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The Geneve/Fribourg Entrepreneurship World Forum is a preeminent event providing guidance, training, and networking opportunities for small businesses and entrepreneurs.
We are gathering together in order to support and celebrate the resilient small business and entrepreneurial community along with MSME Day Celebration at the United Nations.
Anyone with entrepreneurial passion or interest is encouraged to attend.
We invite members of the local academic community, entrepreneurs, small businesses, and researchers from all over the world to join us and participate in the forum for a global dialog.
Join the event in-person or online as an attendee, speaker, volunteer, or sponsor.
For those interested in participating in the research components, the deadline to submit research papers is Apr. 30.
Switzerland is one of the most innovative countries and is top regarding country competitiveness. This results in a rich history, impressive political governance and neutrality, creative entrepreneurs, and a focus on the population’s education. Furthermore, Switzerland has one the highest percentages of foreigners in Europe (25.8%), and international connection has been essential for the economy’s development. The city of Fribourg, in the center of Switzerland, is a perfect testimonial to this journey. This old, (founded in 1291) bilingual (French, German) city, with a university created in 1889 has always enjoyed a unique educational environment with a multicultural approach.
The entrepreneurial ecosystem in and around Fribourg is based on small and medium-sized
enterprises (SMEs). The system is completed with such high-performing global companies as Nestlé (brands Nespresso and Cailler), Villars-Holding, UCB Farchim, Scott Sports, Johnson Electric International, Meggitt, Richemont/Cartier, and Rolex. This mix leads to a “think local, act global” spirit.
The School of Management Fribourg (HEG-FR) was created in 1991 to support this
ecosystem with a practice-oriented offer in undergraduate, graduate, and executive programs and impact-oriented R&D projects.
Our mandate of the Swiss Government is focused on practical relevance at the heart of our activities: on all levels of our educational and academic output, we strive for results that solve practical problems of the economy in our region. We focus on topics of dynamic, owner-
managed, mainly internationally active small- and medium-sized enterprises. We can do this because a relevant part of our faculty are themselves engaged in the economy and know about cases and problems that occur there. And at the same time, we have a high percentage of students who both study and work part-time.
To summarize: our mandate within the Swiss educational system and how we implement this mandate ensures a solid embedding of the school in our economic ecosystem, consisting of our current, future, and past students and the economy around us.
The HEG-FR is part of the HES-SO (University of Applied Sciences and Arts Western
Switzerland). The HES-SO comprises 28 schools and operates with sufficient discretion and autonomy as a self-governing educational institution. Each school is in a partner canton, which organizes the schools freely by guaranteeing their autonomy from the cantonal administration.
Founded in 1991 originally as the School of Economics and Administration (ESCEA), the School of Management Fribourg has continued to evolve over the years. Its flight has been demonstrated in particular through the scope of its training programmes (Bachelor’s degree, Master’s degree and on-going training), as well as the growth in the number of students and its professional bodies. There has also been considerable development in its applied research activities and contractual arrangements with businesses and organisations.
The International Council for Small Business (ICSB) is an organization dedicated to providing knowledge, information on new developments, and useful resources to micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises to inspire growth and profitability.
The mission of the ICSB is to advance entrepreneurship worldwide by developing research skills, offering opportunities for career advancement, organizing live events, and initiating partnerships with community groups.
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