Global Entrepreneurship Summit to bring 1,500 visitors to Stanford June 22-24

During the three-day summit, which opens Wednesday, commuters are encouraged to avoid the affected areas and to anticipate heavy parking demand, potential traffic delays and bike, pedestrian and vehicle detours in the area.

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Approximately 1,500 people from around the world are expected to visit Stanford June 22-24 for the 2016 Global Entrepreneurship Summit, which will include a Friday morning address by President Barack Obama in Memorial Auditorium.

The summit is not open to the public.

The visitors include entrepreneurs, investors, panelists/presenters, U.S. government officials and journalists.

In addition to Memorial Auditorium, events will be held in and around the area. The media center for the more than 400 registered members of the press attending the summit will be located in the Arrillaga Center for Sports and Recreation.

The summit will run three full days, beginning in early morning and ending in the early evening.

During the summit, Galvez Street (between Serra Street and Campus Drive) and Serra Street (between Galvez Street and Arguello Way) will be closed. Parking will be closed in the affected sections of Galvez and Serra streets. Commuters can find alternative parking at the following locations: Varsity Lot (L-97), Maples Lot (l-93) and the underground Knight Management Center Garage.

Marguerite riders should anticipate temporary stop and route changes to bypass the partial closure of Serra Street during the summit. Visit the Parking & Transportation Services website for more detailed information, including a map of the rerouted Marguerite stops.

Commuters are encouraged to avoid the affected areas and to anticipate heavy parking demand, potential traffic delays and bike, pedestrian and vehicle detours in the area.

Commuters and visitors should consider alternatives to driving alone, including a bicycle, public transit or carpool commute. Commuters and visitors can also request a do-it-yourself alternative commute plan for identifying trip options.

The Global Entrepreneurship Summit is focused on putting innovative global entrepreneurs together with those who can help transform dreams into reality.

The United States selected more than 700 entrepreneurs and more than 300 investors to participate in summit. The entrepreneurs represent 170 countries and territories.

The first day of the summit will be devoted to emerging youth and women entrepreneurs, in a smaller event known as GES+.

Stanford Professor Michael McFaul said the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies (FSI) at Stanford and the Stanford Institute for Innovation in Developing Economies (Seed) at the Graduate School of Business “welcomed the opportunity to collaborate with the White House on this important summit as a way to highlight Stanford’s central role in encouraging entrepreneurship both in the Silicon Valley and around the world.”

McFaul, the director of FSI and a professor of political science at Stanford, served as a White House official during the first three years of the Obama administration.

Participants include entrepreneurs who are harnessing technology to solve some of the world’s most intractable problems, innovators who are driving solutions for target populations such as adolescent girls and refugee communities, and others who are creating new markets and expanding industries such as manufacturing, services and energy in their countries.

“We hope that while the many diverse summit participants are here at Stanford, they will not only benefit from the many stimulating learning and discussion opportunities, but also experience first-hand the energy and dynamism that Stanford brings to Silicon Valley,” said Jesper B. Sørensen, the executive director and faculty director of Stanford Seed and a professor of organizational behavior at the Graduate School of Business.

This year’s summit marks the second time the United States has hosted the event. The United States hosted the first summit in 2010. This year’s event is the 7th installment in the Global Entrepreneurship Summit series, which also was previously hosted by governments of Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Malaysia, Morocco and Kenya.

By bringing the summit back to the United States, President Obama is highlighting his commitment to building bridges that help us tackle global challenges together.

The summit will include a wide range of workshops, panels, ignite talks, pitch competitions, mentoring, and networking sessions aimed to give participants tailored opportunities to gain skills and develop relationships that will help their ventures grow.  Within the summit there will also be demonstration areas, experiential learning exhibitions and opportunities to connect with industry experts.