Hyderabad abuzz as Ivanka Trump, Modi to set Global Entrepreneurship Summit rolling from tomorrow

As all roads lead to Hyderabad for the three-day Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) from November 28-30, the entrepreneurship ecosystem in the country is looking to get a big boost.

Being held in South Asia for the first time, the GES is co-hosted by the governments of the United States and India. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the summit, and Advisor to the US President Ivanka Trump will lead the US contingent to GES.

There’s already an air of excitement and anticipation in this tech hub city as huge billboards of Ivanka Trump and PM Modi greet visitors.

This is the eighth edition of the Global Entrepreneurship Summit, where entrepreneurs, investors, and supporters from around the world will gather. The summit will focus on the theme of ‘Women First, Prosperity for All,’ and will be the first GES in which over 52.5 percent of the participants are women.

More than 10 countries will be represented by an all-female delegation, including Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, and Israel. A number of leading female voices will speak at various plenaries, breakout sessions, master classes, and workshops, including Google’s Vice President of Next Billion Users Diana Louise Patricia Layfield, tennis champion Sania Mirza, and CEO of Afghan Citadel Software Company Roya Mahboob.

Other prominent speakers include John Chambers, Chairman, USISPF; Cherie Blair, Founder, Cherie Blair Foundation for Women; Prem Watsa, Chairman and CEO, Fairfax Financial Holdings Ltd; Marcus Wallenberg, Chairman of Swedish financial group SEB; Chanda Kochhar, Managing Director and CEO, ICICI Bank, and Tessy Thomas, Director, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

Newly-crowned Miss World Manushi Chhillar, and actors Sonam Kapoor and Aditi Rao Hydari will add glamour to the event.

This year’s summit's theme demonstrates the commitment of the US and Indian governments towards women empowerment. Women entrepreneurs help drive innovation and job creation, as well as address the world’s greatest and most critical challenges.

The inaugural plenary of the three-day summit will take place on November 28 at the Hyderabad International Convention Centre, followed by two days of networking, mentoring, and workshops, anchoring the collaborative environment for entrepreneurs to exchange ideas, create networks, and take their passion forward.

The 2017 event will focus on four innovative, high-growth industries - healthcare and life sciences; digital economy and financial technology; energy and infrastructure, and media and entertainment.

Over 100 innovative startups, products, services and processes will be exhibited through a multi-touch interactive wall, sensor-enabled touch screens, rotoscope mural technology, and physical displays.

GES, a personal initiative of former US President Barack Obama to bring entrepreneurs from across the globe on one platform, was started in 2010 in Washington, and thereafter has been hosted by Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Malaysia, Morocco, and Kenya.

In 2016, Silicon Valley hosted the GES. India was given the opportunity to host GES during Modi's US visit in June.

"For India, the summit holds a special place as we are more intensely focused than ever before to give entrepreneurs the opportunities and ecosystem to help them thrive," said Amitabh Kant, CEO, NITI Aayog.

GES will highlight India's enabling environment for innovation and entrepreneurship - including actions by the government to increase the ease of doing business, eliminating unnecessary regulations and supporting startups.

The choice of Hyderabad to host the event is significant as the city is a major tech hub; home to a large number of US firms, including giants like Microsoft, Google, Amazon, Apple and Uber, and a robust startup ecosystem.

Known for its premier academic institutions, top-notch talent, and investor-friendly policies, the city also boasts of T-Hub, India's largest startup capital.

Telangana government has made elaborate arrangements for the prestigious event, which will also showcase the city as a fine blend of tradition and modernity.

Ivanka Trump, Modi, and other delegates attend a dinner being hosted by the Government at Taj Falaknuma, a palace hotel in the old city on November 28.

On Wednesday, the Telangana government will host a dinner at the historic Golconda Fort.

Unprecedented security arrangements have been made for the GES with the deployment of over 10,000 policemen.

In addition to US security agencies protecting Ivanka Trump, the Special Protection Group and other elite forces will take care of the security of the Prime Minister and other delegates.

Watch this space as YourStory reporters bring you on-ground stories from the summit.