This past November, I traveled from San Bernardino, California, to Hyderabad, India to attend the Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES 2017). GES is a powerful global network and an invite-only gathering of entrepreneurs, investors, and supporters of entrepreneurship to celebrate global entrepreneurship during a two and a half day event. Since it started in 2010, thousands of entrepreneurs around the world have been able to connect, communicate, and collaborate to create greater impact.
I was nominated to participate in GES by TechWomen, a U.S. Department of State initiative of which I am an alumna from 2014.
TechWomen brings emerging women leaders in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) from Africa, Central Asia, and the Middle East together with their counterparts in the United States for a professional mentorship and exchange program. This was my first professional mentoring experience, and it changed my life. I moved from being a practical engineer into a technology business leader. I was able to make deep connections, build relationships, and sustain them. I also became part of a support system of mentors and emerging leaders, who helped me identify my professional goals and shape my career. After TechWomen, I applied to the Fulbright Program as the next step in furthering my career in order to reach my goals. I was accepted into the MBA program at California State University, San Bernardino. While at CalState, I’ve been studying Entrepreneurship and recently took second place in the Gardner Holt Student Fast Pitch Competition where I pitched “Lily Pads” reusable sanitary pads to serve the needs of girls in sub-Saharan Africa.
This year’s GES focused on empowering women with the theme of “Women First, Prosperity for All.” This was the perfect event for me to attend, as I worked with female entrepreneurs in Gaza before participating in the Fulbright Program and have a strong interest in women’s issues around the world.
After a long trip, I arrived in the “City of Pearls” and entrepreneurship hub of India. Surrounded by 1,500 entrepreneurs from 150 countries, my time at GES 2017, was overwhelming, inspiring, and joyful.
In addition to meeting amazing people, learning a lot, and making lasting connections, I also had the chance to reunite with my TechWomen alumnae friends and mentors. I’m always motivated by events like this, where I’m exposed to a diversity of global female leaders. It assures me that together we can make a greater positive difference in our societies.
One of my favorite sessions was “We Can Do It! Innovations in Workforce Development and Skills Training,” which brought together a panel of female CEOs and leaders in NGOs and government. Cherie Blair, who started the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women, mentioned the importance of the three C’s (confidence, capacity, and capital) for helping women become successful entrepreneurs. She also mentioned that we need to educate our sons and males around us to be part of the change we want. As the mother of a son, this especially resonated with me.
Ivanka Trump, a presidential advisor, gave a speech while on the panel. She said that, “In this ‘City of Pearls’ the greatest treasure is YOU — the dreamers, innovators, entrepreneurs, and leaders who never give up — never abandon your aspirations — and always strive for a better tomorrow.” Each time I participate in an event like GES, I tend to enrich my professional network and learn about the newly available resources for women in business and entrepreneurship. I always leave with great energy and motivation after meeting all the hard-working, passionate, and dedicated entrepreneurs and hearing their incredible stories.
I left Hyderabad with a belief that social entrepreneurship is the future, with more entrepreneurs thinking of social impact and doing good beyond just making money. It was inspiring how people continue finding new creative ways to make money and do good for their communities to change the world. It was also interesting to learn about the entrepreneurship ecosystem in different countries and how it affects the development stage of their economy, access to funding, and community empowerment.
To be a successful entrepreneur, you need the right combination of resources and skills. But that’s not enough- you need to have a different mindset mixed with creativity, patience, and flexibility. For us to start seeing a true impact of the entrepreneurship ecosystem, incubators, accelerators, and educational programs need to collaborate and provide the support needed for entrepreneurs to develop their ideas.
My goal was to return from GES with greater energy and motivation to continue my work and proceed with my professional goals. I also wanted to create new relationships with entrepreneurs and investors who will add value to my network with future opportunities to collaborate and exchange ideas and experiences. My trip to GES 2017 has inspired me to continue my work, and I’m so grateful for this opportunity while I continue my studies as a Fulbrighter.
Mai T. is a second-year Fulbrighter from Gaza working on her MBA in Entrepreneurship. She’s currently a student at California State University in San Bernadino. Read updates from Mai’s #FulbrightLife profile here.
