We are immensely proud to announce a monumental achievement coming out of East Africa this month. The ENFA Ethiopia team, working alongside the Entrepreneurship Development Institute (EDI) - Ethiopia, successfully served as the main organizers behind a record-breaking Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) Ethiopia 2025.
Under the visionary on-the-ground leadership of Dr. Hassen Hussein, Emebet Techane, Boru Shana, and Dugassa Tessema Gerba, the Ethiopia team demonstrated what is possible when local entrepreneurial energy is met with strategic organization.
Global Entrepreneurship Week is the world’s largest celebration of the innovators and job creators who launch startups that bring ideas to life, drive economic growth, and expand human welfare. Held in over 200 countries with more than 40,000 partner organizations, it is a massive synchronized effort.
The theme for GEW 2025 was “Together We Build.”
This theme resonated deeply in Ethiopia, where activities focused on highlighting equity, inclusion, and opportunity across the entire Ethiopian innovation ecosystem. It wasn't just about celebrating existing success; it was about laying the groundwork for future builders.
The scope of this year's activation in Ethiopia was unprecedented.
We are thrilled to report that the Entrepreneurship Development Institute (EDI) concluded the week having registered over 20,000 events. This incredible level of engagement officially ranked Ethiopia first among all 200 participating countries globally.
Furthermore, EDI and its collaborators were recognized for their outstanding contributions at the GEW Changemakers Entrepreneurs Awards across various categories, cementing Ethiopia's position as a rising hub for innovation leadership.
From November 17–21, ENFA Ethiopia spearheaded a week of curated, high-impact events aimed at strengthening the very fabric of the entrepreneurial landscape.
These events were strategically designed to move beyond surface-level celebration and tackle core ecosystem needs:
This landmark event is a powerful reflection of ENFA’s growing role in building cross-border ecosystems. It proves that with the right support, local entrepreneurial energy can be transformed into significant global opportunity.
We offer huge thanks to all our partners and local collaborators who made this possible. We must especially recognize the ENFA Ethiopia team for showing the world what visionary leadership looks like in action.
The success of GEW Ethiopia 2025 is not an endpoint; it is a foundation. We look forward to building on this incredible momentum across the rest of our 20+ national offices in the coming year.
