The Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC) and Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN) today announced billionaire entrepreneur, philanthropist and investor Mark Cuban as the keynote speaker for the 2025 Global Entrepreneurship Congress (GEC 2025), which will be held in Indianapolis June 2-5, 2025. A graduate of Indiana University, Cuban has achieved significant success as an entrepreneur and investor. In addition to founding disruptive companies like Cost Plus Drugs, which is transforming the prescription drug market, Cuban has invested in hundreds of companies and has served as a lead investor featured on the Emmy-Award-winning show “Shark Tank” since 2011. 

“Many of my business and entrepreneurship activities first took shape during my college days in Indiana,” said Cuban. “I look forward to returning to Indiana to share my story and engage with entrepreneurs, investors and policymakers from around the world.”

Hosted by GEN in a different rising entrepreneurial city each year, the GEC gathers thousands of delegates from 200 countries to share and strengthen innovative approaches to empowering entrepreneurs everywhere. Indianapolis will be the second U.S. location to host the annual convention since its inaugural event in 2009, underscoring the state’s focus on entrepreneurship.

“As an entrepreneur and business owner for 37 years, I understand the importance of supporting entrepreneurs in all stages as they drive our economy forward,” said Indiana Governor Mike Braun. “With an intentional approach to growth, long-term fiscal stability and lower costs, Indiana is one of the top-rated states to start a business. We are thrilled to host GEC 2025, welcoming thousands of guests from around the world to remove entrepreneurial barriers and build relationships.”

In addition to a compelling keynote from Mark Cuban and insightful talks from other global leaders, the GEC 2025 program includes informative summits, workshops and masterclasses, investor matchmaking, a government ministerial and networking events.

Over the course of four days, thought leaders will inspire and challenge new thinking, trends and opportunities. GEC 2025 is targeted toward company founders, investors, policymakers and entrepreneurial ecosystem builders, providing a specific track with curated content for each audience.

“The Global Entrepreneurship Congress unites bold changemakers committed to tackling the world’s most pressing challenges,” said Jonathan Ortmans, founder and president of GEN. “Visionary founders, forward-thinking policymakers, investors and support organizations from economies of all sizes will come together in the same room — turning ideas into action to fuel economic growth and drive meaningful change to expand human welfare.”

Indiana hosting GEC 2025 is another example of the state’s focus on cultivating a robust entrepreneurial ecosystem. Indiana was ranked as the No. 11 emerging entrepreneurial ecosystem in the U.S. per the latest Global Startup Ecosystem Report from Startup Genome and GEN. Last year, Forbes named Indiana the second-best state in America to start a business.

Sponsors for GEC 2025 include Indiana University, Eli Lilly & Company, University of Notre Dame and Google. A few sponsorship opportunities are still available. For more information, reach out here.

To learn more about the GEC 2025 event in Indiana, visit www.gec.co.