She received the Entrepreneur for the World Award in the Politician's category. The distinction has been awarded since 2009 and the two previous award winners were also women — Christine Lagarde, France's former Finance Minister and currently head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and Mary Robinson, erstwhile President of the Republic of Ireland.Describing their motivation for the prize, the jury says:
"Anneli Hulthén was awarded the prize for her great dedication and support for entrepreneurship in Gothenburg. We have focused special attention on three initiatives, Brewhouse, Business Emergency and Expedition Forward. These projects are excellent examples of best practices that deserve international attention for strengthening a city's entrepreneurship."
The three highlighted businesses, which were started simultaneously by municipally owned Business Region Göteborg, pursue the following business activities:
- Brewhouse — a meeting place that focuses on the creative industries and which is currently home to an incubator, around 70 companies and a concert venue.
- Business Emergency — a business that since opening its doors has helped around 1,000 small companies with financial problems, of which 60 percent survived.
- Expedition Forward — an operation that helps 700 small and medium-sized businesses to grow, and which has created 1,000 new jobs during the financial crisis.
Anneli Hulthén comments:
"I am immensely proud, happy and honored. In my roles as Chairman of the City of Gothenburg Executive Committee and Chairman of Business Region Göteborg I seek to spotlight entrepreneurship issues in our city and region. For a long while Gothenburg has done a great deal to advance trade and industry, innovations and entrepreneurship. The prize is an acknowledgement that the city has entrepreneurship strategies that are clear, on target and which above all produce results."
This is not the first time Gothenburg has received an international award for its entrepreneurship efforts. In 2007 the city was appointed Best City for Entrepreneurship by the European Cities Entrepreneurship Ranking (ECER). Business Region Göteborg's importance was spotlighted on that occasion too.
"This is the result of long-term, single-minded efforts behind which Business Region Göteborg was the public driving force and means. One of our success factors is that we work on a broad front and throughout the entire entrepreneurship chain from influencing attitudes to supporting growing companies," says Patrik Andersson, CEO for Business Region Göteborg.
Facts
The World Entrepreneurship Forum takes place in Singapore between November 2 and 5. The forum began four years ago and held its first meeting in Evian, France. The founders were Emylon Business School in Lyons, France and KPMG. The Singapore Institutions Action for Entrepreneurship (ACE) and Nanyang Technological University in Singapore have also been behind the forum since last year.The objective is to allow entrepreneurial company leaders, academics, research scientists and politicians from the whole world to meet in a global think-tank where they are able to discuss on a broad societal front issues regarding how to create new jobs. Social matters and issues concerning justice are also considered.The World Entrepreneurship Forum nominates prizewinners in order to encourage personal involvement in entrepreneurship, this year in four categories. Entrepreneur of the Year, Social Entrepreneur of the Year, Young Entrepreneur of the Year and Politician of the Year.
http://www.world-entrepreneurship-forum.com/
Further information:
Patrik Andersson, CEO Business Region Göteborg, tel +46 705 854 881
Malin Dittmer, Press Officer, +46 730 610 188
