About the Festival
Everything about GEF 2026 — the festival, why to attend, the eVillage, and Entrepreneurship Month.
World's Biggest Entrepreneurship Festival
The Global Entrepreneurship Festival (#GEF), the world's largest and one of the most transformative entrepreneurship events, is a global platform dedicated to celebrating and catalyzing entrepreneurship across different levels and sectors while advancing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through innovation, enterprise, creativity, technology and collaboration. Held annually during Global Entrepreneurship Week, the three-day experiential festival brings together business leaders, entrepreneurs, innovators, MSMEs, creators, c-suite executives, startups, and policymakers from around the World. Featuring 12 impactful events running concurrently, GEF fosters partnerships, empowers communities, and drives solutions to address critical global challenges, including poverty eradication, gender equality, climate action, economic inclusion, quality education, and sustainable urban development.
Learning from Experts
By engaging global speakers and panelists, along with workshops and masterclasses, participants can acquire valuable insights into the latest trends, strategies, and practices in entrepreneurship.
Networking Opportunities
GEF brings together a mix of entrepreneurs, investors, industry leaders, and innovators, providing an opportunity to build valuable connections and expand networks.
Explore Global Markets
GEF is a window to global markets, offering insights into how different cultures and economies operate and providing ideas for expansion and collaboration.
Why the World Comes to GEF
A Global Platform for Leadership, Enterprise and Economic Transformation
The Global Entrepreneurship Festival convenes entrepreneurs, investors, government leaders, policymakers, business executives, development institutions, innovators, and ecosystem leaders to advance investment, enterprise, innovation, and international collaboration.
GEF is where leadership, capital, policy, and opportunity converge. Because the future is shaped by those in the room, not those reading about it.
Influence Global Conversations
Engage with leaders shaping the future of entrepreneurship, investment, innovation, trade, and economic development.
Build Strategic Relationships
Connect with decision-makers across government, business, finance, and the global entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Unlock New Opportunities
Access investment, partnerships, international markets, and high-value collaborations.
Strengthen Your Global Presence
Position your organisation alongside influential institutions, industry leaders, and emerging innovators from around the world.
Viewers
In-person Delegates
Investors & VCs
Exhibitors
Global Speakers
TV Stations
About the eVillage — Africa's Silicon Valley
Building Africa's Talent & Innovation Economy. Strengthening Institutions. Transforming Economies.
Entrepreneurship Village is a world-class institution dedicated to building the people, institutions, and ecosystems that drive entrepreneurship, innovation, investment, and sustainable economic growth across Africa.
Recognised as Africa's Silicon Valley and Africa's Talent Factory, it integrates enterprise development, artificial intelligence, technology, research, business education, investment readiness, policy engagement, leadership development, and access to global market into one collaborative ecosystem designed to strengthen national competitiveness and accelerate economic transformation.
Working alongside governments, development finance institutions, corporations, universities, investors, philanthropies, and ecosystem partners, Entrepreneurship Village develops entrepreneurial talent, supports innovation-driven enterprises, advances research, and fosters strategic partnerships that create jobs, attract investment, and build globally competitive economies.
Thriving economies are built by strong entrepreneurs, strong institutions, and strong ecosystems.
Institutions within the E-Village
- ✓Africa Business College
- ✓New York Institute of Finance
- ✓School of Robotics and Artificial Intelligence
- ✓The Octagon Business Hub
- ✓Innovation Nest
- ✓London Academy Business School
- ✓Mega Minds Creative Academy
- ✓Research Cube
This collective ecosystem aims to foster a dynamic environment conducive to entrepreneurial excellence, educational advancement, and technological innovation on a global scale.
About Global Entrepreneurship Month
Opening the World's Month of Entrepreneurship
Every November, the global community comes together to advance entrepreneurship, innovation, investment, and economic development during Global Entrepreneurship Month, a worldwide observance uniting governments, entrepreneurs, investors, businesses, universities, development institutions, and innovation ecosystems across more than 200 countries and territories.
The Global Entrepreneurship Festival (GEF) proudly opens this global observance by convening world leaders, entrepreneurs, investors, policymakers, corporate executives, development finance institutions, multilateral organisations, and ecosystem builders on one international platform.
As the first major global convening of Global Entrepreneurship Month, GEF sets the stage for the dialogue, partnerships, investments, and collaborations that shape entrepreneurial ecosystems throughout the month and beyond.
More than a festival, GEF is a global platform where leadership, enterprise, innovation, investment, and policy converge to strengthen economies, unlock opportunity, and advance sustainable development.
From cross border trade to shared prosperity, GEF is where the world begins the conversations that shape the future of entrepreneurship.
Our Partners
