Jersey City to Kick-Off Global Entrepreneurship Week
JERSEY CITY – Mayor Jerramiah T. Healy is proud to announce the Global Entrepreneurship Week in Jersey City Kick-Off Celebration took place on Monday, November 16,at 10:00 a.m. at the Jersey City, City Hall Council Chambers, 280 Grove Street.
Rising Tide Capital, a local non-profit organization that provides training and coaching to entrepreneurs, is spearheading a series of events in Jersey City to celebrate Global Entrepreneurship Week from November 16 to 22, 2009. Jersey City will be joining communities across 75 countries to recognize entrepreneurship as a means of unleashing innovation and spurring economic growth.
A range of local businesses, government and community leaders, including the New Jersey Small Business Development Center at New Jersey City University, New Jersey’s Urban Enterprise Zones program and the New Jersey District Office of the SBA are participating in this year’s celebrations. Sponsors of the week include Bank of America (Lead Sponsor), Capital One (Presenting Sponsor) and Brick Haus Fitness (Junior Presenting Sponsor).
-Jersey City is the gateway to the cultural and financial capital of the world, New York City, and that is why our city continues to grow alongside its great partner across the Hudson River,” said Mayor Healy. -Our small businesses are the very backbone of our economy and I commend Rising Tide Capital for providing them with the resources and training that is vital to their success.”
For years, Rising Tide Capital, a 501 (C) 3 non-profit organization based in Jersey City, New Jersey, has been dedicated to the economic empowerment of low-income communities through entrepreneurship. Their mission is to assist struggling entrepreneurs and distressed communities build strong businesses that transform lives, strengthen families and create thriving, sustainable neighborhoods.
-It is our privilege to join with so many of Jersey City’s entrepreneurs and the local agencies that support them, to highlight our entrepreneurial culture, which plays a vital role in the recovery of our local economy,‖ said Alfa Demmellash, CEO of Rising Tide Capital.
-I always look forward to welcoming new businesses to our great city,” said Mayor Healy. -These businesses give residents and visitors even greater opportunities to enjoy our vibrant and diverse city while supporting our local economy. In helping our entrepreneurs, we are creating our own local economic stimulus.”
During Global Entrepreneurship Week, various activities will take place in locations throughout Jersey City during the week, including panel discussions, free workshops, networking events, entrepreneurial showcase, market fairs. The event is open to everyone from local entrepreneurs, business owners, artists, leaders to non-profit organizations.
Founded by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and the Make Your Mark campaign, Global Entrepreneurship Week is held to inform, connect, inspire and celebrate the resilient small and micro business owners and the residents that support them.
This week will connect young people everywhere through local, national and global activities designed to help them explore their potential as self-starters and innovators. Students, educators, entrepreneurs, business leaders, employees, non-profit leaders, government officials and more will participate in a range of activities-from online to face-to-face, and from large-scale competitions to intimate networking events.
-Our Global Entrepreneurship Week celebrations will honor the contributions made by small businesses to Jersey City’s economy. We will also recognize the important role played by government agencies and community organizations that support local entrepreneurs,” said Demmellash. -We want to energize residents around Jersey City’s diverse business culture, and to demonstrate how entrepreneurship makes a very real difference in our lives.”
Among those participating in this event are: Roberta Farber, Director of the Jersey City Urban Enterprise Zone, Alfa Demmellash, CEO of Rising Tide Capital, Sal Austin, proprietor of DGX Security, and Beverly Williams, proprietor of Bus4Us.
A complete list of events can be found at Global Entrepreneurship Week or by visiting jerseycitynj.gov or Rising Tide Capital.