GEC 2025: You're Invited To The World's Largest Gathering of Ecosystem Builders
- Morgan Allen
- May 2
- 4 min read
Updated: May 4
The Global Entrepreneurship Congress returns to the U.S. for the first time since 2009, bringing the entrepreneurship world to Indiana on June 2-5, 2025
For the first time since 2009, the global event for ecosystem builders, entrepreneurs, investors, and policymakers is coming back to the U.S.! The Global Entrepreneurship Congress (GEC) will be hosted in Indianapolis, Indiana June 2-5th, and its only a month away.
If this is your first time hearing about GEC, imagine an approachable yet action-packed gathering where impactful ideas and practical strategies for developing entrepreneurial ecosystems are shared by experts from across the world. It’s a unique opportunity to connect with all of the players in the ecosystem to learn what’s working in different regions, gain fresh insights, and significantly expand your network.
Each year, GEC visits a rising entrepreneurial community to host its global audience, creating an environment for ecosystem leaders to exchange new ideas. Thousands of attendees - from grassroots builders to top policymakers - come together to explore new strategies, programs, and policies to grow our global entrepreneurial ecosystem. Programming is designed to spark collaborations, inspire partnerships, and introduce cutting-edge best practices that help ecosystems thrive.
Why does this matter?
Our local networks are the foundation of every thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem. You’ve worked hard to develop deep, community-based relationships that fuel local entrepreneurs. But expanding your perspective beyond your immediate circle can add a vital new dimension to your work. By connecting with global peers, you’re tapping into a wealth of experiences, lessons learned, and innovative approaches from around the world.
This is not about replacing what works locally - it’s about enhancing it. Global connections offer opportunities to benchmark best practices, discover new tools, and forge partnerships that help you, and the entrepreneurs you serve, adapt to evolving challenges. In a rapidly changing landscape, blending local expertise with a broader perspective can make your ecosystem even stronger and more responsive.
What can you Expect from GEC 2025?
At GEC Indiana, you will experience four days of immersive sessions designed to balance local insights with international best practices. You can expect to:
Learn - Engage in sessions that share actionable intelligence on entrepreneur development, ecosystem measurement, technology integration, and practical solutions to everyday challenges.
Connect - Build relationships with ecosystem builders, investors, founders, and policymakers from around the globe. This is more than just exchanging business cards - it’s about establishing lasting, cross-border partnerships.
Collaborate - Participate in interactive workshops where you’ll work alongside peers to brainstorm ideas, tackle shared challenges, and develop strategies that you can take back to your community.
Evolve - Acquire new skills and insights that empower you to elevate your local ecosystem and navigate the increasingly complex landscape of entrepreneur support.
The full program is available here and additional opportunities will continue to be added to the agenda.
The Ecosystem Builder Track
Beyond the core sessions, this year’s event features a dedicated ecosystem builder track. Tailored specifically for those passionate about ecosystem development, like you, this track offers topics for everyone including:
Economic and community development
Building effective innovation hubs
Insights on sector-specific challenges in agriculture, manufacturing, and more
Strategies for youth engagement
Practical tools for measuring ecosystem performance
And those are just the highlights. Explore the full track here.
Join Us!
GEC Indiana 2025 is not just a conference - it’s a chance to step beyond your local arena, tap into global expertise, and return with a refreshed vision for your community. You play a crucial role in shaping your local ecosystem, and this event is your opportunity to make an impact.
No matter what your role is, your presence will contribute to making GEC Indiana a resounding success. This event won’t be coming back to the United States anytime soon if history is a good indicator, so don’t miss out on the opportunity while it is in your backyard.
Use this special discount code for EBLN readers “USS5N6R25” at checkout for 50% off your registration! Register at gec.co.
Have questions or want to connect while you’re in town? Email GEC@iedc.in.gov. We look forward to welcoming you to Indiana!
About the author
Morgan Allen serves as the Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Director for the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC), Indiana's lead economic development agency and host of the 2025 Global Entrepreneurship Congress.
This post is licensed under Creative Commons CC BY 4.0 and may be shared or republished with attribution. Photos courtesy the Global Entrepreneurship Network.
About This Blog
This post is part of the Ecosystem Building Leadership Network's guest contributor series, featuring voices and perspectives from across the entrepreneurial ecosystem building field. We welcome contributions from practitioners, supporters, and advocates who want to share insights, experiences, and ideas that advance our work. If you’re interested in contributing a post, please get in touch with us at hello@ebln.us.
