CGI America: Pregame

Next week, members from the private sector, NGOs and State/Local Governments will convene in Chicago for the first ever Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) America event. CGI America is built on the success of Clinton Global Initiative and is focused on one overarching theme: economic recovery and job growth. Apparently, this event was initiated as a priority from President Clinton himself. I count myself fortunate to be one of the CGI members participating in the two day event.

Beyond convening for plenary sessions that feature high profile speakers, such as: President Clinton, various governors, and leaders from all sectors; the core of the event will be the smaller working groups. I will be participating in the SUPPORTING START-UPS AND HIGH-GROWTH BUSINESS.

The working group is being led by Scott Case, CEO of STARTUP America. I must say, I’m very impressed by the composition, energy and agenda of the group. Roughly sixty of us will convene for three, 90 minute working sessions over the two day period. First, we will hear from a handful of start-ups that are currently participating in incubator programs and collaborate to accelerate their growth and success. Additionally, we will discuss ideas about how to foster a stronger entrepreneurial environment in America. The underlying belief, which I personally subscribe to, is that the path to long-term and sustainable economic recovery in our country is through enabling American innovators to do what they do best: innovate. When that happens, jobs follow.

Following CGI’s Commitment to Action framework, the goal of the meeting is to generate new commitments (new, specific, and measurable plans to address challenges in the U.S., particularly through job creation and investment). Personally, I’m looking to create, or participate in, a Commitment to Action that takes advantage of recent social media trends and advancement in analytics technologies to create onshore outsourcing jobs.

Additionally, I hope we leave this meeting with not only fresh commitments, but strong policy recommendations that are heard at all levels of government to reduce the barriers to entry for aspiring entrepreneurs and small business owners.