Ethiopia Venture Summit, GEW Open Regional, Global Business Partnership to Startups

Addis Ababa, November 11, 2026 (ENA)— Head of communication and partnership at Entrepreneurship Development Institute (EDI) Emebet Techane said Ethiopia Venture Summit, and Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) Creates opportunity for startups and various businesses to connect Reginal and global business.

The two events officially kicked off in Addis Ababa today, bringing together entrepreneurs, investors, business leaders and development partners to strengthen Ethiopia’s entrepreneurship ecosystem and promote business growth.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, EDI Head of Communications and Partnerships Emebet Techane said the Ethiopia Venture Summit focuses on connecting startups with regional and international investors, while GEW provides a broader platform for promoting innovation, entrepreneurship and business collaboration.

“Global Entrepreneurship Week is more than just an event; it's a global movement celebrating the thinkers, doers, and innovators who turn ideas into reality,” she said.

She noted that the events would provide opportunities for participants to engage in high-impact discussions, establish strategic partnerships and explore new sources of capital and business growth.

“Over the coming days, we will hear from inspiring founders, engage in high-impact discussions, build strategic partnerships, and explore new capital and growth opportunities,” Emebet added.

She further emphasized that the platforms would enable startups and established businesses to collaborate and build connections with regional and international business communities.

GEW Ethiopia 2026 will run from November 11 to 30, featuring panel discussions, workshops, innovation challenges and networking sessions, organized in collaboration with the Entrepreneurship Development Institute.

Mastercard Foundation Country Director in Ethiopia, Mefthe Tadesse, said entrepreneurship is an important pathway to creating dignified and fulfilling employment opportunities for young people.

Through its Young Africa Works strategy, the Foundation aims to enable 30 million young people across Africa to access dignified and fulfilling work by 2030, with women accounting for 70 percent of the target. Ethiopia accounts for 10 million of the overall targets, she said.

“Numbers alone are not our measure of success. What matters is whether young people can build livelihoods with dignity, whether entrepreneurs can move from survival to sustainability and growth, and whether growth creates opportunities for others,” she stated.

Mefthe stressed the importance of ensuring that young people, particularly women, persons with disabilities, refugees and displaced people, have equitable access to entrepreneurship opportunities.

Young people outside major urban centers, including Addis Ababa, should also have access to the networks, finance, markets and technologies needed to expand their businesses, she added.

The Mastercard Foundation remains committed to working with Ethiopia's young people, government, private sector and development partners to strengthen the country's entrepreneurship ecosystem, she affirmed.

Co-CEO and Co-Founder of Dream VC, Cindy Ai, also said ongoing reforms in Ethiopia's economy, foreign exchange system, monetary policy, financial services and capital markets are creating new opportunities for businesses.

She cited the establishment of the Ethiopian Securities Exchange and the development of startup policy frameworks as important components of broader efforts to create new pathways for businesses to expand and access capital.

The reforms are opening up opportunities for entrepreneurs to grow their businesses and tap into emerging sources of investment, Ai added.