August 2, 2018
GEM introduced the evidence-based multi-stakeholder dialogue for improving the economic environment and the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Bulgaria and recognized the key role of the entrepreneurship for the economy, demography, education reform and social change. Prior to GEM data collection and analysis, there was little primary entrepreneurship-specific comparable data and no multi-stakeholder dialogue or shared understanding about what the entrepreneurship ecosystem is and what each actor’s role is. The understanding of ‘entrepreneurship’ was also not consistent – a Google search primarily returned “construction entrepreneur” as a fit. As GEM Bulgaria’s focus and activity advanced in focus and scale, the subject became better understood.
Public institutions, policymakers, PhD students and media refer to the GEM report 2015/16, but its data is yet to be recognized as truly valuable and relevant by public stakeholders who create strategies and programs that are inspired by cross-country comparison and good practices. There are only a number of surveys related to entrepreneurship that get exposure in the media (directly or indirectly): The Innovation Index, the Global Competitiveness Index, GEDI (which uses GEM data) and the World Bank Doing Business ranking. The EU Commission produced its annual Small Business Act Factsheets with GEM data in its Entrepreneurship chapter. Two years before, Bulgaria had “n/a” in the factsheets as EC stopped using Eurostat.
GEM Bulgaria data is used by a number of researchers and we know that many Bulgarian graduate students accessed our data once it became available in 2016. In 2016, organizations seeking funding through the EU operational programs administered by Bulgarian ministries relied on GEM data to support their bids. The GEM Bulgaria 2015/16 highlighted the shortcomings of the local ecosystem regarding the quality of primary/ secondary education, government support as well as lack of significant role models. The report also outlined creaky problems in the dominance of non-export oriented or innovation-driven businesses with ¾ not planning to create new jobs in the short term. The GEM Bulgaria conference in October 2016 brought together high-profile members of other GEM teams, the Bulgarian president, a deputy prime minister and deputy ministers, mayors, CEOs, ambassadors, educators, entrepreneurs, media and students. The event was praised by many senior guests for its line-up, format, depth of discussion and relevance of topics.
The first GEM Bulgaria Awards acknowledged individuals, teams or organizations in six categories: Social entrepreneurship; Public sector project/ initiative/instrument/practice with significant positive impact on the ecosystem; Partnership among public entities, private organizations and NGOs; Comeback of the year; Media product – product or initiative that has/had a positive impact on the societal perceptions about entrepreneurship and positive role models; NGO initiative led by a not-for-profit organization in support of the entrepreneurship. The inspiring and non-traditional award ceremony signalled to the ecosystem that each stakeholder can contribute and make a difference. The award ceremony was widely covered by the media. In recognition of its impact, GEM Bulgaria was invited by the Norway Grants among a small number of organizations to consult on the final list of areas their next grant period will focus on.
A simple Google search on “data, entrepreneurship, Bulgaria” lists GEM Bulgaria as a top match. GEM Bulgaria team members were invited to over 50 events over the past years as speakers, moderators, panellists, judges, mentors (10+ abroad), and also given 20+ interviews for newspapers, radio, TV and online media.
GEM educates local business leaders about the role they can play in the entrepreneurial community. Moreover, the financial model behind GEM requires active networking and communications. This aspect is very hard to measure despite the fact that it expands bridges and builds a community around the idea that we need collective action to move things forward. GEM provides legitimacy for the initiatives by other NGOs that focus on the promotion of entrepreneurship.
GEM Bulgaria helped to introduce entrepreneurship training in the School and Education Bill, which was successfully voted and adopted in 2015. The JEREMY program of the European Investment Fund uses GEM data to benchmark the levels of innovation, technology and internationalization among Bulgarian entrepreneurs for the design of its entrepreneurship financing instruments. GEM Bulgaria organized a joint event with The Netherlands Embassy to meet Bulgarian and Dutch entrepreneurs and discuss the similarities and opportunities in the two environments. Thanks to the availability of data on the quality of entrepreneurial education at school in Bulgaria through GEM and access to good practices abroad, GEM Bulgaria has adapted and launched the “Entrepreneurs in class” initiative to support teachers and invite entrepreneurs in class; Social Entrepreneurship is experiencing a hype in media, competitions and coincides with Operational program with EU funding. GEM Bulgaria had a very successful event for the launch of the Social Entrepreneurship report in June 2016 and added great value to the discussion of what social entrepreneurship entails.
Stakeholders who use GEM
Many different stakeholders use GEM data and reports in Bulgaria as it is the only primary source of quantitative data that facilitates the analysis of entrepreneurship on an individual level and examines its evolution together with allowing cross-country comparisons. This includes:
• Lawmakers
• Policy makers and administrators on national and local level
• Entrepreneurs
• Embassies
• Journalists
• Educational organizations
• Students in Bulgaria and abroad
• Business associations
• Think tanks
This is a shortened version of a chapter that first appeared in the publication The Influence of GEM on Policy 2017/18.
If you would like information about forming a National Team in your country or sponsoring GEM’s work, email us at info@gemconsortium.org.