A former National Football League player turned writer for television will be among the featured speakers on the island during Global Entrepreneurship Week in November.

Ephraim Salaam, an offensive lineman who played for four teams over six seasons in the NFL, is now a writer for the series Bel-Air, which airs on Peacock TV.

He will speak at the Next Man Up Men in Entrepreneurship Conference & Brunch, a full-day event presented by the Bermuda Economic Development Corporation.

Mr Salaam will be joined by Rob Boyd, VP of business development and content strategy at Atlanta-based Empify, and a host of local speakers.

The BEDC will present a range of events from November 16 to November 19 at Pier Six waterfront complex on Front Street in Hamilton.

Featured events include Celebrating [Her]Story: Women’s Brunch & Conference, which brings together women to celebrate entrepreneurship, empowerment and connection.

Speakers include Joyel Crawford, a certified professional career coach at Philadelphia-based Crawford Leadership Strategies, and Ashley Fox, chief executive and founder of Empify, who will join a diverse group of local speakers.

The annual Rocket Pitch competition returns featuring entrepreneurs in six categories — Pink, Town, Tech, Green, Youth and Food & Beverage — competing for the top prize, which includes a $5,000 cash award and a start-up package of services to help them to launch their business.

Applications are being accepted for that competition until October 22 by 11.59pm.

The island’s youth entrepreneurs aged 14 to 25 are invited to join the BEDC for a full day of networking, inspiration and encouragement.

Entrepreneurs are also invited to the evening event, Festival of Entrepreneurship: Thrive! Together!.

The BEDC said it will provide an opportunity to network, engage with local service providers that cater to small businesses and entrepreneurs, and celebrate accomplishments on a night dedicated to Bermuda’s entrepreneurs.

The corporation will host an artisan vendor market for the first time, featuring small and medium-sized businesses.

A highlight of GEW Week is the BEDC Business Awards, which celebrate entrepreneurs' achievements, growth and resilience.

This event will feature local businesses that the public has nominated in recognition of their success within the last year.

Awards include Business of the Year, Start-up of the Year, Entrepreneur of the Year, BEDC Client of the Year, and more.

Cyber Monday, an online initiative to encourage residents to shop local online and support the development of local e-commerce businesses in Bermuda, will also be highlighted.

Jamillah Lodge, director of communication and development for BEDC and GEW project manager, said: “We are thrilled for the upcoming Global Entrepreneurship Week, showcasing the entrepreneurial prowess of Bermudians.

“The success of local entrepreneurs not only brings fresh narratives to life but also stimulates others to embark on their business endeavours.

“We invite everyone, whether budding entrepreneurs or local business supporters, to engage in the diverse events planned for November and beyond, including events that partners will host.”

Launched in 2008, GEW is celebrated worldwide, and has grown to include more than 170 host countries and 50,000 partner organisations.

Bermuda has participated in GEW since the start and has been recognised at the Global Entrepreneurship Congress for hosting the most events per capita.