About the Conference

The 4th Annual George Washington University (GWU)-International Council of Small Business (ICSB) Global Entrepreneurship conference will be held Thursday through Saturday, 17-19 October 2013. The sessions will be held at the World Bank/International Finance Corporation and George Washington University, which are two blocks apart in downtown Washington, DC.

Theme: New Possibilities

Every October in Washington DC, leading members of the entrepreneurship research and public policy communities come together to discuss the latest trends in business creation. This year is no different as we focus on New Possibilities. The 4th annual GW-ICSB conference sheds light on the vast infrastructure of public data available for generating new ideas and building new businesses. Public policy makers, practitioners, researchers, and students will have the unique opportunity to discuss current issues and the latest advances in business creation with key decision makers.

This conference focuses on five (5) main components:

  1. A database fair with a full day of opportunities for informal discussions with database originators.
  2. Keynote speakers discussing the latest policy issues, with networking opportunities for various stakeholders.
  3. Training Sessions on business development, entrepreneurial education and established data sets. [e.g. OPIC, GEM, PSED, others]
  4. Presentation of scholarly work on business creation from around the world sponsored by the Journal of Small Business Management (JSBM).
  5. ICSB Foundation Black Tie Gala and presentation of the Three Luminaries Awards at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

*Research Presentation Abstracts Due: 15 July 2013
*Database Marketplace Presenter Registration Due: 15 August 2013

Presentations based on any form of empirical data (surveys, field studies, secondary analysis of existing data, etc) related to the emergence, survival, growth, or impact of new or entrepreneurial firms are welcomed. Analyses related to business creation by women, minorities, or those in developing countries is also encouraged.

In addition to the traditional presentations of scholarly conferences, this event has several unique aspects. For those interested in expanding their knowledge of resources for the study of entrepreneurship and business creation, there will be a Database Day (Thursday) devoted to 30 minute summaries of a wide range of databases. This will be followed by extended training sessions (on Saturday) on a small number of data bases, including the U.S. PSED, GEM, and the International Finance Corporation’s Enterprise Survey data sets. Those that wish to present during the database summary day are invited to submit a proposal.

A second distinctive feature is a day devoted to policy, which takes advantage of the intense focus on policy development in Washington, DC and the collaboration between GWU, ICSB, SBA, OECD and the WB/IFC in developing the event. For more information on public policy day, click here.

This conference will also represent the 10th annual event designed to facilitate interaction and exchange among those pursuing scholarly analysis with the Panel Study of Entrepreneurial Dynamics (PSED). Over 200 people have been identified as having developed articles, books, chapters, or professional presentations based on the PSED data sets - and all are invited to attend!

Previous keynote speakers include;

Previous academic presenters include;

Every October in Washington DC!