Global Youth Entrepreneurship Summit 2019

The Global Youth Entrepreneurship Summit (GYES) is Youth Business International’s flagship, bi-annual event.

Held in June in Cartagena, Colombia, the theme for 2019 was “Innovation for Impact”. Over three days, 100+ participants convened to build connections and explore the key trends, challenges and opportunities shaping youth entrepreneurship today.

What is GYES? 

GYES is a space for YBI members to connect with game changers and sector innovators through workshops and facilitated discussions to explore, ideate, collaborate, and generate new approaches that respond to the ever-changing needs, challenges and aspirations of young entrepreneurs globally.

GYES themes

Participants had the opportunity to explore key topics and share their expertise with the world's leading organisations in youth entrepreneurship support. Our themes for the week were:

• Future - we looked at the key trends in youth entrepreneurship and what we need to be thinking about for the future of work. We explored what innovation really means and how we harness it to increase our collective impact.
• Progress - we discussed in depth the skills needed by young people to thrive as entrepreneurs tackling topics such as migrant youth, digital barriers and entrepreneurship in rural communities. We looked for ways to further develop the services that we offer as a network to the young entrepreneurs we support.
• Growth - we explored the continuing collective challenges of sustainability and growth in the context of scaling. We also shared experiences of different business models and revenue streams, joint ventures and commercialisation.

GYES Programme

From provocative keynotes with leading experts to a variety of practical workshops, panel discussions and networking opportunities, GYES was a dynamic and engaging week. Download the full GYES programme in English and Spanish.   

GYES blog series 

• Pirates, privateers and petty officers: the secret to scaling success? - an interview with Ian Gray, Founder of Gray Dot Catalyst
• How to turn failure into success - an interview with Leticia Gasca, Co-founder of the Global Initiative for Skills Portability
• Leveraging digital technology to support young entrepreneurs - an interview with Dee Jadeja, Strategy and Livelihoods Lead at Accenture
• Connection before content: top tips with Chad Littlefield, Co-founder of We and Me, Inc.
• Celebrating innovation across the YBI network
• Cryptocurrency, benefits of technology and the future of entrepreneurship - an interview with Nicolas Cary, Co-founder of Blockchain.com
• Encouraging storytelling in entrepreneurship - an interview with Juad David Aristizábal, founder of Los Zúper
• Support and social cohesion: refugee entrepreneurship in Turkey an interview with Hilal Gerçek, Director of Entrepreneurshipm, Habitat

Visit the GYES 2018 official page to find out more about our guest speakers and GYES-related blogs, news and frequently asked questions.