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Week of September 4 - September 10, 2006

EntrepreneurshipWeek USA Targets Next Generation of Entrepreneurs and Innovators

Hundreds of organizations will join together in an unprecedented effort to inspire and encourage young people to consider entrepreneurship as a career choice and to celebrate America’s unique culture of inventiveness during EntrepreneurshipWeek USA, Feb. 24 – March 3, 2007.

EntrepreneurshipWeek USA will include events and activities in communities across the country to inspire, educate and prepare young people, primarily ages 14 to 25, to be America’s next great entrepreneurs and innovators. With the theme, "What’s Your Big Idea? Take it On!" the initiative is designed to serve as an inspiration for young people to think creatively and to turn their ideas into action – whether that means developing an innovation for an existing company, solving a problem that makes society better, or starting a new business. Official events are being planned in cities across the county, culminating in Washington, D.C.

Coordinated by the Public Forum Institute, The Week is being sponsored by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and by government, not-for-profit organizations and businesses, including the The New York Times and Inc. magazine.

"We hope to unlock ideas in the minds of Americans who might not see themselves as entrepreneurs," stated Jonathan Ortmans. "As part of our National Dialogue on Entrepreneurship, the Public Forum Institute is proud to be coordinating this effort to unleash more ideas into society."

A large number of partner organizations are joining the effort as well, each of whom will host and organize activities to help young people see their potential as creative, entrepreneurial thinkers and innovators. Additionally, the House of Representatives recently noted the importance of entrepreneurship by enacting a Resolution (HR 699) in early June in support of a national entrepreneurship week.

Entrepreneurship is a driving force of the U.S. economy. During the past 15 years, businesses less than five years old have accounted for about 70 percent of the net job creation in the United States. However, while America presently maintains the edge as an entrepreneurial society, there are clear signs of massive economic competition from abroad. More Americans in the future will need to be generating more ideas and better innovations if the United States is to stay ahead of the large populations of educated citizens in emerging and globally savvy economies.

“Educating our young people about entrepreneurship and reinforcing the value that entrepreneurs and innovators bring to our economy is critical to America’s long-term prosperity – more so now than ever before,” said Carl Schramm, president and CEO of the Kauffman Foundation.

According to Kauffman Foundation research, 41 percent of children ages 9 -12 say they would like to start their own business. “Young people have a natural desire for the independence and control that come with owning a business and being their own boss,” Schramm said.

A Web site, www.EntrepreneurshipWeekUSA.com, will serve as a portal to events and activities across the country and provide information to engage young people in EntrepreneurshipWeek USA. Ongoing Web logs, virtual forums, message boards and other communications will encourage participation.

For the past two years, the United Kingdom has conducted a similar program, initiated by Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown, called Enterprise Week. Last year, as part of the second annual Enterprise Week, more than 11,000 young Britons participated in more than 2,200 events across the UK.

Get Involved! Become a Partner Today!

In order to truly bring this initiative to scale, EntrepreneurshipWeek USA is partnering with a broad coalition of organizations, each reaching and engaging its own networks.

Does your organization want to be a part of EntrepreneurshipWeek USA?

Join the growing list of Partners today!

What Is It All About?

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The National Dialogue on Entrepreneurship, an initiative of the Public Forum Institute made possible by a grant from the Kauffman Foundation of Kansas City. Through NDE-news, we bring you short summaries and analyses of various trends driving the innovation economy. Subscribe now to receive your weekly copy. Archived issues are available online. Links to the day's entrepreneurship stories from across the nation and around the world are posted each weekday on the NDE main page - bookmark it and stay informed about the latest entrepreneurship news.

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All stories © 2006 The Public Forum Institute
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