Gabriel Petrus has been appointed Global Head of ICC Centres of Entrepreneurship to drive the expansion of the Centres and programmes to ensure the regional relevance and local impact of hubs.
What are the objectives of the ICC Centre of Entrepreneurship?
We aspire for everyone—especially young people—to have the opportunity to become entrepreneurs. For this to happen, we need to provide them with the skills of the future.
The ICC Centre of Entrepreneurship makes available programmes to equip people with the skills they need to become entrepreneurs and to succeed in an ever-changing world.
Educators, employers, and researchers recognise that people need skills and competencies beyond academic knowledge, like digital and soft skills, to succeed in the future.
The ICC Centre of Entrepreneurship provides people with accreditation to become entrepreneurs and build their careers.
SMEs represent around 90% of all global businesses, yet many are still without the necessary tools and resources to participate in the digital economy. As part of ICC’s global campaign to digitise 5 million SMEs in Africa, the programmes offered by the ICC Centre of Entrepreneurship provide SME leaders with the tools to digitise their operations and access new markets.
The ICC Centre of Entrepreneurship works with government and multilateral organisations to advocate for the removal of barriers that prevent SMEs from succeeding both locally and abroad. The Centre will improve the business environment in developing markets and strengthen the capacity of SME leaders to face persisting challenges.
Backed by ICC’s global network of chambers of commerce, the Centre of Entrepreneurship provides SMEs with capacity-building programmes to address: (i) connectivity, (ii) market access, and (iii) digital transformation. The ICC Centre of Entrepreneurship also host talks and seminars that will facilitate SMEs leaders to exchange experience and knowledge.
The ICC Centre of Entrepreneurship works to enhance local start-up ecosystems by providing entrepreneurs with specialised training, mentoring and support services. These services will help entrepreneurs establish, fund, manage and expand their start-ups.
The ICC Centre of Entrepreneurship’s ultimate goal is to promote upskilling by providing start-ups with the tools and resources to gain access to global markets. The ICC Centre of Entrepreneurship will raise awareness about the potential opportunities for start-ups locally and abroad.
Entrepreneurship provides social and economic opportunities for people everywhere by creating jobs in local communities. However, regulatory and cultural barriers prevent many people from becoming entrepreneurs, especially those with limited credit histories, young people, women, ethnic minorities, people with disabilities, and members of the LGBTQ+ community.
The ICC Centre of Entrepreneurship leverages strategic partnerships to empower individuals and mobilise public-private solutions to overcome longstanding deterrents to entrepreneurship.
The practical tools, services and trainings offered by the ICC Centre of Entrepreneurship complement ICC’s standard-setting reputation by and support the creation of businesses with social and economic benefits for all of society.
