Gender, Entrepreneurship and Social Policy Institute

Our vision is a future where a large body (the hive) of relevant and interdisciplinary research on gender and entrepreneurship is available to all stakeholders, and where there is fluid transfer of knowledge and tools between networks and a more inclusive environment for entrepreneurs. 

Though entrepreneurship leads to equality and increasing gender awareness can improve social policy, these three fields have not been studied together. GESPi will define and establish a distinctive new field integrating gender, entrepreneurship and social policy.

The longer-term goal is to build, nationally and internationally, research on the critical linkages between gender, entrepreneurship and social policy comparing different specialist industries and localities, in developing countries and beyond.

• To partner with universities, funders, industry and policy makers to pursue research, consultancy and capacity-building projects.
• To create a forum for entrepreneurs, investors (for example gender lens investors, private equity and angel investors, family offices), NGOs and industry researchers to foster creative thinking about how gender equality/equity in the entrepreneurial sector can enhance inclusive development in African countries and beyond.
• To disseminate findings through conference presentations, professional publications and reports, workshops, university courses and new media.
• To publish peer-reviewed journal articles, books, occasional papers, creative writing pieces and case studies.