BY Helen Kay | Friday 5 September 2025
Young entrepreneurs from across Hull and East Yorkshire will connect with international partners later this year for a festival of enterprise designed to shine a spotlight on the collective power of community, collaboration, and shared ambition.
Locally, Hull City Council will partner with Yorkshire in Business and the Microbusiness Alliance to help people explore the world of business during Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) from November 17-21.
Globally, the Hull and East Yorkshire entrepreneurs will link online with youth enterprise projects from South Africa, Australia, Kenya, Zimbabwe and Namibia.
Worldwide, GEW will embrace 180 countries, with millions of people participating in activities designed to provide them with the knowledge, experience, and connections they may need to succeed in business.
The theme for GEW 2025 is "Together We Build" with the aim of promoting collaboration and inviting entrepreneurs to explore what’s possible when they join mentors, peers, partners, and supporters to bring ideas to life and build something bigger than themselves.
This year the city of Hull will be marking 22 years of its involvement in celebrating youth entrepreneurship and enterprise skills in schools. The programme will again include events focusing on how entrepreneurship can create positive change and opportunities for all in our communities.
That ongoing commitment has been welcomed by key figures, with Marc Ortmans, chair of GEN UK and GEW UK, noting the recent opening of the Hull Emporium pop-up shop in Hull, and Liz Barclay, Patron of JCYEB, reinforcing her commitment to young entrepreneurs following her recent appointment as SME Advisor to the Institute of Directors.
Marc said: “Over the years, Hull and East Yorkshire has played a significant part every year in celebrating what it does to support enterprise skills and youth entrepreneurship.
“The region has always demonstrated a commitment to engaging with enterprising young people and sharing good practice with colleagues across the UK and the rest of the world. I looking forward to visiting to see the development of its youth enterprise hub and the fantastic pop-up shop for young entrepreneurs."
Liz added: “Global Entrepreneurship Week is something I look forward to annually, celebrating how Hull and East Yorkshire supports young entrepreneurs globally and with its own local and regional businesses.”
For more information and how to get involved get in touch here
