The Global Entrepreneurship Program (GEP) from the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs welcomed almost 100 representatives from its partner organizations to a forum on June 21.

Among the GEP partners attending the forum were representatives from corporations, including Hewlett-Packard and Goldman-Sachs; non-profit organizations, such as Endeavor; foundations, such as the Kauffman Foundation; and academic institutions, such as Babson College — all actively engaged in entrepreneurship promotion, education, and awareness-raising. GEP partner Bloomberg Government hosted the event at its offices in downtown Washington, D.C. The Partner Forum featured the GEP’s important collaboration with the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) to encourage cooperation between the State Department, U.S. Missions overseas, and GEP and OPIC partner organizations.

The Partner Forum showcased OPIC’s Enterprise Development Network (EDN) – a search engine that gives U.S. Embassies, Consulates, and USAID Missions access to the information, services, and resources of GEP and OPIC partners to spur entrepreneurship and business growth. The EDN also allows participating organizations to market their portfolios, programs, and services directly to the emerging markets they serve. Under a recently-concluded agreement between the State Department and OPIC, GEP partners can now participate as service providers on the EDN. For example, if the U.S. Embassy in Santiago wants to organize youth clubs in Chile, it could search by topic or region, compare information from Young Entrepreneurs Society or Empact, and reach out to them for support.

The Forum featured remarks by Assistant Secretary for Economic and Business Affairs Jose Fernandez, Executive Vice-President of OPIC Mimi Alemayehou, Special Representative for Commercial and Business Affairs Lorraine Hariton, Bloomberg Government Co-Founder and Head Don Baptiste, and GEP Director Shelly Porges.

To learn more about the GEP and EDN, please visit: http://ednaccess.com/.