Startup Open, a featured event of Global Entrepreneurship Week, is a global competition to identify and recognize startup companies. Today, Startup Open announced the “GEW 50” – 50 of the most promising ventures from around the world, selected by a range of criteria including strength of concept, growth projections, and knowledge of the market. I am delighted that Prisere LLC has been recognized and included in the GEW 50 for being what one of the judges called “an ambitious and innovative social enterprise”. In addition to the United States, other countries that participate in Global Entrepreneurship Week, which takes place on November 14 – 20 of this year, are Angola, Brazil, Cape Verde, Congo, Denmark, Germany, Ghana, Iceland, Malaysia and Pakistan. The Kauffman Foundation for Entrepreneurship started this program, with additional support from Maverick Business Adventures, Entrepreneurs’ Organization, iStart and Y.E.C. A select few startups from those named to the GEW 50 will be invited to participate in Start-Up Chile, a ground-breaking program to attract world-class early stage entrepreneurs to start their firms in Chile. Those who accept will receive $40,000 in equity-free seed capital and a one-year work visa in Chile along with access to the most potent social and capital networks in the country. It is extraordinary to see how the prolonged downturn in the economy is attracting attention to entrepreneurs and start-up ventures. Of course, the time to seed a new enterprise is before you need it to blossom.