GIST Community | GIST Network

Innovators

By combining its online platform with on-the-ground partners, GIST creates education and training opportunities for young innovators in more than 130 countries around the world by providing access to U.S. experts and through in-country entrepreneurship networks and support systems.

Ecosystem Builders

Ecosystem Builders aim to bolster networking and entrepreneurial skills to build durable, long-term, supportive networks. The ultimate goal is to stimulate local entrepreneurial activity and ensure participants can grow their skills and scale their businesses together – both in their home country and through the GIST Network’s global connections.

Investors

GIST partners with in-country stakeholders in entrepreneurial ecosystems to bolster local financial support for startups. GIST is able to bring American investment experts to different regions around the world and provides an opportunity for in-country investors to learn how to create and sustain investor networks for entrepreneurs.

Partners

Since 2011, GIST has partnered with the private sector to reach over 27 million innovation community members globally and has provided training for over 15,000 startups who have gone on to generate over $250 million in revenue. This is done through competitions, startup trainings, and interactive online programs, implemented by AAAS and VentureWell. If you would like to explore partnership opportunities please contact Hillary LeBail.

General Pitch Competition

GIST runs a variety of Pitch Competitions that do not fall into the same category as Tech-I or Catalyst. These are usually associated with specific conferences or themes.

Business Incubation

The U.S. Department of State’s Global Innovation through Science and Technology, or GIST, Initiative launched this new program in the fall of 2019 for entrepreneurs in emerging economies.

The GIST Network is a public-private partnership created by the U.S. Department of State to give science and technology entrepreneurs access to needed resources and advice.

In order to create sustainable investment networks, the Global Innovation through Science and Technology (GIST) Initiative has created the Investor Mobilization Training program (GIST Investors).

GIST Startup Trainings

GIST Startup Trainings empower young science and technology innovators and entrepreneurs through on-the-ground training and mentoring delivered by top U.S. mentors and in-country partners.

GIST Tech-I Pitch Competition

The GIST Tech-I Competition is an annual competition for science and technology entrepreneurs from emerging economies worldwide.

GIST Catalyst Pitch Competition

Applications open 2 August for the 2021 GIST Virtual Pitch Competition!

The GIST Innovates program is a multi-component training program to provide innovators with the training, mentoring, and resources they need to bring their ideas out of the university lab and into the market.

Resources

GIST TechConnect

GIST TechConnects provides entrepreneurs around the world with direct access to leading U.S. experts from business and academia, but without the travel and other related costs.

GIST Innovation Hubs

Innovation Hubs, or IHubs, are designed to build strong and vibrant networks of young science and technology entrepreneurs around the world.

GIST Masterclass Series

Through partnerships with U.S. Embassies and in-country startup incubators, the GIST Masterclass Series brings U.S. experts in entrepreneurship to a specific country for face-to-face interactions with stakeholders.

News

GIST Innovation Talks Episode 7: Lean Startup

In this episode of GIST Innovation Talks we learn about the Lean Startup process from Grant Warner, director of innovation at Howard University. VentureWell senior program officer Christina Tamer leads the discussion.

The Role AI is Playing in Building and Sustaining Startups

GIST TechConnect brought together another panel of insightful industry experts on Nov 17th, 2020, this time to present the state of artificial intelligence and the role it can play in the startup ecosystem.

GIST Innovates Ukraine Demo Day

What better way to highlight the fantastic ideas coming out of the Ukrainian science and technology innovation space than to showcase 18 of the most promising startup teams?

GIST Insights: 4 Principles of Team Building

For founders, the composition of your team can make or break your startup. In our goal to empower early-stage innovators, GIST has put together these 4 principles of team building, distilled from the many insights provided by GIST instructors and industry experts.

GIST Innovation Hub, UTEC Ventures, on Building Community and Engaging Innovators

In our ongoing series highlighting the work that GIST Innovation Hubs are doing to support their innovation ecosystems, we spoke with UTEC Ventures about their recent programs that engage and empower innovators in Peru.

GIST Alum, Liber Health, Selected to Represent UAE at World Summit Awards

GIST Alum, Liber Heath, has earned the nomination of best national digital solution in the category of Health and Well-being and will be representing the United Arab Emirates for the 2020 World Summit Awards (WSA).

GIST Innovates Ukraine Program Engages Innovators, Showcases Success

Next month, the Global Innovation through Science and Technology (GIST) initiative will showcase our latest cohort of industrious innovators at the GIST Innovates Ukraine Digital Demo Day. On December 1, 2020, GIST will host this event as the culmination of an 8-week accelerated, intensive training in Lean Startup process.

GIST IHub EPIC at AUA Supports Innovators

GIST Innovation Hub Entrepreneurship & Product Innovation Center (EPIC) at The American University of Armenia has been a great example of how innovation ecosystem builders are getting creative and making an impact in their communities. We asked EPIC about their recent batch of programs to support innovators.

GIST Innovation Talks Episode 6: Team Building

In this episode of GIST Innovation Talks we discuss one of the most fundamental aspects of early-stage innovation--team building. Our guest is Ivy Schultz, director of entrepreneurship at Columbia Engineering. Ivy is also an I-Corps instructor, innovation coach, and frequent GIST collaborator. Ve

GIST Alumni Corner: Julio Lavalle and Cynthia Villar of MiBolsillo

In October of 2018, GIST invited a small group of APEC innovators to participate in a 1-week, intensive training in Brisbane, Australia. That training saw some of the top talent in the APEC region converge to elevate their business model, perfect their pitch, and be inspired by presenters such as Melissa Bradley of Ureeka and Cathie Reid of Icon Group.

GIST Innovates Ukraine Startup Training Program is Underway

On 15 September, 2020 the GIST Innovates Ukraine program officially kicked off its formal training series for a group of science and technology innovators based in Ukraine.

GIST Innovation Talks Episode 5: Product Development

This episode of GIST Innovation Talks explores product development with Jaden Johnston, head of business development at Tugboat, a U.S.-based tech startup that has successfully spun off from its larger parent company.