I’ve been a long time Board member and strong supporter of the Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN), one of the world’s leading champions for innovators and entrepreneurs around the globe.  Among its many impressive activities, GEN sponsored the Global Entrepreneurship Congress, an annual celebration that regularly attracts entrepreneurs and entrepreneur champions from around the world. Last year’s gala, held in Indianapolis in June, was a huge success, and GEN is now ready to build on this legacy.  Today, at the Davos World Forum, GEN President Jonathan Ortmans announced that this year’s Global Entrepreneurship Congress will be held in Doha, Qatar, from September 21-24, 2026.  This will be a landmark event at a time when the world’s innovators and entrepreneurs face many challenges.  You can learn more and register here.  

I recently learned about an excellent workforce training tool—the Occupational Licensing Dashboard—developed and supported by the Minneapolis Federal Reserve Bank.  Short-term credentials and occupational licenses, such as for physical therapy or teaching, are growing in importance as training and career tools.  In fact, around 22% of currently employed Americans hold such credentials. The Dashboard tracks the use of these credentials, allowing users to assess demand for such training, and the relative take-up of various credentials by state.  If you want to better understand today’s occupational licensing landscape, this is a very helpful tool.