This annual event gives residents a chance to get to know Fort Worth’s local community of innovators, while also providing aspiring entrepreneurs with a variety of informative sessions and networking opportunities. Participants can take part in-person and virtually.
Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) returns to Fort Worth Sunday, Nov. 7 through Friday, Nov. 12.
This popular event offers a variety of workshops, panel discussions, informational sessions and networking events that showcase Fort Worth’s entrepreneurship community while also engaging with larger industry trends.
During 2020, Fort Worth’s Global Entrepreneurship Week was the largest celebration of its kind in the world with 93 sessions, more than 140 speakers, and 1,593 total attendees. More than 28 states were represented in its sessions, and 46 countries were part of the event.
This year’s Global Entrepreneurship Week will feature both virtual and in-person events, with many of the in-person events taking place at the GEW basecamp, located on the UNT HSC campus at 550 Bailey Ave.
A list of GEW events is currently available online, and more are still being finalized.
Fort Worth focus
While there are plenty of sessions available for entrepreneurs from around the world, this annual event gives Fort Worth’s innovators and entrepreneurs their time in the spotlight.
Several interviews and panel discussions with local movers-and-shakers will spotlight growing areas of opportunity in Fort Worth, and how the City of Fort Worth and its partners are fostering innovation and entrepreneurship here at home.
- Supporting Fort Worth’s Innovation Ecosystem
Wednesday, Nov. 10 at 3 p.m. (In-person event) - Connecting Our Ecosystem: How SourceLink Gets It Done
Monday, Nov. 8 at 2 p.m. (In-person event) - How to Increase Entrepreneurship in DFW
Monday, Nov. 8 at 5 p.m. (In-person event) - The State of Entrepreneurship in Fort Worth
Tuesday, Nov. 9 at 11:30 a.m. (In-person event)
While Fort Worth is one of the fastest-growing cities in the country, there is still much to learn from other cities’ entrepreneurial ecosystems – and several GEW sessions will do a deep dive on this information.
- What Fort Worth Can Learn From San Antonio
Monday, Nov. 8 at 1 p.m. (In-person event) - What Fort Worth Can Learn From Kansas City
Monday, Nov. 8 at 4 p.m. (In-person event) - What Fort Worth Can Learn From Omaha
Tuesday, Nov. 9 at 2:30 p.m. (In-person event)
Additionally, a couple of big names in the local small business ecosystem are joining forces for the “Startup Funeral Series”, to discuss how their initial startup ventures served as an important learning experiences that would eventually propel them forward into future professional success.
- Startup Funeral Series: Ab Deweese from Hepius Equipment
Monday, Nov. 8 at 10 a.m. (In-person event) - Startup Funeral Series: Carolyn Phillips from Alchemy Pops
Wednesday, Nov. 10 at 11:30 a.m. (In-person event) - Startup Funeral Series: Carlo Capua from Z’s Cafe
Thursday, Nov. 11 at 1 p.m. (In-person event) - Startup Funeral Series: Councilmember Michael Crain from MidiCi
Wednesday, Nov. 10 at 12:30 p.m. (In-person event)
Lastly, several GEW sessions will focus on some of Fort Worth’s emerging industries, and the local opportunities available to innovators in those fields.
- Biotech Resources for Your Startup
Monday, Nov. 8 at 9 a.m. (Virtual event) - Opportunities in AI
Monday, Nov. 8 at 11 a.m. (In-person event) - Opportunities in Electrification
Tuesday, Nov. 9 at 3:30 p.m. (In-person event) - How to Measure Your Entrepreneurial Ecosystem
Tuesday, Nov. 9 at 4:30 p.m. (In-person event) - Raising Early Stage Capital in Biotech
Thursday, Nov. 11 at noon (In-person event) - How to Launch a Biotech Company
Thursday, Nov. 11 at 2 p.m. (In-person event)
Online options
For those who aren’t able to participate in GEW Fort Worth in-person, there are still plenty of opportunities to take part in virtual sessions all week long.
- Funding Opportunities for New Ventures
Monday, Nov. 8 at noon (Virtual event) - Caring for People Through Social Enterprises: A Fort Worth Example
Tuesday, Nov. 9 at 12:30 p.m. (Virtual event) - Entrepreneurs and Success: A Paradigm for Burnout Prevention and Optimization
Tuesday, Nov. 9 at 9:30 a.m. (Virtual event) - Entrepreneurial Pathways
Tuesday, Nov. 9 at noon (Virtual event) - Boost with Facebook
Monday, Nov. 8 at 2 p.m. (Virtual event) - Accelerate You, from Impact Ventures
Tuesday, Nov. 9 at 10 a.m. (Virtual event) - Making Sense of Accelerators, Incubators, Coworking & Competitions
Wednesday, Nov. 10 at noon (Virtual event) - Little-Known Resources for Women-Owned Businesses
Thursday, Nov. 11 at 10 a.m. (Virtual event) - How Founders Can Identify Community Issues in Need of Solutions
Thursday, Nov. 11 at noon (Virtual event)
Podcasts galore
Several new episodes of HSC’s Innovate Fort Worth podcast, which spotlights local innovators and their stories, will be recorded during Global Entrepreneurship Week – including the first episode shot in front of a live audience.
- Innovate Fort Worth Podcast with Mike Berry, President of Hillwood Group Monday, Nov. 8 at 9 a.m. (Virtual event)
- Innovate Fort Worth Podcast with Pam Cannell, CEO of BoardBuild
Tuesday, Nov. 9 at 9 a.m. (Virtual event) - Innovate Fort Worth Podcast with Benjamin Vann, Founder & CEO of Impact Ventures
Wednesday, Nov. 10 at 9 a.m. (Virtual event) - Innovate Fort Worth Podcast with Dr. Brian Dixon
Thursday, Nov. 11 at 9 a.m. (Virtual event) - Innovate Fort Worth Podcast LIVE with Chris Powers, Founder of Fort Capital
Thursday, Nov. 11 at 4:30 p.m. (In-person event) - Innovate Fort Worth Podcast with Edward Morgan, CEO of Revitalize Charging Solutions
Friday, Nov. 12 at 9 a.m. (Virtual event)
There will even be a Fort Worth Podcast Meetup as part of the festivities, along with a meetup with hosts and former guests of the Innovate Fort Worth podcast.
Additional workshops
Are you an entrepreneur or small business owner just starting out? Are you a professional looking to improve your workforce, your workplace, or your business in general? Maybe you’re looking to sell your startup and move on to the next big thing?
These educational sessions may provide you with some guidance.
- Build Your Fort Worth: Workforce
Tuesday, Nov. 9 at 8 a.m. (In-person event) - Grant Writing 101: SCORE Fort Worth
Tuesday, Nov. 9 at 10 a.m. (In-person paid event) - Gamification in the Workplace
Wednesday, Nov. 10 at 9 a.m. (In-person event) - Taking Care of Your Finances: Beginning, Middle and Exit
Wednesday, Nov. 10 at 10 a.m. (In-person event) - Employee Hiring 101
Wednesday, Nov. 10 at 11 a.m. (In-person paid event) - Breaking Down Barriers: Developing a More Inclusive Entrepreneurship Ecosystem
Wednesday, Nov. 10 at 11 a.m. (In-person event) - A Starter’s Guide to Digital Marketing: How to Boost Your Brand’s Presence on the Web
Wednesday, Nov. 10 at 1 p.m. (In-person event) - How to Sell Your Business: Begin with the End in Mind
Wednesday, Nov. 10 at 1:30 p.m. (In-person event) - What’s the Future of Your Business After COVID?
Thursday, Nov. 11 at 9 a.m. (In-person event) - Coffee with a Banker, Presented by Frost Bank
Friday, Nov. 12 at 8 a.m. (In-peron event)
About the Author
Andrea Duffie handles communications, marketing and PR for the City of Fort Worth’s Economic Development Department. She moved into Economic Development following seven years in the city’s main Communications Department, where she provided marketing support across multiple channels for Economic Development, the Park & Recreation Department, the city website, and other initiatives. Prior to her time at the City of Fort Worth, Andrea worked for several nonprofits, including the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth.
