Doha: Silatech and the Bedaya Center are offering a full slate of youth-oriented activities and workshops as part of the 2012 Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW), a worldwide initiative that celebrates the innovators and job creators who launch startup businesses and drive economic growth.
Globally held from November 12-18, this is the first year in which Qatar has participated formally in the worldwide event, which will involve over 100 other countries. Silatech is the official host organisation for Qatar, and chairs the GEW Qatar Board, a group of local organisations involved in the promotion of entrepreneurship and economic development within the country.
Four thematic streams comprise the Qatar-based GEW schedule. Silatech is organising the Youth and Social Entrepreneurship Stream, while other streams include Creative, Design and Technology; Policy, Financial and Legal; and, Individual Leadership and Entrepreneurship. Activities will be held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, and a full schedule of events can be found at www.gew-qatar.com.
Silatech activities include a Career Guidance Workshop focusing on the importance of networking, as well as an open “Ambassadors Panel” to get feedback from young people on how to best develop Qatar Ta3mal, Silatech’s soon-to-be-launched comprehensive Web portal for career guidance and entrepreneurship in Qatar. Silatech will also engage the public in a discussion of Kiva Arab Youth, an innovative project to crowd-finance young entrepreneurs throughout the Arab world.
The Bedaya Center, a partnership between Silatech and QDB, will be offering a “Business Enterprise Challenge” (simulated business problems, co-organized with Shell), an “Innovation Camp” (co-organised with Injaz Qatar), an “Open Mic” workshop to hone entrepreneurs’ pitch delivery skills, and an entrepreneurship networking event.
According to Silatech CEO Dr Tarik M Yousef: “GEW provides an excellent opportunity to raise awareness of the opportunities and challenges related to entrepreneurship in Qatar. We at Silatech and the Bedaya Center are proud to play a role in leading the development of the entrepreneurship ecosystem within Qatar and the region.”
First held in 2007, GEW is led by the Kauffman Foundation. The Platinum Sponsor of this year’s GEW-Qatar is Enterprise Qatar, while Shell is the Gold Sponsor and ictQatar is the Connect Partner. Founding Partners of the GEW-Qatar Board include Silatech, the Bedaya Center, Enterprise Qatar, the Entrepreneurs Organisation, ictQatar, the Qatar Chamber, Qatar Development Bank and the Qatar Science and Technology Park.
The Peninsula
