Indian, US officials meet to prepare for Global Entrepreneurship Summit

New Delhi, Oct 3 (IANS) Indian and US officials met here on Tuesday in the run up to the November 28-30 Global Entrepreneurship Summit in Hyderabad that will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Ivanka Trump, President Donald Trump's daughter and advisor.

According to an official statement, Indian and US officials met at NITI Aayog office here to plan the 2017 Global Entrepreneurship Summit which is themed around "Women First, Prosperity for All".

The summit is expected to be attended by over 1,600 delegates, including entrepreneurs and investors, CEOs of major knowledge-based industries, representing the full measure of entrepreneurial talent from diverse backgrounds across the world.

The participants from 160 countries will represent a diverse range of geographies, industries, business size and scalability.

"Investors and representatives from organizations that support entrepreneurs will be hand-picked to catalyze investment, networking and mentoring. There will be special emphasis on empowering young and women entrepreneurs and the role they play in making communities more prosperous and secure through enterprise," the statement said.

NITI Aayog is taking the lead in organising the summit.

Amitabh Kant, CEO NITI Aayog, said it was a unique opportunity for Indian startups and innovators to interact and network with the finest entrepreneurs of the world.

"We need to harness technology to solve some of the most pressing problems in healthcare delivery, education, energy, safe drinking water and agriculture, among others for the benefit of communities at large. Innovation and entrepreneurship will play a decisive role towards this end. I am sure this will be a unique opportunity for entrepreneurs to interact with the best," Kant said.

Jennifer Arangio, Senior Director at the US National Security Council, was quoted in the statement as saying the US was proud to partner with India for this year's GES.

"Uniting under the theme Women First, Prosperity for All, the summit will highlight the Trump administration's commitment to the principle that when women are economically empowered, communities and countries thrive."

Arangio said hosting the summit in India was a signature of the "broad and enduring partnership between our two countries".

NITI Aayog and the US Embassy here are planning a series of 'Road to GES' events in collaboration with different agencies to attract the attention of different stakeholders.

As part of the summit, there will be a virtual exhibition of India's innovative prowess in collaboration with the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion. It is also proposed to showcase India's heritage, social entrepreneurship and craftsmanship in collaboration with the Ministry of Rural Development and Ministry of Culture.