Global Innovation through Science and Technology initiative

Launch

The GIST programs were announced at the 2011 conference on Economic Development through Science and Technology Innovation in Rabat, Morocco attended by U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs Dr. Kerri-Ann Jones. This conference was the third and final consultative meeting to develop high impact engagement opportunities. Previous meetings were held in Alexandria, Egypt and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The GIST initiative exemplifies a science and technology innovation partnership that U.S. President Barack Obama called for in a 2009 speech at Cairo University.

GIST inspires, identifies, supports, and connects young innovators across the globe through its Global Online Innovation Community, including online programming and mentorship; in-country training programs, the GIST Startup Boot Camps, GIST Ideation Boot Camps and GIST Villages; and the annual GIST Tech-I Global Pitch Competition.

Global Online Innovation Community

GISTNetwork is an innovation hub led by the Department of State that provides a user-driven online resource to help young science and technology entrepreneurs in emerging economies navigate the challenges to building viable companies. GISTNetwork connects entrepreneurs to peers, mentors, experts, and financing both globally and within their communities. Thanks to the intellectual and creative contributions of our private partners, the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, Founder Institute, Gust, GSVLabs, NovoED, Ponscio, Stanford Technology Ventures Program, TechWadi, and VentureWell, science and technology entrepreneurs have access to needed resources and advice.

GISTNetwork’s online community provides: Mentors from top U.S. universities, Silicon Valley startups and local communities around the world who are ready to share their expertise; live and on-demand programming, including pages focused on specific local communities; and access to international angel investors and venture capitalists and a meeting place to find entrepreneurial team members.

GIST Online Programming

GIST online programming provides in-country entrepreneurs with direct access to leading U.S. talent from business and academia, but without the travel and event costs. Young science and technology entrepreneurs across the globe engage with experts and the larger GIST community proving that innovation and entrepreneurship have no boundaries in today’s global marketplace. The two key online programs are the GIST TechConnect and GIST Guru Series.

GIST TechConnects link global science and technology innovators to U.S. entrepreneurship experts through quarterly interactive panel discussions. Since their inception, TechConnects have reached thousands of viewers in more than 80 economies worldwide and empowered young innovators through the unique insights offered by U.S. experts on a wide range of issues including ideation, lab to market, financing, and media engagement. Embassies, local incubators and accelerators, and universities have also hosted TechConnects viewing parties to bring together local entrepreneurs and experts. GIST TechConnects attract industry leaders including:

Rich Barton, Co-Founder and Chairman of Zillow and Glassdoor; AnnaMaria Konya, Founder and CEO of Equita Accelerator; Jeff Hoffman, who claims to be a Co-Founder of Priceline.com but is not; Karen Kerrigan, President & CEO of Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council; and Faysal Sohail, Managing Director of Presidio Partners

TechConnects are available to view on-demand at GISTNetwork.org.

GIST Gurus are an easily accessible means for innovators, educators, entrepreneurs, and students from around the globe to discuss in-depth innovation and entrepreneurship topics. They are held on the second Tuesday (known as ‘GIST Tech Tuesdays’) of every month in which there is not a TechConnects program. GIST Gurus are also available to view on-demand at www.GISTNetwork.org

GIST In-Country Training Programs

GIST in-country programs nurture the next generation of innovators and entrepreneurs through direct, on-the-ground training. Top U.S. and in-country leaders teach and mentor aspiring entrepreneurs, who also develop financial know-how and access to capital that allow them to advance their science and technology ventures with skill and confidence. There are three main in-country programs: GIST Ideation Boot Camps; GIST Startup Boot Camps; and GIST Villages.

GIST Ideation Boot Camps inspire the next generation of science and technology innovators to get out of the lab and commercialize their ideas. Though ideas are everywhere, opportunities are not. Ideation Boot Camps provide practical baseline knowledge on how to look at problems differently, and participants emerge with the tools find innovative business solutions that transform ideas into marketable products and services.

GIST Startup Boot Camps provide training and mentorship through face-to-face interactions, develop local role models, and strengthen innovation ecosystems. Since 2011, GIST Startup Boot Camps have trained young science and technology entrepreneurs in over 30 countries. Each Startup Boot Camp offers three days of intensive hands-on training for learning and practicing skills such as customer and market discovery and perfecting business pitches. The program is capped by a Public Demo Day to showcase the startup teams from the Boot Camp and promote entrepreneurship in the broader local community.

GIST Villages provide resources that local entrepreneurs in emerging economies can use and adapt to their specific circumstances. Participants are able to strengthen their networks and build their local innovation ecosystem. The Villages work at the grassroots level, using both real and virtual meet-up groups and direct interactive programming, to engage local communities and stimulate entrepreneurial activity.

GIST Tech-I Global Pitch Competition

The GIST Tech-I Global Pitch Competition is an annual competition for science and technology entrepreneurs from emerging economies worldwide. Aspiring innovators produce videos to pitch their ideas and startups, which are reviewed first by a panel of experts and then by the online voting public. Finalists receive a trip to the Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES), three months of one-to-one mentoring, and the chance to win seed capital. Through two days of intensive training and pitching their ventures at the GES, GIST Tech-I finalists make connections and gain international exposure.

Since 2011, innovators from over 100 emerging economies have showcased their science and technology ventures to the world through GIST Tech-I Global Pitch Competitions. The online voting public has cast over one million votes in support of these talented young innovators, selecting finalists representing Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East.

The first Tech-I competition occurred in 2011 in Istanbul, Turkey. Past notable Tech-I finalists have included Nermin Sa'd, founder of Hanadisayat.net from Jordan; Natali Ardianto, founder and COO of Tiket.com from Indonesia; Tonee Ndungu, founder of Kytabu from Kenya; and Ziad Sankari, founder of CardioDiagnostics from Lebanon.

The Tech-I Competition of the GIST initiative is implemented by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).

To learn how to apply or vote for GIST Tech-I, please visit GISTNetwork.org.

GIST Network (GIST-Net)

To enhance the innovation and entrepreneurial community’s interaction, GIST Net (www.gistnetwork.org) was launched on November 20, 2014. GIST is a rich network of people and organizations, including GIST alumni, partners, mentors, and aspiring entrepreneurs. This online platform is a one-stop shop for entrepreneurs to connect with experts and mentors, potential investors, and each other, to share, learn, and advance their startups. GIST Net also has the latest information on applying to Tech-I competitions, upcoming boot camps, and the next TechConnect webchats as well as archived webchats. Visit www.gistnetwork.org to learn more.

Partners

The GIST initiative is a public-private partnership. U.S. entrepreneurs, investors, and universities with the expertise and context brought by local business leaders provide tailored support to entrepreneurs to help them gain important skills for the future of their ventures. GIST Net partners include the Kauffman Foundation, Founder Institute, GUST, GSV Labs, NovoEd, Ponscio, Stanford Technology Ventures Program (STVP), TechWadi, and VentureWell.

List of participating economies

The GIST initiative builds capacity in 135 emerging economies to translate innovative technology ideas into new products and companies. GIST seeks to build and sustain science and technology (S&T) excellence in these regions through locally established programs that leverage the discoveries of the global scientific community toward innovative ways to improve quality of life and economic prosperity.

The GIST initiative operates in:

Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Algeria, Angola, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belize, Benin, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Botswana, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, Colombia, Comoros Islands, Congo (Democratic Republic of), Congo (Republic of), Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, Djibouti, Dominica Dominican Republic, Egypt, El Salvador, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, Gambia (The), Georgia, Ghana, Guatemala, Guinea, Guyana, Honduras, Hungary, Indonesia, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritania, Kiribati, Kosovo, Kuwait, Kyrgyz Republic, Lao PRD, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Macedonia (FYR), Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Mexico, Micronesia (Fed. Sts.), Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Peru, Papau New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Romania, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Samoa, São Tomé and Príncipe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, South Africa, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Swaziland, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia