Global Social Entrepreneurship Competition

The Global Social Entrepreneurship Competition (GSEC) engages creative minds around the world to encourage bolder and less conventional business solutions to global poverty. 

Students from around the world—and across fields of study—are invited to find innovative, commercially-sustainable business solutions to problems of poverty in the developing world. GSEC plans are judged on the quality of life in the developing world, financial sustainability, and implementation feasibility.

From affordable, nutritious meals for slum dwellers in Mumbai, to mobile wind turbines in Kazakhstan, to solar oven-powered water purification systems in Tanzania, GSEC business plans demonstrate the power of business to create sustainable, positive change to some of the world’s most challenging social problems.

Each year, the Global Business Center brings the world to University of Washington: a select group of interdisciplinary teams are invited to Seattle to participate in GSEC Week at the UW Foster School of Business. Teams attend exclusive company visits, receive feedback on their presentation and pitch their business ideas to judges as they compete for prize money.




"The Global Social Entrepreneurship Competition gets to the noble purpose of business."

Dean James Jiambalvo
Foster School of Business
"We salute the Foster School's Global Business Center, which acknowledges and rewards social entrepreneurship—business with a social goal."

Seattle Times editorial, March 9, 2009
Volunteers and Sponsors
Participate in GSEC as a student volunteer, mentor, judge and/or sponsor. Learn how you can contribute.
Students: Submit a business plan via the Competition Guidelines page.

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