ACC Liverpool, home to BT Convention Centre Liverpool is to host the Global Entrepreneurship Congress which brings together thought leaders, economists and entrepreneurs from over 100 countries.
The event takes place in March 2012 and will see delegates from across the world congregate at the iconic waterside convention centre and at various fringe events across the city. Liverpool follows in the footsteps of previous hosts Kansas City, Dubai and Shanghai and will be the first European city to host the symposium.
The event will be run by US-based Kauffman Foundation, a not-for-profit organisation working to understand and advance entrepreneurship, education and training efforts.
The bid for the congress was lead by Liverpool Vision, the city’s economic development company and saw Liverpool beat off stiff competition from UAE, Chile and Denmark who were all shortlisted.
Carl Schramm, president and CEO of the Kauffman Foundation, said: “The power of the message put forward by Liverpool Vision about Liverpool’s interest—and the many expansions of entrepreneurship that were pointed out in the application that characterised modern Liverpool as a city truly committed to entrepreneurship—were very decisive.”
Bob Prattey, Chief Executive, ACC Liverpool said: “The fact that our destination partners are proactively bidding for events and congresses of this nature is a real vote of confidence for partnership working in the city. We are delighted that Liverpool Vision’s bid for the congress was successful and we look forward to welcoming the delegates in 2012”.
Max Steinberg, chief executive of Liverpool Vision, who led the bid team, said: “The significance of this for Liverpool cannot be underestimated and the effects of the Global Entrepreneurship Congress selection committee choosing our city will ripple for many years to come. We want to create the conditions in which innovators and entrepreneurs can thrive and that has never been more important than now”.
