrepreneurs have the power to step in and create jobs for people in need.