Key players in the global entrepreneurial ecosystem will gather in Quito, Ecuador, from October 5 to 7 for the GET 2026 Forum, the flagship event of the Inter-American Development Bank Group (IDB Group) focused on innovation and early-stage investment for development.
Key players in the global entrepreneurial ecosystem will gather in Quito, Ecuador, from October 5 to 7 for the GET 2026 Forum, the flagship event of the Inter-American Development Bank Group (IDB Group) focused on innovation and early-stage investment for development. This forum aims to turn the region’s entrepreneurial energy into businesses, investments, and large-scale development projects.More than 100 international speakers and 800 participants are expected at this high-level conference in Quito, along with over 2,000 people at the Innovation Village on the opening day. Confirmed speakers include Jeff Hoffman, chairman of the Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN) and a tech entrepreneur; Rebeca Hwang and Nicolas Berman, leaders in venture capital; Casey Weston, global head of labor and economic policies at LinkedIn; Sariha Moya, Ecuador’s Minister of Economic and Productive Development; and María Luisa Hayem, El Salvador’s Minister of Economy.
“Entrepreneurial talent exists in every country. What determines whether this talent transforms an economy is the strength of the ecosystem around it,” said Graham Macmillan, CEO of IDB Lab, the innovation and venture capital arm of the IDB Group. “Entrepreneurs need investors. Investors need market information. Governments need evidence. Universities need industry partners. Innovation only impacts development when these connections exist – and the GET Forum aims to create them.””Ecuador is determined to make entrepreneurship, innovation, and investment the driving forces of sustainable economic growth,” said Minister Sariha Moya. “Hosting the GET Forum gives us the chance to connect our entrepreneurs and companies with investors, tech leaders, and international partners, while positioning Ecuador as a key player in the regional innovation economy.”Despite strong entrepreneurial activity throughout the region, many promising innovations are still struggling to scale up. The GET Forum acts as a meeting platform bringing together founders, investors, policymakers, companies, universities, development partners, and entrepreneurial ecosystem players to spark their collaboration. For countries looking for new sources of productivity, competitiveness, and quality jobs, building these connections has become an economic must.Co-organized by the BID Group, the Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN), the Alliance for Entrepreneurship and Innovation of Ecuador (AEI), and the Ecuadorian government, this year’s GET Forum will focus on three priorities:
Creating policies that support stronger entrepreneurial and investment ecosystems.
Developing economic opportunities through tech skills;
Increasing venture capital investments;Artificial intelligence and digital transformation will be at the heart of the discussions, which will focus in particular on how emerging technologies are reshaping businesses, the job market, and economic opportunities.
“The countries that will shape the economy of tomorrow are those that are building stronger innovation ecosystems today,” said Jonathan Ortmans, founder and president of GEN. “Connecting talent, capital, knowledge, and international networks is not an option, but an essential condition for sustainable competitiveness.”Paulina Burbano de Lara, chair of the AEI board, said: “Ecuador has some amazing advantages: unique natural resources, a diverse society with a strong entrepreneurial spirit, and a private sector ecosystem that believes in the country and encourages the exchange of talent, investments, and collaborations.
The GET Forum will be a chance to show how combining these strengths allows us to tackle major global trends, turn ideas into real solutions, and position Ecuador as a global leader in innovation and entrepreneurship, shining on the international stage.”As part of the GET platform, a broader initiative by the IDB Lab aimed at strengthening entrepreneurial innovation ecosystems across the region, this forum goes beyond just an annual meeting. It’s a long-term mechanism to turn entrepreneurial innovation into real, large-scale development impact.
Registrations are open at www.GETForumLAC.org.
