Draft:G20 Young Entrepreneurs’ Alliance

Introduction
The G20 Young Entrepreneurs' Alliance (G20 YEA) is a global network of young entrepreneurs and the organizations that support them. It operates in conjunction with the G20 Leaders' Summit to advocate for young entrepreneurs' roles in addressing economic challenges, with a particular focus on job creation and innovation.

History
G20 YEA was established to build on the dialogues initiated at international forums with the goal of providing young entrepreneurs with a voice in global economic policies.

Objectives
The G20 YEA aims to foster an environment conducive to entrepreneurship, influence global policies to support young entrepreneurs, and promote international trade and cooperation among young business leaders.

Founders and Original Signatories
The G20 Young Entrepreneurs' Alliance (G20 YEA) was founded by a collective of young entrepreneurs and the leaders of various entrepreneurial organizations from G20 nations. Each original founder committed to the alliance's mission of globally supporting young entrepreneurship. The founding members and their respective organizations are as follows:

These leaders and their organizations have played a pivotal role in establishing the alliance's direction and objectives at its inception. Their collaborative vision has been integral to fostering subsequent growth and enabling international cooperation within the sphere of young entrepreneurship.

Structure
The G20 YEA's organizational structure includes various committees, such as: And the G20 YEA Secretariat, which coordinates the alliance's activities.
 * Steering Committee
 * Events Committee
 * Governance, Membership, and Finance Committee
 * Partnership, Thought Leadership, and Marketing Committee

Annual Summits
The G20 YEA holds annual summits where members discuss issues, propose initiatives, and collaborate on action plans for economic and social development.

Impact
The G20 Young Entrepreneurs' Alliance has significantly impacted global economic policy and entrepreneurial practices. The organization has been instrumental in advocating for governmental policies that support entrepreneurship, recognizing its necessity as a driving force against unemployment and as a catalyst for job creation. Through its summits and declarations, the G20 YEA has highlighted the role of entrepreneurs in fostering economic growth and innovation. These efforts have resulted in concrete policy changes and the adoption of entrepreneur-friendly frameworks in various G20 countries. The alliance's contributions have underscored the critical role that young entrepreneurs play in economic resilience and have contributed to raising their profile and importance on the international stage.

First Communiqué
We are the leaders of the organizations that support young entrepreneurs around the world. We know that these young entrepreneurs have the power to change their lives, their communities, their cultures and their countries. Through the businesses they found, the wealth they generate, the jobs they create and the power of their own personal examples, young entrepreneurs are potent drivers of economic growth, social change and innovation.

As our countries slowly emerge from the global recession, it is imperative that we encourage and support young entrepreneurs. We call upon the governments of our respective countries to recognize this fact and to pledge their support for action on the following five points¹:

Access to funding: Young entrepreneurs have great difficulty in gaining access to traditional sources of financing. Because they tend to have little experience and few assets, financial institutions tend to see them as too risky despite the modest amounts of investment that many require. And because they are starting from scratch, they are often too small to be of interest to most angel investors and venture capitalists. Governments therefore should support alternative mechanisms and institutions that provide young entrepreneurs with the capital they need to start and grow their businesses.

Coordinated support: Young entrepreneurs receive some assistance from a range of non-governmental organizations, private-sector initiatives, educational institutions and government agencies, but in many countries this web of support is inefficient and inconsistent. Mentors from successful businesses can offer vital support, but the importance of their role is often overlooked. Governments should encourage greater collaboration and cooperation among organizations across the public, private and non-profit sectors, both within our countries and across international boundaries.

Entrepreneurship culture: While entrepreneurship has transformed countless lives in all our countries, young people are often not aware of entrepreneurship as a possible career option. This is particularly the case with young women and those from marginalized groups. Some cultures also view business failure as shameful and not as a learning milestone that shapes and improves later entrepreneurial ventures. Examples of entrepreneurs who have overcome these and other challenges are role models that can serve as powerful teachers and we encourage our governments to find ways to share these positive examples.

Regulation and taxation: Founding a business is a challenge for entrepreneurs in every country, but can be even more daunting for young people. Complex regulations and administrative procedures, together with excessive taxation, can discourage young people from taking even the first step towards becoming an entrepreneur. Governments should reduce the administrative burden for early-stage businesses founded by young entrepreneurs and enact tax measures that will encourage their growth.

Education and training: Our education systems have an essential role in enabling young entrepreneurs to acquire the knowledge and skills that they will need to succeed. Governments should encourage entrepreneurial education in our schools, colleges and universities and through nontraditional, community-based means that value real life experiences.

Through these measures, we believe that we can move towards a world in which young entrepreneurs are limited only by their imaginations. The businesses they found will grow to become pillars of their communities, the cornerstones of sustainable growth in our economies and stirring examples of empowerment and engagement for us all.

¹ These elements are not presented in order of priority.

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We are the leaders of the organizations that support young entrepreneurs
The G20 Young Entrepreneurs' Alliance (G20 YEA) was established with a clear vision as delineated in their inaugural communiqué dated June 22, 2010. The leaders of the organizations that form the alliance have laid out their belief in the transformative power of young entrepreneurs globally. Recognizing entrepreneurs as potent drivers of economic growth, especially in the wake of the global recession, the G20 YEA asserts the need to support these young leaders as they bring innovation, vitality, and job creation to their communities.

The communiqué underscores several key areas where action is imperative:

Access to funding: The G20 YEA advocates for greater access to funding for young entrepreneurs, who often face difficulties in securing traditional financial support due to perceived risks. The communiqué calls for government policies that support alternative mechanisms and instruments that provide young entrepreneurs with the capital needed to start and grow their businesses.

Coordinated support: Acknowledging the fragmented support system for young entrepreneurs, the communiqué urges a more coordinated approach that includes non-governmental organizations, private-sector initiatives, educational institutions, and government agencies, emphasizing the role of entrepreneurs as vital contributors to national and international economies.

Entrepreneurship culture: The alliance stresses the importance of cultivating an entrepreneurship culture that transcends societal and cultural barriers, including those faced by women and marginalized groups. It celebrates entrepreneurial ventures as exemplars of empowerment, challenging the stigmatization of business failure and encouraging open sharing of success stories.

Regulation and taxation: The communiqué identifies the complexities of regulations and taxation as significant barriers to entrepreneurship. It calls for simplified administrative burdens and supportive policies that facilitate the transition from idea to operation, reducing the tax obstacles that can hinder business growth.

Education and training: Pointing to the crucial role of education systems, the G20 YEA emphasizes the need for programs that enable young entrepreneurs to acquire necessary knowledge and skills, advocating for educational reforms that integrate entrepreneurship as a core component at all levels of education.

Through these recommendations, the G20 YEA established itself as a leader in advocating for the support and empowerment of young entrepreneurs, aiming to inspire governments to foster the conditions for sustainable growth driven by innovative and dynamic young business leaders.

Entrepreneurs’ Declaration
The G20 Young Entrepreneurs' Alliance (G20 YEA) put forth the "Entrepreneurs’ Declaration" during the summit in Nice, France, aligned with the G20 Leaders' Summit in Cannes. This declaration emerged from discussions initiated in previous summits and aimed to unlock the potential of young entrepreneurs for economic and social regeneration post the financial crisis.

Recognizing the critical role of entrepreneurs in job creation and innovation, especially amid financial and economic challenges, the G20 YEA called upon G20 governments to include specific measures within the Cannes Summit outcomes. These measures were proposed to facilitate entrepreneurship development and endorse a culture of innovation.

The entrepreneurs emphasized the need for a fertile 'entrepreneur ecosystem', diverse financing options, and a culture that fosters entrepreneurial spirit and risk-taking.

To move forward, the G20 YEA outlined a three-point plan:
 * 1) Commit to ongoing dialogue and research between governments and young entrepreneurs.
 * 2) Implement best practices supporting entrepreneurs, categorized as follows:
 * 3) Fertile ecosystems with stable regulation and ambitious growth strategies.
 * 4) Access to financing from startup to critical mass through public-private partnerships.
 * 5) A supportive entrepreneurial culture with educational programs and media promotion.
 * 6) Formulate an "Entrepreneurs’ Declaration" that leads to a tailored Action Plan for G20 countries.

The declaration proposed foundational principles for fostering entrepreneurship without distorting market dynamics or encouraging unfair competition. The summit concluded with a proposition to develop an action plan for consideration at the next G20 Leaders’ Summit in Mexico, with an interim review in March 2012.

Young entrepreneurs expressed their readiness to contribute to the G20 nations' prosperity, looking forward to the endorsement of their proposals as a beacon of hope for young people worldwide in the 21st Century.

Notable Members
A list of notable members and national bodies within the G20 YEA.