GEC 2023 will build on the work of GEC 2022, which ended on March 30 In Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. For four days, delegates from 200 countries came together for the first time since the onset of the pandemic to do business, make connections, share best practices, and strengthen the global entrepreneurship ecosystem.

“As one of the top 25 cities in the world for global connectedness and startup talent, Melbourne is a rapidly expanding hub for innovation and entrepreneurship,” said Jonathan Ortmans, President of the Global Entrepreneurship Network. “It is a fitting backdrop to connect and collaborate to bring ideas to life, drive economic growth and expand human welfare in the post-pandemic economy.”

With an entrepreneurship ecosystem valued at USD 7.6 billion, Melbourne is a hotspot for startups and a destination for investment. The city is home to more than 2,100 startups, nearly 500 investors and almost 50 accelerators. It is among the top two cities for entrepreneurship in Oceania, according to the Global Startup Ecosystem Report.

Dr. Chad Renando, GEN Australia Managing Director said, “GEC 2023 is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to bring leaders from around the world to showcase Australia’s innovation ecosystem as we collectively leverage innovation and entrepreneurship to address global challenges. It could not happen at a better time, as Australia builds on year-on-year record venture investment coming out of a global pandemic.”

The GEC brings upwards of USD 30 million in economic value to the local economy. Hosted in a different city every year, the Global Entrepreneurship Congress has previously been held in Kansas City (2009), Dubai (2010), Shanghai (2011), Liverpool (2012), Rio de Janeiro (2013), Moscow (2014), Milan (2015), Medellin (2016) and Johannesburg (2017), Istanbul (2018), Manama (2019) and Riyadh (2022).