Our Community Partners
The Global Entrepreneurship Institute was created and continues to grow through a unique collaboration of philanthropic, corporate, and nonprofit community partners. Their contributions have involved funding, technical, advisory, and pro bono services. We are grateful to the organizations listed below for their continued support.
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American Management Association
American Management Association traces its origins back to 1913 with the founding of the National Association of Corporation Schools (later to become the National Association of Corporation Training). By 1922, this group had merged with the Industrial Relations Association of America (founded in 1918 as the National Association of Employment Managers), to form the National Personnel Association. In 1923, the group chose a new name, American Management Association, to better reflect its mission and goals. In 1973, AMA consolidated five closely related national associations—all dedicated to management education—into one organization. With this consolidation, the Regents of the University of the State of New York granted recognition to AMA as an educational institution.
AMACOM Books
Based in New York, AMACOM Books is the publishing division of American Management Association. Since 1923, the business community has turned to AMA for the practical training and business tools needed to improve individual and organizational performance-and achieve bottom-line results. Today, AMA is a global not-for-profit, membership-based association. AMA provides a full range of management development and educational services to individuals, companies and government agencies worldwide, including 486 of the Fortune 500 companies. Each year, thousands of business professionals acquire the latest business know-how, valuable insights and increased confidence at AMA seminars, conferences, current issues forums and briefings. In addition, business professionals utilize AMA books, publications, research and online self-study courses.
BizWorld
BizWorld’s mission is to enrich every child’s education with experiential learning programs. Our programs add relevancy to academics while improving the understanding of entrepreneurship and money management. BizWorld empowers youth with the knowledge and inspiration they need to succeed in school and beyond.
BusinessWeek
A global source of essential business insight that inspires leaders to turn ideas into action. Through content, context, and collaboration, BusinessWeek moderates global conversations and moves business professionals forward. Founded in 1929 and published by the McGraw-Hill Companies, BusinessWeek magazine is the market leader, with more than 4.8 million readers each week in 140 countries. Launched in 2004, SmallBiz is BusinessWeek’s magazine for small business. It is distributed on newsstands and through controlled circulation. In response to growing consumer and advertiser demand, SmallBiz increased its frequency in 2007 from four issues a year to six.
Business Wire
A wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway, is the global market leader in commercial news distribution. Thousands of member companies and organizations depend on Business Wire to transmit their full-text news releases, regulatory filings, photos and other multimedia content to journalists, financial professionals, investor services, regulatory authorities and the general public worldwide. In fact, Business Wire has the most comprehensive news and disclosure network in the world. They originate hundreds of thousands of news announcements each year, with a dramatic impact on capital and commercial markets around the globe and in virtually every industry sector.
The Cato Institute
Founded in 1977 by Edward H. Crane. It is a non-profit public policy research foundation headquartered in Washington, D.C. The Institute is named for Cato’s Letters, a series of libertarian pamphlets that helped lay the philosophical foundation for the American Revolution. The mission of the Cato Institute is to increase the understanding of public policies based on the principles of limited government, free markets, individual liberty, and peace. The Institute will use the most effective means to originate, advocate, promote, and disseminate applicable policy proposals that create free, open, and civil societies in the United States and throughout the world.
Draper Fisher Jurvetson
Draper Fisher Jurvetson (DFJ) backs extraordinary entrepreneurs everywhere who set out to change the world. DFJ achieves its mission through its DFJ Global Network of Partner Funds. Together, DFJ and the Network manage over $6 billion and have made more than 600 investments on four continents. With a 24-year history of success across diverse sectors and market conditions, DFJ has led the way investing in emerging technologies, from the Internet and life sciences to clean energy and nanotechnology. DFJ has been proud to back over 500 companies across many sectors including such industry changing successes such as Hotmail (acquired by MSFT), Baidu (BIDU), Skype (acquired by EBAY), United Online (UNTD), Overture (acquired by YHOO), Athenahealth (ATHN), EnerNOC (ENOC), TicketsNow (acquired by TicketMaster), Feedburner (acquired by Google), Interwoven (IWOV), Four11 (acquired by YHOO), Parametric (PMTC), and Digidesign (acquired by AVID). The DFJ Network includes DFJ, DFJ Athena, DFJ Dragon, DFJ Esprit, DFJ FIR, DFJ Frontier, DFJ Gotham, DFJ Growth, DFJ InCube, DFJ Mercury, DFJ Portage, DFJ Tamir Fishman, Draper Triangle, DFJ Vina, DFJ-VTB Aurora, Element Partners, and Epic Ventures.
Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year Program
Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur Of The Year® Award is the world’s most prestigious business award for entrepreneurs. The award makes a difference through the way it encourages entrepreneurial activity among those with potential and recognizes the contribution of people who inspire others with their vision, leadership and achievement. As the first and only truly global award of its kind, the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year® award celebrates those who are building and leading successful, growing and dynamic businesses, recognizing them through regional, national and global awards programs in more than 135 cities in 50 countries.
GKM Ventures
GKM Ventures invests $2 million to $4 million in later-stage technology companies located in the Western U.S. The primary industry sectors in which the Fund invests are: communications, enterprise software, semiconductors and digital media. GKM Ventures’ significant base of industry executive investors contributes tremendously to the Fund’s due diligence and portfolio enhancement processes. With offices in Los Angeles (HQ) and Palo Alto, GKM Ventures maintains close relationships with other leading venture funds for co-investing opportunities. GKM Ventures is a licensed SBIC.
Kauffman Foundation
The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation is a private nonpartisan foundation that works to harness the power of entrepreneurship and innovation to grow economies and improve human welfare. Through its research and other initiatives, the Kauffman Foundation aims to open young people’s eyes to the possibility of entrepreneurship, promote entrepreneurship education, raise awareness of entrepreneurship-friendly policies, and find alternative pathways for the commercialization of new knowledge and technologies. It also works to prepare students to be innovators, entrepreneurs and skilled workers in the 21st century economy through initiatives designed to improve learning in math, engineering, science and technology. Founded by late entrepreneur and philanthropist Ewing Marion Kauffman, the Foundation is based in Kansas City, Mo. and has approximately $2 billion in assets.
Los Angeles Venture Association (LAVA)
Since 1985 the Los Angeles Venture Association has been providing forums where entrepreneurs and executives of middle-market companies actively meet and learn from fellow executives, investors, bankers, financial advisors and other providers of professional services. Their monthly breakfast meetings and our Presidents and Distinguished Speakers Lectures feature exceptional presentations by prominent members of our investment, entrepreneurial, business and academic communities. Sponsored by a number of financial services companies and business publishers. LAVA hosts the annual Investment Capital Conference, focusing on helping entrepreneurs find venture capital.
McGraw-Hill Higher Education
One of the world’s largest provider of educational materials, information and solutions for the Higher Education and Professional markets, their mission is to be the premier worldwide provider of products and services that improve and shape teaching and learning in the digital age.
Milken Institute
The Milken Institute is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) nonpartisan economic research organization. It was founded in 1991 with a mandate to step outside the box and find new ways to create jobs and generate capital for entrepreneurs both locally and globally. Their researchers work in diverse but related economic fields with one common goal: to improve the lives and economic conditions of diverse populations in the U.S. and around the world by helping business and public policy leaders identify and put into practice innovative ideas for creating broad-based prosperity.
National Business Incubation Association (NBIA)
The world’s leading organization advancing business incubation and entrepreneurship. It provides thousands of professionals with the information, education, advocacy and networking resources to bring excellence to the process of assisting early-stage companies worldwide. The association is composed primarily of incubator developers and managers, but technology commercialization specialists, educators and business assistance professionals are also well represented. Its mission is to provide training and a clearinghouse for information on incubator management and development issues and on tools for assisting start-up and fledgling firms.
National Venture Capital Association
The National Venture Capital Association (NVCA), comprised of more than 450 member firms, is the premier trade association that represents the U.S. venture capital industry. NVCA’s mission is to foster greater understanding of the importance of venture capital to the U.S. economy, and support entrepreneurial activity and innovation. The NVCA represents the public policy interests of the venture capital community, strives to maintain high professional standards, provides reliable industry data, sponsors professional development, and facilitates interaction among its members.
Organization of American States (OAS)
Brings together the nations of the Western Hemisphere to strengthen cooperation on democratic values, defend common interests and debate the major issues facing the region and the world. The OAS is the region’s principal multilateral forum for strengthening democracy, promoting human rights, and confronting shared problems such as poverty, terrorism, illegal drugs and corruption. It plays a leading role in carrying out mandates established by the hemisphere’s leaders through the Summits of the Americas. With four official languages — English, Spanish, Portuguese and French — the OAS reflects the rich diversity of the hemisphere’s peoples and cultures. It is made up of 35 member states: the independent nations of North, Central and South America and the Caribbean. The government of Cuba, a member state, has been suspended from participation since 1962; thus only 34 countries participate actively. Nations from other parts of the world participate as permanent observers, which allows them to closely follow the issues that are critical to the Americas.
Palomar Ventures
Launched in 1999 by veteran venture capitalists to focus on early stage information technology companies that demonstrate the potential for exceptional growth and market leadership. The partners at Palomar have contributed their energy, strategic insight, network of corporate relationships and recruiting skills to assist in building nearly 50 public companies. Palomar Ventures is currently investing Palomar II, a $220 million fund. A typical investment involves $2 million to $5 million in capital, and they prefer to act as a lead or co-lead investor early in the process of value formation. They believe that beginning early with a company is the best way to utilize their experience in building value rapidly by focusing the company on a small number of key milestones.
Price Center for Entrepreneurial Studies (UCLA)
The Harold Price Center for Entrepreneurial Studies, a recognized global leader in entrepreneurial education and research, oversees all teaching research, extracurricular, and community activities related to entrepreneurship at the John E. Anderson Graduate School of Management at UCLA. Working closely with its Board of Advisors, the Price Center’s goal is to provide a set of academic and extracurricular experiences that advance both the theory and practice of entrepreneurship.
Stanford Technology Ventures Program (STVP)
Stanford Technology Ventures Program (STVP) is the entrepreneurship center within the Stanford University School of Engineering. STVP is dedicated to accelerating high-technology entrepreneurship research and education for engineers and scientists worldwide. The program prepares students for leadership positions in industry, academics, and society. In addition, STVP disseminates research and teaching knowledge throughout the world.
Tech Coast Angels
The largest formal angel network in the United States. The network is the number one source of startup funding for entrepreneurs in Southern California. TCA members have invested over $100 million in over 155 companies and have helped attract over $1 billion of additional capital. TCA members invest in companies in a wide range of industries, including the life sciences, biotech, IT, services, retail, Internet, financial, software, media, consumer products and tech startups. TCA members provide entrepreneurs more than just capital. Members provide counsel, mentoring and access to an extensive network of potential investors, customers, strategic partners and management talent. TCA has more than 250 members, including its venture capital affiliates, in five networks in from Santa Barbara to San Diego, including Los Angeles, Orange County, and the Inland Empire.
Wells Fargo
Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) is a diversified financial services company providing banking, insurance, investments, mortgage and consumer finance through almost 6,000 stores, the internet and other distribution channels across North America and internationally. Wells Fargo is dedicated to helping small businesses succeed. They provide financial products and solutions to more than one million businesses with annual sales up to $20 million. Wells Fargo is America’s #1 small business lender in total dollar volume according to the most recent Community Reinvestment Act data (2006) and the #1 SBA 7a bank lender in total dollar volume. They are a SBA Preferred Lender in 50 states and originated 4,306 loans for over $613 million in 2007.
Young Americas Business Trust (YABT)
A non-profit corporation recognized by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service as a 501(c) (3) organization. It is affiliated with the General Secretariat of the Organization of American States (OAS), and aims to advance the goals of the OAS and Presidential Summits of the Americas to create employment opportunities and reduce poverty by supporting and promoting youth entrepreneurship. Currently, YABT also has National YABTs and representatives in twenty-five countries in the Americas. Being located at the General Secretariat of the OAS gives YABT a unique platform for private/public sector collaboration. The OAS provides substantial overhead and management support for YABT, which enables YABT to put more of its resources into fulfilling its mission instead of addressing administrative matters.