Welcome and Introductions [Women's Entrepreneurship Summit]

Abstract

Dr. Royster welcomes participants to the summit and participants self-introduce and share interest in subject and share compelling issues facing women entrepreneurs. With the help and expertise of the participants, we consider carefully the existing landscape of programs aimed at women entrepreneurs, and hope to design the building blocks that will be an added value for the pilot summer institute. Initially we focus on the 2015 pilot in Africa, with an idea of creating an opportunity for women working in the ideation and innovation of startups and early stage companies to come to the table at a more dynamic level, and offer them access to sustainable training in entrepreneurship leveraging technology, opportunities to network and collaborate with other innovators and influencers, seasoned mentors, corporate level insights, and connections, source of capital, participate in designing/developing programs/opportunities based on their needs. Our particular concerns include leveraging technology to foster entrepreneurship, our collective assets in Atlanta, including the university community, corporations, government agencies at multiple levels, capital sources, mentors, advisers, and others, as well as Identifying/considering the roll of policy in accessing opportunities and obstacles and opportunities for participating cohorts (U.S; Africa; African Diaspora). Criteria for the first cohort of participants and the partners and supporters needed to build a robust and dynamic multi-stakeholder pilot project.