The 71st ICSB World Congress, held in Washington, D.C., USA, from June 29 to July 1, 2026, brought together entrepreneurs, researchers, educators, policymakers, students, and business leaders from around the world under the theme “MSMEs World Cup: Entrepreneurship for the World.”
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Inspired by the unifying spirit of the World Cup, the Congress celebrated entrepreneurship as a universal force for economic empowerment, social progress, and sustainable development. Through keynote presentations, research sessions, policy dialogues, interactive workshops, and cross-sector collaborations, participants explored how micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) can lead innovation, strengthen resilience, accelerate digital transformation, and foster inclusive prosperity in an increasingly interconnected world.
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Hosted in Washington, D.C., a global center for policymaking, innovation, and international collaboration, the Congress provided an unparalleled platform for meaningful dialogue and partnership among academia, industry, government, and the entrepreneurial community. The event reinforced ICSB’s enduring mission to advance entrepreneurship worldwide, inspiring participants to build stronger entrepreneurial ecosystems, champion human-centered innovation, and shape a more prosperous and sustainable future through global collaboration
| Award | Recipients |
|---|---|
| Best Paper Award | Attorney Perspectives of Black Entrepreneurs in Commercial Real Estate Authors: Sharon Simmons, Saundra Thompson McFarland, J.D., and Maurice Mangum, Ph.D. (United States) |
| Best Paper Award | Theoretical Perspectives on Humane Entrepreneurship: Explaining Its Emergence, Outcomes, and Policy Implications Authors: Christian Kruse, Vivekanandhan Viswanathan, Fabian Behrendt, and Christian Meisel (Germany) |
| Best Workshop Award | Casey Hayes-Deats Young Entrepreneur School: Art & Entrepreneurial Leadership |
| Best Workshop Award | Evette Banfield ELEVATE: Executive Leadership Education Venture Advancing Talented Entrepreneurs |
| Global Impact Award for Entrepreneurship Centers | Recipients: Don't Lose Hope Global (DLH-GL) and The Valley Hub (TVH) Presented by: Dr. Martin Ekoumou, MD, MPH, PhD-C, Chief Executive Officer and Founding President |
| Undergraduate Education Excellence Award | Recipient: Bachelor in Entrepreneurship (LDE) Program, Tecnológico de Monterrey, México Presented by: Ján Rehák |
| Entrepreneurship Educator Excellence Award | Dr. Juliana Binhote – Florida State University, United States |
| Entrepreneurship Educator Excellence Award | Dr. Hermine Poghosyan – Armenian State University of Economics, Armenia |
| Global Excellence Awards | George Jabbour – Professor of Finance, GW School of Business |
| Global Excellence Awards | Emily Cho – President and CMO, Hanjin Co., Ltd. |
| Global Excellence Awards | Steve Glaude – President & CEO, The Coalition |
| Global Excellence Awards | Herman Aguinis – Avram Tucker Distinguished Scholar and Professor of Management at the George Washington University School of Business (GWSB) |
| Fellows Class | Jeffrey Alves |
| Fellows Class | Alex DeNoble |
| Fellows Class | Heidi Neck |
| Fellows Class | Rita Grant |
| Fellows Class | Ambassador MartĂn GarcĂa Moritán |
| Fellows Class | Rubén Ascúa |
| ICSB Academy Cup Award | Phoenix Project – Team One Arianna Zamboni, Carlo Castrignano, Giorgio De Palma, Judy Kinyua, Buse Arici, and Joslyn Williams |