New ICC Centre of Entrepreneurship in Georgia to support small businesses in the Caucasus region – ICC

The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) has today launched a new Centre of Entrepreneurship in Tbilisi, Georgia, to support the business environment for entrepreneurs and small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) in the country and across the Central Asia and Caucasus region.

The new Centre of Entrepreneurship will work with various stakeholders in Georgia and the wider Caucasus region, including local business organisations and academic institutions, to support entrepreneurs and accelerate the transition of small businesses and startups into cross border commerce by providing by high-impact trainings, digital platforms and market opportunities.

ICC Georgia Chairman Fady Asly said: “The ICC Tbilisi Centre for Entrepreneurship will turn Georgia into a regional and professional business hub, to become an efficient tool to develop the skills of young people who face uncertain employment prospects, to train them and help them understand how business works, so they are given all the chances to succeed and contribute to the wealth of their country.”

The Centre will play a very important role in strengthening and improving the startup and business ecosystem in Georgia, where SMEs represent more than 90% of businesses, thereby stimulating economic growth and the creation of job opportunities. Through the centre, youth and aspiring entrepreneurs will also be able to gain knowledge and acquire new skills as ICC aims to shape and inspire the future generation of business leaders.

Programmes will include:

• Trainings, seminars and webinars in various areas for SMEs
• Mentorship programmes for startups to accelerate the personal and professional development of entrepreneurs and business owners
• Networking sessions and meetings with business sector representatives
• The creation of affordable coworking spaces for startups and SMEs

ICC Secretary General John W.H. Denton AO said: “Located at the crossroads of Eastern Europe and Western Asia, Georgia is well-positioned – both economically and geographically – to harness the full potential of the ICC Centre of Entrepreneurship’s capacity to promote and support market-based economies in the Caucasus region. We look forward to bringing ICC’s expertise, knowledge and experience to Georgia to help local businesses grow and connect to global markets.”

Over 50 Georgian business leaders and international representatives joined ICC Secretary General John W.H. Denton AO and ICC Georgia Chairman Fady Asly in officially launching the Tbilisi hub of the ICC Centre of Entrepreneurship at an event held in the country’s capital.

Highlighting the regional scope and relevance of the initiative, participants also included European Union Ambassador to Georgia H.E Pawel Herczynski, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative Nick Beresford, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) Regional Director Catarina Bjorling and Asian Development Bank (ADB) Country Director Shane Rosenthal.

Following the launch of centres in Accra, Beirut, Buenos Aires, Casablanca, Istanbul, Jakarta, Lagos, Nairobi, Bogota, Ukraine and Sevilla, the latest addition to the ICC Centre of Entrepreneurship brings the number of hubs helping entrepreneurs and small businesses worldwide to twelve.

The ICC Centre of Entrepreneurship’s central mission is to globalise and democratise entrepreneurship, by creating the largest interconnected business-led entrepreneurial ecosystem with the objective of fighting poverty, inequalities and promoting SME growth.