Bermuda brought home two Champion Catalyzer awards from the annual Global Entrepreneurship Congress in Istanbul, Turkey.

Thirteen delegates from Bermuda travelled to Istanbul for the event, which ran from last Sunday through today.

These awards will join the five others that Bermuda has received, through the efforts of the Bermuda Economic Development Corporation, at the annual international event.

Last November, the BEDC hosted 46 events and collaborated with 29 local and overseas partners for Global Entrepreneurship Week, which celebrates the island’s entrepreneurs. Out of 170 countries that participate in the GEW events around the globe, Bermuda won top honours for hosting the most events and for having the most partners per capita in 2017.

Jamillah Lodge, BEDC’s acting micro, small and medium enterprise director and GEC lead delegate, said: “The awards are a testament to how hard the GEW Host Committee works to ensure that during Global Entrepreneurship Week local entrepreneurs have access to a variety of events that inspire, mentor and engage them.

“We are honoured to have been recognised once again with two Champion Catalyzer Awards and feel this is something the entire island can be extremely proud of.”

Jamahl Simmons, the Minister of Economic Development and Tourism, echoed a similar sentiment and congratulated the BEDC team on a job well done.

“This international recognition aligns with Government’s commitment to support local entrepreneurship, encourage small businesses and expand access to capital for new businesses.”

Maryem Biadillah, senior policy analyst of the Department of ICT Policy and Innovation and a member of the GEW Host Committee, said: “Since joining the GEW movement, Bermuda’s calendar has grown from a humble five events and four partners ten years ago to a rich, monthlong event full of activities, workshops, competitions and announcements that aim to celebrate, understand, support, and connect Bermuda’s entrepreneurs, making the yearly GEW a highly anticipated time of the year.”

The Bermuda delegation at the congress included senator Crystal Caesar, junior economic development minister, Marc Daniels and J’Von Furbert, both BEDC board members; Ms Lodge; Raymond Lambert, BEDC economic development officer; Ms Biadillah and Joe Mahoney, executive director of the Youth Entrepreneurship Initiative of Bermuda.

Also there were Bermudian-based entrepreneurs and Enterprise Bermuda Incubator participants, Chaella Bradshaw Douglas of Good Chew; Cire Bean of Payakid; Christopher Phillips of Phillips Innovations; Nakia Smith of Sip and Savor Tours Bermuda; and Surlena Smith of Ponda Pits, Bermuda’s participant in the Future Agro Challenge.

Mr Lambert said the GEC had been a fantastic opportunity to meet, share with, and learn from entrepreneurs and policymakers from around the globe.