Press Releases: The United States and the Kingdom of the Netherlands Launch the 2019 Global Entrepreneurship Summit


Media Note

Office of the Spokesperson

Washington, DC
November 15, 2018


The United States of America and the Kingdom of the Netherlands today officially launched the upcoming 2019 Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES), which is scheduled to be held in The Hague, Netherlands on June 4-5, 2019.

As previously announced by President Donald J. Trump and Prime Minister Mark Rutte in July, the ninth annual GES will underscore the commitment by both countries to entrepreneurship and innovation. The launch kick-starts the “Road to GES” events, taking place in both the Netherlands and the United States.

Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo will lead the U.S. delegation to the 2019 summit, which will focus on areas including health, energy, agriculture, water, and IT connectivity. During the two-day program, established entrepreneurs can seek funding from investors and scale their business globally. Entrepreneurs interested in participating in the event are invited to submit applications electronically beginning December 17, 2018. Additional criteria for participation and further details on the selection process will be updated on the website www.GES2019.org in December.

GES is the preeminent annual gathering that convenes entrepreneurs, investors, and their supporters globally. An estimated 20,000 emerging leaders have participated in Global Entrepreneurship Summits since 2010. At previous GES summits, governments and the private sector have committed to provide over $1 billion in new capital to entrepreneurs worldwide.

Participants at today’s launch included U.S. Ambassador to the Netherlands Peter Hoekstra, Dutch Ambassador to the United States Henne Schuwer, White House Deputy Assistant to the President for Technology Policy Michael Kratsios, U.S. Department of State Acting Special Representative for Commercial and Business Affairs Scott Ticknor, and Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Julie Fisher. During his opening remarks, Ambassador Hoekstra asserted that GES will inspire entrepreneurs through the common cause of advancing innovation to support job creation and economic resilience for people all over the world.

For further information on the summit, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter using #GES2019. For press questions, contact PAPressDuty@state.gov.