Global summit at Hyderabad

Global summits are not new to Hyderabad, nor are global stars – political or otherwise. The City of Pearls which was founded more than four hundred years ago in 1591 was on global map even before the Independence as Mir Osman Ali Khan, the last Nizam who ruled the Princely State of Hyderabad and Berar from 1911 to 1948, hit the global headlines for being the world’s richest person in those days.

The city got a new lease of life and marched towards hi-tech era when information technology sector took roots in late 1990s. Soon followed the visits of two US Presidents. Bill Clinton came to the city in the year 2000 at time when IT was just beginning to happen here. His visit had put the city on the global map yet again. Another US President George Bush came to Hyderabad six years later in 2006. It was a visit that reflected the growing stature of the city as an IT hub.

But when the Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) being organised jointly by the US and India takes off amid much fanfare at the Hyderabad International Convention Centre today, the city, not only known for the presence of global IT giants but also for its pharmaceutical industry, will make another greater stride into future. It will entrench itself as a leading destination for startups in India. Telangana and Hyderabad, its capital, have already made a mark in the startup space thanks to T-Hub, an incubator launched by the State government under PPP.

To put the importance of this three-day event in prospective, over 1,500 entrepreneurs, investors and achievers from as many as 170 countries are descending on the city to participate in the eighth edition of the annual conclave which will be inaugurated by PM Modi. As Telangana Chief Secretary S P Singh puts it, the summit will allow local entrepreneurs to get exposed to global ideas and experiences shared by entrepreneurs from around the world. That will be of immense help to the budding entrepreneurs.

The key takeaway from the summit is that it will focus on women entrepreneurs with its core theme being ‘Women First, Prosperity for All’. Keeping this in mind, organisers saw to it that women accounted for a whopping 52 per cent of all the delegates landing in the city for the summit. That means, for a change, men will take a backseat at the event, a development which will go a long way in encouraging women entrepreneurs in the city, India and around the world.

Interestingly, the biggest attraction at the event happens to be Ivanka Trump, daughter of US President Donald Trump. Also, a key advisor to her father, besides being a successful entrepreneur herself, Ivanka’s presence has not only elevated the event’s stature, but also turns global spotlight on the city and Telangana. This is already visible in the kind of extensive global media coverage the event has received so far. But the only disappointment is that none of the founders of startups, which have global influence, is on the speakers’ list. So, there is no chance to see the founders of Googles and Facebooks!